Moldova and the European Union discussed the tariff offers for agricultural products within the negotiations on the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement in a Chisinau-Brussels videoconference. According to a communiqué from the Ministry of Economy, Moldova’s offer envisions the gradual liberalization of the market, over of a period of up to 10 years, for such agricultural products as fruit and vegetables, cans, juices, and dairy produce. In order to protect the national producers, the Moldovan side proposed setting a tariff quota on a number of European products such as meat, sugar and some of the dairy products, IPN reports.
The European Union suggested agreeing an annual volume of exports for Moldovan agricultural products. According to the offer, about 10 groups of goods, including the meat, sugar, grain, dairy products and eggs, will be exported without paying customs duties within the set limit. The volume of exports will be adjusted early, depending on the demands of the Moldovan economic entities. As to wines, the sides agreed that this category of goods will be liberalized so that the national wine producers have unlimited access to the EU market, without paying customs duties.
Another subject discussed was the legal aspects of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement concerning the service sector that is to be liberalized. According to the negotiators, this fact will impose an international level, will ensure a significant rise in the quality of the services provided by Moldovan companies and will enable to quickly develop a series of services that are now ignored.
The seventh round of talks on the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement between Moldova and the EU will take place in Chisinau on June 10-14. According to the preliminary agenda, there will be finalized the legal texts and the offers.
