The essence of the policies pursued by the CEFTA member states resides in the stimulation of sustainable growth and progress on the path of European integration, acting Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Stephan Christophe Bride said in the opening of the CEFTA Week 2015 Forum that is held in Chisinau on November 24-25. This year Moldova holds the CEFTA presidency.
The event involves about 100 experts, businessmen and representatives of the authorities of the CEFTA member states.
The discussions focused on the benefits provided by the CEFTA and the accomplishments of the member states in fully liberalizing trade between them. This year, for example, there was liberalized the visa regime with the CEFTA member states Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia.
As regards the commercial relations between Moldova and the CEFTA member states, acting deputy minister of economy Octavian Calmic said the volume of trade in the first half of this year rose by 9.3% compared with the corresponding period last year, but the potential is much greater.
“For the Moldovan economic entities, the CEFTA first of all serves as a platform for preparing for the trade with the EU. The CEFTA member states also cooperate in attracting investments to the region so as to ensure sustainable economic development,” stated Calmic.
“The moment is now opportune for the Central European states to cooperate with a view to promoting investment and facilitating regional trade,” said U.S. Ambassador to Moldova James D Pettit.
The CEFTA Week 2015 includes a Forum of the CEFTA Chambers of Trade and Industry, the meeting of the CEFTA Trade Facilitation Committee and the meeting of the CEFTA Joint Committee of Economy Ministers. These will take place on November 25.
The Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) is a trade agreement between non-EU countries, members of which are now mostly located in Southeastern Europe. Founded by representatives of Poland, Hungary and former Czechoslovakia in 1992, CEFTA now includes Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo.
