EU project of technical assistance for deep and comprehensive free trade area implementation accomplished

Chisinau, 23 August /MOLDPRES/ – The two-year project of Technical Assistance for DCFTA Implementation with €2.8 million of the EU funding has been finalized. "It is one of the most successful EU projects in the Republic of Moldova", said Chief of the EU Delegation to Chisinau, Pirkka Tapiola, today, at a press conference at the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure (MEI) by the end of the project.

By the support of the EU "a number of legislative acts in the field of quality infrastructure have been implemented, which has strengthened the normative and regulatory framework in this sector, bringing us closer to the European values", said Deputy Prime Minister, Octavian Calmic, Minister of Economy and Infrastructure. He added that more than three thousand European standards have been taken over, so that economic operators have the opportunity to obtain the right to export to the EU market on the basis of those standards.

"The statistics show that the EU market is a determining factor for us. At present, about 65 per cent of Moldovan products are exported to this market, and I think this upward trend will continue to increase," said Octavian Calmic. Over the course of two years, it has been possible to strengthen the technical and material basis of all labs which are responsible for certifying both domestic and exported goods. The Minister of Economy stated that over MDL 40 million were invested only in equipments of these labs, which are under the MEI’s liability.

There were opened two business incubators within the project, in Calarasi and Cahul. Also, thousands of people who want to export to the EU market were trained and informed about the requirements to be applied in the countries of the European Union, the Deputy Prime Minister stated.

"The project has touched the lives of Moldovans and their level of life. One thousand six hundred small and medium-sized enterprises had access to funding, which generated 2,000 new jobs. More than 20 export missions took place, which generated 30 export contracts. We also provided assistance to 15 potential foreign investors. There were many activities related to the alignment of the national legislation with the European one, especially in the field of standardization, which has brought Moldova closer to the European Union," said Pirkka Tapiola, the head of the EU delegation in Chisinau.

He added that "there are no invented but real data" and proof is the increase in exports to the EU market. "Things have improved considerably within four years by now. Yes, problems remain, the challenges remain, but we still have some positive results," said Pirkka Tapiola.

The project leader, Philip Santens, said it was important that the normative and legislative acts adopted were to be implemented and that it should focus on further activities. The EU decided to grant a first tranche to the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Organization, a grant of €4 million. "For a country that is not in the process of negotiating EU membership, it is something great," said Philip Santens.

(Reporter V. Bercu, editor A. Raileanu)