Meeting of Moldova-EU Association Committee in Trade Configuration held in Brussels

Chisinau, 19 October /MOLDPRES/ – The institutional capacity of the Republic of Moldova in terms of realization of commitments undertaken under the Association Agreement were evaluated in the framework of the second meeting of Moldova-EU Association Committee in Trade configuration, which was held today in Brussels.

It also examined assistance needs/projects in the coverage areas of the document economic component.

In this context, the Moldovan delegation, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Octavian Calmic, Minister of Economy presented the progress report on action taken on the main areas referred to in Title V of the Association Agreement.

Press Service of the Ministry of Economy said that during the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Octavian Calmic, presented developments in the components pillar underpinning the creation of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Zone: the dynamics of foreign trade of the Republic of Moldova, with emphasis on trade developments with European partners, including recovery of export quotas/import, harmonization of national legislation with the acquis communautaire in the areas of intellectual property, public procurement, trade in services, quality infrastructure and market surveillance etc.

"The European Union remains the main trading partner of Moldova, and about 1,250 domestic companies (up to 20 per cent compared to 2013) were recorded for exports to the European community of 673 tariff headings which is cumulative to over 67 per cent of all our country's exporters. "The Moldovan authorities have pledged to continue reforms in the field of sanitary and phytosanitary fully implementing the recommendations of the European Commission to obtain the right to export products of animal origin that will influence on increasing exports to the EU by 16 per cent," the deputy prime minister stated.

The Minister of Economy informed that during the implementation of the DCFTA in order to harmonize national standardization system to the EU one, there were adopted about 8,500 European/international standards. "An important accomplishment for Moldovan exporters, the implementation of the Authorised Economic Operator System and approval at national level "Combined Nomenclature of goods under EU classification" (HS2012)," Calmic said.

In his report, the deputy prime minister also referred to the most significant achievements both in trade and services, energy, public procurement, intellectual property rights, competition etc., as well as the problems faced by the national authorities to implement objectives undertaken under the Association Agreement.

At his part, Petros Sourmelis, head of the Unit on issues of EU neighborhood trade policy, appreciated the efforts of Moldovan Government in adjusting national legislation to EU and to achieve implementation of the commitments undertaken by Moldova in the Agreement association and the implementation of the Free Deep and Comprehensive Trade Zone. The EU officials welcomed progress in transposition and implementation of the national community standards, quality infrastructure, public procurement strategy approval, strengthening the capacity of the banking sector etc.

At the meeting, there were signed several important decisions regarding updating Annex, part of the Association Agreement EU-Moldova including Annex XVI on replacing the Directives repealed by the new EU guidelines and updating Annex XXIX to the agreement on public procurement.

(Reporter A. Mardare, editor L. Alcaza)