Sweden is Moldova's largest bilateral donor, offering €13 million annually. The numbers were presented at a press conference on October 23, held in Chisinau jointly by Prime Minister Vlad Filat with Swedish Minister of Trade Ewa Bjorling, who was on a visit to Moldova. The support Sweden offers to Moldova strengthens democracy, improves education standards and enhances energy efficiency, stated Vlad Filat. “For the future we have the possibility to intensify our economic relations. We know what actions to undertake in order to improve investment attractiveness. The signing of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with the European Union next year creates prospects of more markets for Moldovan goods in the near future. We will continue to implement the reforms necessary for Moldova to make the leap towards becoming part of the great European family”, said the Prime Minister. Ewa Bjorling stated that the relations between Sweden and Moldova should be observed not only through the numbers that describe trade. “Swedish companies come to Moldova not only to bring goods and services, but also to offer concrete solutions that would help people overcome some of their problems and improve the quality of their lives”, said the Swedish Minister. Ewa Bjorling recommended Moldovan companies to implement the principles of Corporate Social Responsibility, which would ensure respect for human rights, environmental protection, and combat against corruption. Ewa Bjorling came to Chisinau with a group of businessmen interested in investing into telecommunications, infrastructure, healthcare, as well as in implementing e-governance. The first steps in negotiating the Association Agreement with the European Union were taken when Sweden held the EU presidency.