Moldova to take over CEFTA presidency in 2022

Chisinau, 17 Dec. / MOLDPRES /- Presidency of the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) will be taken over by Moldova from Northern Macedonia in 2022. This year's achievements were marked by the CEFTA Central Week event, the CEFTA - 15 Years of Trade conference, which brought together over a hundred participants in Skopje and about two hundred online from the seven member states: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, UNMIK Kosovo.

Kreshnik Bekteshi, Minister of Economy of Northern Macedonia emphasized the importance of CEFTA for regional economic development and accelerating the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This year we have managed to complete important work in the annual program of our presidency and in the implementation of the priority topics in the Common Regional Market Action Plan. We managed to focus on the free movement of goods, the removal of obstacles, the progress in free trade in services and the improvement of the institutional capacities of the CEFTA structures ", said Minister Bekteshi.

For his part, the Minister of Economy of the Republic of Moldova, Sergiu Gaibu, expressed his gratitude to Northern Macedonia and the CEFTA Secretariat for the efforts and assistance provided during his term of office and assured that he will continue the restructuring works and a better adjustment of CEFTA bodies and procedures, started during the 2019 presidency.

"The Presidency of the Republic of Moldova will continue the efforts of previous Presidencies to improve and promote dialogue with the private sector and civil society within CEFTA. Moreover, given that Moldova is the only CEFTA member country present in both CEFTA and the Eastern Partnership, we will take this opportunity to facilitate the participation of both regions, to share experience, lessons learned and best practices", Sergiu Gaibu said.

CEFTA Week 2021 was organized in cooperation with the partners of the European Union Intellectual Property Office, GIZ, USAID North Macedonia and the WB6 Chamber Investment Forum in the Western Balkans, with the support of the European Commission.

CEFTA was concluded in 1992 with the aim of facilitating intra-regional trade and economic cooperation. At the same time, the Agreement was seen from the outset as a tool to prepare the participating States for accession to the European Union. The Republic of Moldova held the presidency of CEFTA during 2015.

Photo: Ministry of Economy

p5u70r580residency of the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) will be taken over by the Republic of Moldova from Northern Macedonia in 2022. This year's achievements were marked by the CEFTA Central Week event, the "CEFTA - 15 Years of Trade" conference, which brought together over a hundred participants in Skopje and about two hundred online from the seven Member States: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, UNMIK Kosovo, MOLDPRES reports.

At the opening of the conference, Kreshnik Bekteshi, Minister of Economy of Northern Macedonia, emphasized the importance of CEFTA for regional economic development and accelerating the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This year we have managed to complete important work in the annual program of our presidency and in the implementation of the priority topics in the Common Regional Market Action Plan. We managed to focus on the free movement of goods, the removal of obstacles, the progress in free trade in services and the improvement of the institutional capacities of the CEFTA structures ", said Minister Bekteshi.

For his part, the Minister of Economy of the Republic of Moldova, Sergiu Gaibu, expressed his gratitude to Northern Macedonia and the CEFTA Secretariat for the efforts and assistance provided during his term of office and assured that he will continue the restructuring works and a better adjustment of CEFTA bodies and procedures, started during the 2019 presidency.

"The Presidency of the Republic of Moldova will continue the efforts of previous Presidencies to improve and promote dialogue with the private sector and civil society within CEFTA. Moreover, given that Moldova is the only CEFTA member country present in both CEFTA and the Eastern Partnership, we will take this opportunity to facilitate the participation of both regions, to share experience, lessons learned and best practices. ", Mentioned Sergiu Gaibu.

CEFTA Week 2021 was organized in cooperation with the partners of the European Union Intellectual Property Office, GIZ, USAID North Macedonia and the WB6 Chamber Investment Forum in the Western Balkans, with the support of the European Commission.

CEFTA was concluded in 1992 with the aim of facilitating intra-regional trade and economic cooperation. At the same time, the Agreement was seen from the outset as a tool to prepare the participating States for accession to the European Union. The Republic of Moldova held the presidency of CEFTA during 2015.

Photo: Ministry of Economy