The Autonomous Trade Preferences that have been used by the Transnistrian region expire on December 31. According to an analysis carried out by the expert of the Institute for European Policies and Reforms Iulian Groza, if the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) with the EU is not extended to Transnistria, the economic situation of the region could be seriously affected. Thus, the free trade with the EU is a new chance for the Transnistrian businessmen, IPN reports.

“The Association Agreement with the EU will offer the businessmen from the region new opportunities, including for developing the region’s economy. The region’s exports to the EU in September represented about 30%, while to Russian - approximately 7.5%. However, the imports from the EU into Transnistria constituted about 8%, while from Russia – nearly 50%,” said the expert.

Iulian Groza considers the key goal is to identity and ensure the implementation of a set of minimal requirements that would enable to de factor create the DCFTA in the region, such as the removal of duties on the import of goods from the EU, certification of the origin of goods by the Moldovan customs authorities for the exporters from the region, assessment of the sanitary and phytosanitary standards by the competent authorities and, respectively, issuing of compliance certificates for goods exported from the Transnistrian region to the EU.

According to the expert, the fulfillment of these minimal requirements, the standardization of tariff barriers and gradual harmonization of the tariff provisions could form part of a plan of action agreed with the Transnistrian authorities. This plan could also include transition periods agreed preliminarily with EU experts. The major challenge resides in the political dimension of this process. It is less than two months until the Autonomous Trade Preferences expire, but there is no yet clear mechanism in place.