At the Vilnius Eastern Partnership Summit of November 29, 2013, Moldova will enter a new stage of relations with the European Union. What will it bring and how will it influence the life of the Moldovans from the country and from abroad? What will each of us gain and what should we do for this benefit to become possible? How will the new conditions affect Moldova’s relations with other countries? The IPN Agency aims to look for answers to these and other questions worrying society, together with you, within the series of articles “Association with the EU to everyone’s understanding
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The initialing and then the signing of the Association Agreement with the EU will not mean free circulation for the agricultural producers from the very next day. The producers will have to take a number of steps until the national products meet the European standards. Only then the agricultural products will travel without barriers from Moldova to the EU and vice versa, said the director general of the poultry breeding company “Avicola-Moldova” Ion Bazgu.
“In Europe, eggs prices are much higher than in Moldova. That’s why we plan to export about 200 million eggs to the European market. There are a number of standards that the producers must meet, including as regards the health of birds. The producers already work with equipment bought from the EU, while the hens are purchased from EU member states,” said Ion Bazgu.
The producers of eggs will enjoy significant benefits after the Association Agreement with the EU is signed. But there are also risks. The producers do not hold a share of the home market enabling them to work safely in any situation. The procedure for switching from the centralized system to the market system is slow. As no mechanisms were created to establish contract relations between the producers, intermediaries and consumers, it will be a long process during which the national producers will work at risk.
The chairman of the Grain Producers Association Nicanor Buzovoi said the association with the EU is the only solution for improving the situation of the Moldovan agricultural producers. Romania for example, after joining the EU benefited from a number of investment projects in agriculture. As a result, the agricultural sector was fully reequipped. The Moldovan farmers may enjoy the same advantages when buying modern agricultural equipment.
“We should not lose the eastern market too, but we see no definite project related to the Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan Customs Union and the benefits of joining it,” stated Nicanor Buzovoi.
Moldova may export to the EU not only grains, but also cans. This is now impossible, but talks are being carried out. Nicanor Buzovoi said that not all the grain producers are ready to export to the EU, but they will be able to if considerable investments are made. The first steps were already taken. It is important to make sure that the production copes with the competition on the European market.
Alina Marin, IPN
