Moldova took over CEFTA presidency

Moldova took over the presidency of the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) at the CEFTA Prime Ministers Summit held in the capital of Macedonia, Skopje, on November 21, 2007. According to the Government’s press service, the Moldovan delegation was headed by First Deputy Prime Minister Zinaida Greceanyi, who said that the implementation of the CEFTA 2006 agreement creates clear preconditions for prompting trade in the region, for attracting investment and consolidating the European integration processes. As CEFTA president in 2008, Moldova will organise a number of meetings on issues related to the adjustment of the legislation on customs administration, rules of origin, standardisation, elimination of trade barriers etc. Zinaida Grecianyi said that Moldova has the experience and capacities necessary to continue the liberalisation of trade and development of the multilateral legal framework in the areas of strategic importance while it will hold the presidency of CEFTA. “We are firmly convinced that the development programme for 2008 will contribute to better economic reforms, enhanced trade between the countries, larger investments in the region and sustainable relations between the business communities,” the Moldovan First Deputy Prime Minister said. The Heads of Government in Skopje adopted the Prime Ministers’ Statement that sets out the future directions of cooperation in the region and the ways of fully implementing the CEFTA agreement. CEFTA 2006 was signed by the Balkan States in Bucharest on 19 December 2006 and comes into force on 22 November 2007 following ratification by Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia.