Moldova makes progress in areas covered by EU recommendations for negotiation of Free Trade Agreement

Moldova fulfils the commitments made by the plan of action for implementing the European Commission’s recommendations concerning the creation of a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area with the EU, Deputy Minister of Economy Octavian Calmac said in a news conference, when speaking about the second progress report produced by the Economy Ministry, which was submitted to the European Commission on June 30, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to Octavian Calmac, progress was made in all the 13 areas covered by the EU recommendations. “In general, we meet the set terms for working out the legislative and normative framework and for amending the existing framework. Other measures stipulated in the plan are also implemented successfully,” said the deputy minister. The approval to open the talks on the creation of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area with the EU was given on June 20. But this does not mean that the talks will start immediately. Moldova must prove that the progress made is sufficient for opening these talks. “We are holding consultations with civil society and economic entities so as to identify the sensitive sectors of the economy on which the negotiations will focus. We must obtain a longer transition period for them so as to ensure their protection,” said Octavian Calmac. He voiced hope that the talks will be opened by the end of this year. These negotiations will be synchronized with the talks on the Free Trade Agreement with Turkey. The signing of this agreement is a condition for the creation of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area between Moldova and the European Union. Asked for how long the negotiations may last, Octavian Calmac said the last countries that joined the EU negotiated for about four years, but Moldova has a special trade regime with the EU – the autonomous trade preferences – so that they can be shorter. The official also said that the most sensitive points of the plan concern the adoption of the new law on competition and drafting of the related documents, the quality infrastructure, where 144 national standards that ran counter to the European ones were annulled, the adjustment of laboratory testing and certification activities, the area of sanitary and phytosanitary measures. There was adopted the national legislation adjustment plan for 2011 that includes 21 legislative measures and Government decisions. There will be created a common food safety supervision institution. The Free Trade Agreement to create the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area between Moldova and the EU will allow gradually liberalizing trade in goods and services, during ten years, ensuring the free movement of the labor force, reducing customs duties and technical and non-tariff barriers and abolishing quantitative restrictions. It will be a multilateral agreement valid for an indefinite period that will provide greater export advantages than the autonomous trade preferences and long-term predictability for business and investment. The first progress report was rendered in March.