Signing of Free Trade Agreement between CIS countries is compatible with Moldova’s commitments to WTO, Valeriu Lazar

There is no incompatibility between the Free Trade Agreement between the CIS countries signed by Moldova and the expected launch of the negotiations on the creation of a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area with the EU (as a component part of the Association Agreement), Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Valeriu Lazar. “The Free Trade Agreement with the CIS countries is harmonized with the norms of the World Trade Organization (WRO) and we are interested in its signing as, if disputes arise in the commercial relations with Russia or other CIS countries, they will be solved by the mechanisms of the WTO,” he stated. Lazar said that the multilateral free trade agreement between the CIS countries envisions a certain level of economic integration with the given countries, while its implementation does not imply political concessions that may affect Moldova’s sovereignty and its commitments to the WTO or those agreed with the EU in the plan of action on European integration. “Moreover, before the ratification of this agreement within the CIS, we will notify the WTO and send the text of this agreement to it. The organization will inform us if there are identified incompatibilities,” said the minister. According to Valeriu Lazar, the negotiation and signing of this multilateral agreement is a matter of political prestige for Russia as it is a sign of the integrity of the CIS countries and of the viability of this community. “This integration level is incipient and compatible with other foreign trade commitments made by Moldova. Within the CIS, there are also other economic integration levels such as the Customs Union and the Economic Union, which envision delegating a part of the sovereignty or economic integration with certain political elements, but I, as co-chairman of the Moldovan-Russian intergovernmental commission, was not empowered by the Government or other authorities to negotiate the entry into the Customs Union or the Eurasian Union,” said Lazar.