“We managed to remove the shortcomings witnessed in 2014 - 2015 and to achieve all the objectives set for 2016 in the framework of the Association Agreement signed by the Republic of Moldova and the EU,” said Deputy Prime Minister Octavian Calmac, Minister of Economy, when presenting the Ministry’s accomplishments this year. Next year emphasis will be laid on the implementation of the laws harmonized with the European ones and on the extension of their application to the private sector, IPN reports.
The national economy, especially the agricultural sector, managed to fully use the quotas provided by the EU. In some sectors, where the EU set floating quotas for grains, sugar, table grapes and plums, the quotas were doubled or even trebled. There were also launched negotiations to extend the commercial preferences with other partners. Free trade agreements are being negotiated with Egypt and China.
“On the bilateral dimension, there was resumed the dialogue with the Russian, Federation, Ukraine, Belarus, Romania and other countries based on the platform of the joint intergovernmental commission for commercial and economic cooperation. Thus, in 2017 we expect an improvement in the trade with Moldova’s commercial partners, both the traditional and the new ones,” stated Octavian Calmac.
He noted that they work in parallel on the improvement of the business climate. The number of documents needed to start and develop a business was reduced to 114 certificates, authorizations and permits at the first stage. Another 200 authorizing documents will be eliminated at the second stage. The number of inspection institutions was decreased from 69 to 18, five of which are independent regulators.
The reporting procedure was simplified and the business entities report only to one institution, not to five. The procedure for liquidating enterprises, especially small ones, was also simplified.
The Deputy Prime Minister approved of a number of programs designed to support entrepreneurs, such as the PARE 1+1 program, within which 145 businesses were started with the money of migrants or their close relatives, while 1,700 young people were trained and many of these started businesses. The official also mentioned the competitiveness enhancement program and the loan guarantee fund that offered 137 guarantees for taking out loans to business entities.
