Moldova makes progress in implementing Deep, Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement

Chisinau, 15 February /MOLDPRES/ – Moldova has been progressing in implementation of provisions of the Moldova – EU Association Agreement aimed at the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA). The Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure (MEI) participated in the meeting of ad – hoc Working Group for Association Agreements of the EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly, presenting the achievements of Moldova for three years. The meeting took place in Tbilisi, Georgia, and brought together representatives from Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine.

Thus, Moldova succeeded in achieving a number of reforms in economic field, such as the implementation of one – stop shop, launched in June 2017, which reduced administrative costs to 46 per cent (about MDL 62 million annually) reducing permissive acts from 413 to 150, reducing institutions with control functions from 70 to 18, including 5 independent regulators, the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure’s information and media communication service has reported.

Also, during the recent years there is a tendency to reorient Moldovan exports from east to west. Currently, EU holds primacy into foreign trade of Moldova. In 2017, exports of goods towards EU countries accounted 63.7 per cent of total exports, over 1,300 Moldovan firms, representing about 60 per cent of total, export into EU. Similarly, there are 28 EU Member States investing into Moldova’s economy.

Some other achievements include creation of the first IT park – Moldova IT Park, launch of the single national 112 emergency call service, implementation of the automated info management system and issuance of permissive documents, etc.

At the meeting, there were discussed the institutional procedures, mechanisms and capacities for implementing the Association Agreement in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, as well as aspects of the process of harmonizing legislation with acquis communautaire in the three countries.

On 27 June 2014, the European Union and the Republic of Moldova signed the Association Agreement and applied it provisionally from 1 September 2014. The agreement introduces a preferential trade regime – the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA).

(Editor M. Jantovan)