Moldovan officials could be seconded to the European Commission to gain experience and skills relevant to the process of joining the European Union. The Parliament ratified the Administrative Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Moldova and the European Commission in this regard, IPN reports.

Respectively, Moldovan officials will be able to participate in the Seconded National Experts (SNE) and National Experts in Professional Training (NEPT) programs in order to gain experience in the European Commission's work policies.

For the NEPT program, the term of secondment is from three to five months. In the case of the SNE program, the term is up to two years. The Republic of Moldova could second civil servants who have worked for at least one year in a state institution and who, upon their return, will contribute to the country's integration into the European Union.

According to the document, the seconded Moldovan officials will keep their status as employees of the public administration of the Republic of Moldova, with all the social and professional rights guaranteed by the legislation.

On Thursday, MPs also gave a first reading to the draft law on the secondment of national experts to EU institutions or agencies and discussed the amendment of the related regulatory framework. The document regulates the secondment of contractual staff of public institutions or authorities or of staff of employers working in Moldova.

The provisions stipulate the legal relationship between the seconded national expert and the Moldovan employer, as well as the specific rights, guarantees and obligations.