Implementation of European agenda discussed on platform of Association Committee in Moldova-EU trade configuration

Chisinau, 15 November /MOLDPRES/ - The progress in the implementation of the European agenda has been discussed on the platform of the Association Committee in the Moldova-European Union Trade Configuration. On 14-15 November, the leadership of the Customs Service participated in the 11th annual meeting of the Association Committee in the Moldova-European Union Trade Configuration, held in Brussels, Belgium.    

The meeting was co-chaired by State Secretary at the Economic Development and Digitalization Ministry Cristina Ceban and Deputy Head of Unit for Europe and Eastern Neighbourhood at DG Trade in the European Commission Marco Düerkop.

According to the Customs Service, the meeting gave possibility to assess the progress made in the implementation of the Association Agreement/Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (AA/DCFTA) in the sectors within the competence of the Committee: commerce with assets, competition, technical obstacles to trade, intellectual property rights and geographic indications, commerce with services, energy aspects dealing with trade, public procurements, sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures, customs cooperation, commerce and sustainable development, improvement of the investment climate.    

During her speech, the deputy director of the Customs Service, Lidia Ababii, highlighted the progress made in the customs sector. Among the principal developments, she mentioned the headway made in the field of customs legislation and procedures, in the conditions of the implementation of the Customs Code, which is a priority on the association agenda.     

Also, the official emphasized the progress made in the implementation of the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Programme EU – Moldova, in force on 1 January 2022 and which provides more benefits to the authorized operators from Moldova and the European Union. So far, 149 economic operators hold the AEO status, of which 45 have AEO authorizations which include the security and safety component, recognized in all EU member states.    

Another subject on the meeting’s agenda was the implementation of the New Computerized Transit System (NCTS) nationally starting from 1 October 2024, as well as Moldova’s commitment to join the Convention on Common Transit, planned for 2025.  

The meeting’s agenda also comprised subjects on the modernization of the cross-border infrastructure, mutual administrative assistance, counteraction of customs frauds and enforcement of the provisions of the PEM Convention on Rules of Origin.

The meeting represented an opportunity for the deepening of the Moldova-European Union cooperation, in order to implement the instruments of facilitating the trade and consolidate the economic relations, in line with the commitments taken within the Association Agreement.