The Association Agreement with the EU is a platform for doing reforms in different areas: justice, human rights, consumer protection, education, and others, head of the Political and Economic Section of the EU Delegation to Moldova Wicher Slagter said in a session of questions and answers on the signature of the accord.
According to the European official, the EU is interested in a stable Moldova, not in the country’s ‘colonization’. “The most important thing is to focus on the implementation of reforms and the fulfillment of commitments. The reforms represent reward. When they are done, they bring benefits,” stated Wicher Slagter.
According to him, the Association Agreement, which includes the Free Trade Agreement, will create many opportunities for the business community, especially for SMEs. The Free Trade Agreement will help Moldova improve industrial competitiveness and the agricultural sector. Moldova will be able to export products to the European Union, and the EU will not demand that Moldova immediately open its market for sensitive products.
“It is asymmetric commercial liberalization. The Republic of Moldova will be able to strengthen competitiveness so as to adjust itself to the new circumstances on the market,” said Wicher Slagter, adding that the Government and the private sector will receive a lot of assistance. The EBRD and EIB will develop a fund of over €1 billion for supporting the private sectors in the EaP states.
The official also said that the Free Trade Agreement is fully compatible with other free trade agreements signed by Moldova with other states. “Moldova can benefit from free trade with the EU and with Russia. The EU does not ask Moldova to place obstacles to the trade with Russia. But the DCFTA is not compatible with the Customs Union,” said the head of the Political and Economic Section of the EU Delegation to Moldova.
The official added that the accord will also bring benefits to the Transnistrian region and will contribute to settling the conflict.
Moldova signed the Association Agreement with the EU on June 27.
