Moldova’s access to the European Common Market will imply the full liberalization of trade and increased access for national products to the EU market, said Minister of Economy Sergiu Gaibu. According to him, the candidate country status will offer the Republic of Moldova multiple economic advantages. The official noted that the war in Ukraine thwarted the economic development of the country as the volume of investments decreased considerably, IPN reports.
On Thursday, MEP Siegfried Mureșan requested the European community to integrate the Republic of Moldova into the European Common Market. He said that this way the Moldovan products could be freely exported to the EU, more investors from the EU would go to Moldova and more jobs would be created.
“This would mean liberalization of the market, of the commercial relations between the EU member states and the Republic of Moldova. So, it will much easier to trade with the European Union. The few barriers that remained will be eliminated. But more steps are yet to be taken until the application is accepted. All the member states need to grant this request. Our exports to the European Union already represent 70%. Imports constitute 50%. We already have a sufficiently high integration level with the European Union,” Sergiu Gaibu stated in the talk show “Shadow Cabinet” on JurnalTV channel.
The minister noted that the war in Ukraine and the security crisis in the region made many foreign investors stop their projects. The national entrepreneurs also do not risk starting new businesses.
“When we are at the next stage in the relationship with the European Union, the investors will indisputably have an increased interest. A crisis, regardless of its nature, is a moment when the investors put their projects on hold and this is seen in the case of the Republic of Moldova too. We have very good opportunities as the freeing of markets creates development preconditions, but not many entrepreneurs accept to take risks. Since the start of the war, many investors have stopped the investment process and the prices create pressure as the budgets need to be reviewed,” said Sergiu Gaibu.
On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on the EU institutions to grant EU candidate status to the Republic of Moldova “on the basis of merit”. It also calls for a “clear and firm” political signal to be made at the European Council meeting in June regarding Moldova’s European path. Also, the European Parliament requested the EU institutions to offer more support to the Republic of Moldova in the form of new macro-financial assistance, additional measures to liberalize transport and trade and larger assistance in managing the refugee crisis.
