Moldovan PM appreciates progress made in EU-Moldova trade relations

Chisinau, 7 November /MOLDPRES/ - Statistics and forecasts on the export and import as a result of the implementation of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) between the European Union and Moldova are hopeful. Prime Minister Pavel Filip today made statements to this effect following a meeting with European Union Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström, on an official visit to Chisinau.  

Prime Minister Pavel Filip said that Moldova’s exports to the European market had reached the share of 64 per cent; at the same time, the imports stand at 50 per cent.

“The statistics data is pretty optimistic. We note a continuous increase in the number of companies involved in the commerce with EU and diversification of the types of goods exported. This growth, as well as the interest in backing farmers from Moldova prompted our demand to the EU to increase the quotas of products, such as plums, table grapes and cherries, as well as the change of the conditions of export for wheat, barley, maize and sugar. Thus, the visit by the European commissioner will favour the appearance of new initiatives and programmes, which will facilitate the trade with the European Union and development of the business environment and investment climate in Moldova,” Filip noted.     

At the same time, the PM highlighted that, at the meeting, the sides had discussed also “problems which must be solved to ensure the advancement of Moldova’s integration on the EU market and namely the possibility to export animal origin goods.”

For her part, Cecilia Malmström said that the relations between Moldova and the European Union were strong and the Moldovan authorities should continue the reforms and adjust the legislation to the European standards, in order to be able to fully benefit from DCFTA.  

“EU is the principal commercial partner for Moldova. Today, we discussed how the agreement’s accessibilities can be deepened. It is necessary to implement the laws and reforms in the food safety sector, so that the exporters of eggs and meat have access to the European market. At the same time, I inform that I will launch a new EU project on optimizing communication between business people,” the European official said.  

European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström is on a visit to Chisinau on 6-7 November. The progress recorded in the EU-Moldova trade relation will be reviewed during the visit. 

The third anniversary of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) between the European Union and Moldova is marked this autumn. DCFTA represented a positive impetus for Moldova’s commerce with EU. In 2016, the country’s exports to the European Union grew by 7.7 per cent against the year before. Some sectors – producers of juices and canned fruits and vegetables - had better results; here, DCFTA boosted the exported by up to 25 per cent. The export of Moldovan wines to EU has almost doubled (+96 per cent) since the entrance into force of the free trade area in September 2014.

(Reporter A. Ciobanu, editor M. Jantovan)