MOLDOVA ASKS RAISING QUOTAS ON AGRICULTURAL GOODS DUTY-FREE EXPORTS TO EU

Moldova is interested in raising the quotas on duty-free supplying of a number of agricultural goods to the European Union. This was announced during the Thursday's meeting of the EU-Moldova Association Committee in Trade.

According to the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure, due to the provided support and recent-years structural changes in Moldovan agriculture, the potential of Moldovan exports has considerably grown. Thus, domestic producers ask to raise, for example, the exporting quota of fresh table grapes to 25 thousand tons, plums - to 20 thousand tons, sweet cherries - to 2 thousand tons.

Besides, they are ready to supply to European markets 250 thousand tons of wheat instead of the current quota of 75 thousand tons, barley - 100 thousand tons instead of 70 thousand, corn - 250 thousand tons instead of 130 thousand tons, sugar - 37.4 thousand tons instead of 30 thousand tons, alcohol - 15 thousand tons instead of 2.5 thousand tons.

EU members of the committee welcomed Moldova's progress in priority branches, which corresponds to its liabilities undertaken at signing the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA), assuring that Moldovan authorities' requests will be studied given the situation on European markets and, probably, a positive decision will follow.

Meeting participants positively assessed Moldova's trade relations with the European Union, specially pointing at raising of the share of supplying to European markets, which reached 64.13% of the total exports.

However, they are sure that the potential of this has not expired and the Moldovan exports to the EU may grow 15-20% more, in particular, due to the animal husbandry products.