Moldovan think-tanks launch National Convention for European Integration

The project “National Convention for European Integration”, launched today in Chisinau, aims to support the process of adoption of European legislation in Moldova by encouraging debates and formulating recommendations on the implementation of the acquis communautaire, Info-Prim Neo learned from the IDIS “Viitorul” Institute. IDIS said in a press release that the project will employ three task forces to work on three important directions: visas, borders and Transnistria; agriculture and regional development; and trade, services and competition. Each task force will assemble for four roundtables, in Chisinau as well as in other locations, where the participants will discuss pressing problems related to the adoption and implementation of the acquis communautaire, negotiation and signing of the Association and Free Trade Agreements, and visa liberalization. Following these discussions, recommendations will be formulated for the relevant ministries. “The project aims to facilitate the European integration of the Republic of Moldova and consolidate the efforts of the authorities and civil society”, stated Natalia Gherman, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration and also the chairperson of the Convention's task forces, at the launch of the project. The co-chairs of the task forces will be selected in a democratic way by the experts involved in the project. The registration for the roundtables will be done after the publication of open calls. All the decisions within the task forces will be adopted by voting. The project has a cost of 85,000 euros and is implemented by three Moldovan think-tanks: IDIS Viitorul, the Foreign Policy Association and the Analytical Center Expert-Grup, with the financial support of the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs.