The Independent Analytical Center Expert-Grup forecasts that Moldova’s exports to the European Union in 2013 will grow by 5-6%, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting analyst Adrian Lupusor, the author of a study on the theme. ”The effect of the economic crisis in some of the EU member states was the main cause for the decline in exports to the EU market in 2012 (by about 6-7% according to the estimates of Expert-Grup), but this recent negative dynamic shouldn’t affect the talks on the creation of a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area between Moldova and the European Union because Moldova’s exports to the EU increased substantially over the last few years,” said the expert. In the study, Adrian Lupusor highlights a number of problems whose resolution will lead to a greater and more sustainable presence of the Moldovan products and services on the EU market. The recommendations include enhancing the competitiveness of the Moldovan producers by increasing investments in companies’ equipment, facilitating the transfer of know-how to economy, adopting the sanitary and phytosanitary standards used in the EU for agroindustrial products. ”It is important to continue to modernize the road infrastructure as this will have an essential impact on the transportation costs and, consequently, on the final costs of the national products. Currently, the cost of transporting a container from Moldova is by about 36% higher, while the shipping period two times longer than in Romania for example,” said the expert. According to the World Bank Doing Business rankings for 2013, the average time for performing an export operation from Moldova is 32 days, as against 26 days in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The exporters use 26 of the 32 days for legalizing documents.