MFAEI: Negotiating a New Moldova-EU Association Agenda Is a Priority

The priority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration (MFAEI) in the next six months is to agree on a new association agenda with the EU. The new agenda will become the basis to develop the next Action Plan for the Association Agreement implementation. These intentions were announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Oleg Tulea at a press briefing on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of the RM-EU Association Agreement ratification, ipn.md reports. According to the minister, the European integration remains a priority in the MFAEI's interaction with European institutions and EU member states. This is not to the detriment of relations with non-EU states, such as Russia or the United States, the minister assures. Regarding the use of the Eastern Partnership potential, the Minister notes that Moldova is interested in moving forward in such areas as security cooperation development, the signing of roaming agreements at the level of the Eastern Partnership countries, road transport facilitation, etc. Speaking about the results of six years since RM-EU Association Agreement ratification, Oleg Tulea noted the legislation harmonization. About 360 documents of the European Union were fully integrated into domestic legislation, another 230 documents - partially. Another result is that today 65–66% of exports are focused on the European community market, and more than two million people have the opportunity to visit the EU without visas. In the context of the pandemic, in the first half of this year there was a more limited Agreement implementation dynamics. Nevertheless, it was possible to eliminate a number of debts, the minister emphasizes. The most ambitious actions were taken in the transport sector, in the field of environmental protection, as well as sanitary and phytosanitary measures. A debt resolution calendar was approved to be put in place by the end of this year. It was possible to adopt the National Drug Control Strategy for 2020–2027 and the corresponding Action Plan. A law has been adopted to amend the Law on Joint Stock Companies with the aim to introduce European legislation. The Law on Procurement in the Energy Sector, in the Water Supply and Postal Services Sectors has also been adopted. The work plan for the Agreement on the mutual recognition of authorized economic operators between the EU and the Republic of Moldova has been completed and agreed. This agreement is important to foster trade by facilitating border crossings for authorized economic operators. Oleg Tulea also said that negotiations are underway with European institutions in order to assess the Television and Radio Council and the Competition Council. The draft Law on Non-Profit Organizations was adopted by Parliament and is now at the stage of subsequent procedures. Actions have been taken related to public consultations on the Justice Sector Reform and SCM Reform Strategy. An association agreement between the Republic of Moldova, on the one hand, and the European Union and member states, on the other, was signed on June 27, 2014 in Brussels (Belgium). The agreement was ratified by the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova on July 2, 2014, and by the European Parliament on November 13, 2014.