The Association Sub-Committee on Trade and Sustainable Development held a meeting in Chisinau

The Ministry of Economy organized, yesterday, the first meeting of the Association Subcommittee on Trade and Sustainable Development between Republic of Moldova and European Union.

The meeting was chaired by the Moldovan Deputy Minister, Octavian Calmac and by the European Deputy Head of the Unit for Trade and Sustainable Development, the Generalized System of Preferences, Nikolaos Zaimis.

The sides exchanged information on trade and sustainable development, discussed about the progress achieved in the implementation of the Association Agreement and which are the following actions to be undertaken.

Octavian Calmac highlighted the importance of implementing the Free Trade Agreement between the Republic of Moldova and the EU for business environment in our country, noting the positive results on the export to the EU market. Since the signing of the Association Agreement, the statistical data indicates a 16% increase in the volume of export in this period and in 2015 were used up to 80% of the grain quotas. Also during the first 5 months of 2015 the exports to the EU market reached 64.6% and imports from the EU in Moldova - 47.7%.

Nikolaos Zaimis welcomed the effects caused by the signing of the Association Agreement that were felt in a relatively short time, mentioning that usually barely visible results are recorded after the first year of the entry into force of the Free Trade Agreements.

At the first meeting it was also discussed about the importance of involving the civil society in the implementation of European provisions on sustainable development and trade, taking into account the environmental impacts, social and economic sphere.

In this context, the Sub-Committee organizes today, July 8, the Joint civil society dialogue forum dedicated to trade and sustainable development in the implementation of the DCFTA.

Source: www.mec.gov.md