The agriculture ministers of Germany, Romania and Moldova have signed in Chisinau an amendment for extending the Memorandum on the implementation of the project to create and run the laboratory for determining pesticide residues in plants, soil and products of non-animal origin. The modernization of this law will allow examining and certifying the quality of Moldovan agricultural products so that they can be exported to the EU, IPN reports.
The initial agreement envisioned financing of US$600,000. Under the amendment signed today, Romania will offer another U$200,000, while the German Government will consider the possibility of allocating financing of €1 million through the Federal Enterprise for
International Cooperation (GIZ). Minister of Aeroculture and Food Industry of Moldova Vasile Bumacov announced that Norway expressed readiness to provide €150,000 for the purpose.
“The trilateral cooperation with Romania, Germany and Israel enabled us to have one of the most modern labs for testing the products of non-animal origin. Now that the accord will be extended, we will take one more step towards the modernization of this lab. We want the consumers in the EU to be sure that the Moldovan products are not only tasty, but also safe,” said Vasile Bumacov.
German Minister of Agriculture Christian Schmidt said that Moldova reached a new level of cooperation with the EU. “There was signed the Association Agreement between the EU and Moldova. The process of ratifying this accord started and we now reached a new cooperation phase. At this new phase, we will discuss the steps that must be taken to adjust the Moldovan norms to the regulations and rules existing on the EU market as well as phytosanitary and veterinary aspects so as to adjust the regulations in Moldova. These things are important for gaining the confidence of the consumers in the EU,” he stated.
The Memorandum of Understanding on the implementation of the project to create and run the laboratory for determining pesticide residues in plants, soil and products of non-animal origin was signed on November 28, 2012.