The Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) intends to reach an improvement of the country index of the R. Moldova measured by international rating agencies over the next few years. The MEC plans specify an increase of the investments norm in the economy of 25-30%, an increase in the volume of investments in the fixed capital of 8-15% annually and an increase of the foreign direct investments of at least 10% annually. At the same time, they plan to increase the rate of growth of exports of goods and services by 10-15% annually, an extension of the range of exported products, as well as an extension and a diversification of the foreign export markets. These performance indices are to be reached as a result of the implementation of a new strategy to attract investments and to promote exports for the years 2006-2015. The project for the strategy was presented on Monday, September 11, by the minister of economy, Valeriu Lazar, at a round table meeting. According to him, the project of the strategy promoted a new vision for the social and economical development of the R. Moldova. The vision of the MEC is based on a liberal approach and on the carrying out of structural reforms through the application of the “new economy” concept, which contains a number of aspects. First, the structural one aims at ensuring a dynamic development of the national economy, which will be made possible by the promotion of the fields of manufacturing goods and rendering services, for which the value added is obtained mainly on the basis of intellectual resources. In the case of the sector aspect, the priority fields of activity, regarding a sustainable growth, will be selected based on the competitiveness of the potential to penetrate markets, the capacity to substitute imports and the efficiency in ensuring a high value added. The territorial aspect stipulates the creation of regions for economical development. The goal of the presented strategy consists of ensuring the attraction of investments which will allow for a diversification of the range and an increase in the production volumes, as well as the rendering of competitive services on the domestic and foreign markets and the considerable increase of the export potential. The priority directions of the strategy consist of the improvement of the policy framework for the attraction of investments, the promotion of investments in the infrastructure, the development of the sphere of export of goods and services, the stimulation of investments, the privatization and the improvement of the public patrimony management, the development of the financial market and of free economic zones, as well as the creation of industrial parks. An MEC analysis of the external trade noted an increase of the negative commercial balance, which, in 2005 constituted 1.2 billion USD. At the same time, the volume of foreign investments is increasing annually, and, has since 1994 cumulatively constituted 1.1 billion USD. The R. Moldova has 35 signed agreements regarding the promotion and mutual protection of investments, 38 agreements of commercial-economical collaboration, 16 free trade agreements with the CIS countries and the South-East Europe Stability Pact. From January 1, 2006, the R. Moldova benefits from the new generalized system of preferences GSP+, granted by the European Union, so that 7200 product groups (87.77% of all exports) have free entrance on the EU market, and do not have to pay any customs taxes.