120 Moldovan companies to benefit from support in obtaining international quality certificates

By 2009, About 120 enterprises from Moldova will benefit from reimbursements of 50% from the expenses incurred for obtaining international quality certificates via a mechanism of Matching Grants Facility (MGF) within the World Bank’s “Competitiveness Enhancement in Moldova” project, Info-Prim Neo reports. Deputy Minister of Economy and Commerce, Viorel Melnic, stated on Tuesday December 12 that the main purpose of the MGF is to strengthen the competitiveness of Moldovan companies, increasing exports and ensuring their position on the local market via improving the quality of trade goods and services. Enterprises face a series of difficulties in exporting products on foreign markets at present. Melnic specified that these are the problems related to quality management system certification of the companies. There are already about 80 Moldovan companies holding ISO quality management certificates, in the basis of which they operate exports on foreign markets. “Orhei - Vit” Company is a good example, Melnic said, mentioning that most of the enterprises holding international quality certificates are those with foreign capital, because most of them deal with export. MGF will be implemented by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) during 2007-2009 for enterprises willing to obtain ISO or HACCP international quality management certificate. The project was officially launched on December 1. The greatest support sum constitutes USD 10,000. According to the data provided by MEC, expenses for obtaining one of these certificates amount to USD 20,000. The period in which the certificate can be issued is of 7 to 8 months. In order to benefit from the repayment of 50% of the expenses, companies have to be residents of the R. of Moldova, operating in the production or service sectors; they should apply for the first time for obtaining the financial support from this type of financial bodies; they should have resources in order to cover 100% of the expenses related to preparing and obtaining certificates and they shouldn’t have debts to the budget. Companies willing to benefit from co-financing grants should submit their applications to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. MGF budget for 2007 – 2009 totals USD 1.2 mln. The total budget of the WB “Competitiveness Enhancement in Moldova” project constitutes USD 14 mln. The project has the purpose of increasing the competitiveness through improving the business environment and the system of Metrology, Standardization, Testing and Quality in Moldova.