Moldovan goods will be exported to EU duty free

The European Commission approved the draft agreement on trade facilitation between Moldova and the European Union. The document as well as details about the categories of goods that will be included in the asymmetric trade regime (without exports duties) have been sent to the EU member states for approval, Minister of Economy and Trade Igor Dodon told the reporters on November 14. According to the minister, the obtaining of trading preferences in the commercial relations with the EU member states was the Government’s priority in the last two years. By this decision, the European Commission admitted that the Republic of Moldova implemented the reforms needed to obtain trading preferences, the minister said. Igor Dodon said that the asymmetric trading system will include all the categories of goods that can be produced in Moldova – about 12,000 categories. As regards the export quotas, the minister said that Moldova has not yet been officially informed by the EU about this, but quotas can be introduced on certain sensitive products for the EU markets. According to Dodon, during talks with European officials, it was proposed to gradually increase these quotas during the next five years. An export quota can be introduced on sugar, but it will not be lower than the surplus of sugar produced in Moldova, the minister said. The export of wines could be also limited. The asymmetric trade will help Moldova diversify the markets and the investment sources, Dodon said. Among the CIS states, only Moldova and Georgia obtained the GSP Plus incentive for exports to the EU. No CIS country benefits from asymmetric trade.