Moldova became first country in region to obtain mutual recognition of authorized economic agents with EU

Chisinau, Oct. 21 /MOLDPRES/- The Government launched today the mutual recognition Program of authorized economic operators between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union. Therefore, as of 1 November authorized economic operators from our country will be recognized by all 27 EU member states, further deepening the economic integration between our country and the European community. The launch event was attended by Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița, the head of the EU Delegation to Chişinău, Jānis Mažeiks, the EU High Level Adviser, Rosario de Blasio, Customs Service head Igor Talmazan, as well as businessmen from our country, the government's communication and protoco department has reported.

In her welcoming speech, Gavrilita said that the adoption of the decision is a historic event that brings the Republic of Moldova even closer to the European Union.

"I am proud that we are the first country in the region to get mutual recognition of authorized economic agents with the European Union. It is a status that far more developed countries have achieved so far, such as the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland or Japan. This result is a strong signal of confidence for the government and for the commitments we have made in eliminating corruption. I hope in this way to increase the export capacity of Moldovan products on the European Union market - a desire that is even more important in the context of the difficult economic situation in the region", said Natalia Gavrilița.

According to EU Ambassador to Moldova Jānis Mažeiks, the mutual recognition of the status of authorized economic operators (AEO) will grant its holders certain benefits, including a priority treatment at the border crossing - a special lane dedicated to them and a reduced number of checks: "Authorized economic operators from Moldova will benefit from the same privileges at the border as European ones. This means simplified customs procedures, less time spent at the border and fewer queues at checkpoints. Moldova is the first country in the neighborhood of the EU with which such an agreement was concluded and among the very few in the world that have such an agreement with the EU".

Present at the event, the head of the Customs Service said that the mutual recognition of AEOs will help companies to make their work more efficient.

"Authorized Economic Operators are as a rule those economic operators who have invested significantly in the production and logistics processes and ensuring timely deliveries, whether imports or exports, is a decisive factor. A simple analysis of the data shows that the respective economic agents create jobs for thousands of employees, citizens of the Republic of Moldova and ensuring the flow of goods is not only a problem of economic security but also one of social security", Talmazan said.

The necessary measures for the adoption of the decision of the European Council in this regard were possible with the support of the European Union, through the EU High Councillors' Mission. These included the assessment of national customs legislation and its alignment with that of the European Union, EU validation missions in Moldova, Romania and Germany, as well as the development of IT platform - a complex data exchange system for the mutual recognition of AEOs, being the first connection system between the customs authorities of Moldova and the EU member states.

Photo: Government