Moldovan economics minister, British ambassador discuss boosting trade, economic relations

Chisinau, 25 October /MOLDPRES/ - Deputy Prime Minister, Economics Minister Octavian Calmic and Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Moldova Lucy Rebecca Joyce  discussed aspects of the bilateral trade and economic cooperation, as well as boosting the collaboration in the long run at a meeting today. 

According to the Economics Ministry’s press service, Octavian Calmic and Lucy Rebecca Joyce reviewed the commercial and economic relations between the two states, and appreciated their evolution on the last period. In particular, the sides highlighted an eight-per cent increase in Moldova’s foreign trade with the UK in 2015 against the year before. The United Kingdom has a 3.2-per cent quota in Moldova’s overall trade and ranks ninth on the top of partners with which Moldova  has commercial relations.   

The two officials agreed on bolstering the commercial and economic ties, including by initiating investment projects, with participation of companies from both states, organization of forums of business people from Moldova and the United Kingdom, etc. In the context, the economics minister unveiled investment possibilities offered by Moldova’s authorities to the business environment, including through Free Economic Zones and Industrial Parks, etc.     

Also, Octavian Calmic and Lucy Rebecca Joyce referred to subjects dealing with the implementation by Moldova of the provisions of the Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, as well as to the process of talks on signing a memorandum with the International Monetary Fund. In the context, the deputy prime minister informed that the IMF Executive Board would hold a meeting on 7 November, to discuss the requesting of a three-year programme on financing reforms in Moldova, through the Extended Credit Facility and Extended Fund Facility.  

For his part, Ambassador Lucy Rebecca Joyce stressed that the UK authorities were interested in developing relations with Moldova on all dimensions, including the commercial and economic one, and fully backed the processes of reformation and modernization underway in Moldova. The British diplomat noted that the London authorities were willing to provide the needed support to carry out projects on good governance of state enterprises, as well as in the process of assessing the implementation of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. 

Official information presented by the State Registration Chamber shows that 232 enterprises with British capital were working in Moldova on 1 October 2016, with the investments amounting to 516 million lei. The United Kingdom ranks seventh in terms of investments in the registered share capital and tenth according the number enterprises working in Moldova.   

(Reporter A. Mardare, editor M. Jantovan)