MoE STATE SECRETARY REPORTS IN CZECHIA ABOUT MOLDOVAN SUCCESSES IN EU INTEGRATION

State Secretary for International Cooperation and Quality Infrastructure of the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure Iuliana Dragalin is representing Moldova at the conference “10 Years of Eastern Partnership: Economic Convergence and Business Opportunities” in Prague.

According to the ministry, she reported about the events in Moldova and the country perspectives, economic aspects of political cooperation, as well as Moldova’s successes after the signing of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA).

The event was organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Czech Republic. It is dedicated to the economic measurement of the EaP in the context of the 10th anniversary of its creation and is focused on the processes of economic reforms and the integration of states, as well as on events in EU trade.

Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Andrej Babis reminded at the opening of the conference that the Eastern Partnership initiative, aimed at contributing to better integration of 6 post-Soviet countries – Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine – with the EU countries, appeared on May 7, 2009 exactly in Prague, during the Czech presidency in the EU.

“Today, the Czech trade turnover with the EaP countries account for around 90 billion crones (almost 3.5 billion euros) and this is a mutually beneficial collaboration. The Czech republic is ready to be a mediator between the EaP countries and the EU”, he said.

Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Marta Novakova called on EaP countries to improve their investment climate, renounce the existing administrative barriers and improve conditions for investments and trade.

According to the Czech CCI President Vladimir Dlouhy, EaP countries with a population of 70 million people are quite an attractive market for the EU.

European Commission’s Deputy Director General of Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations Maciej Popowski said that the EaP achievements are impressive and reminded that over 10 years this program supported 70 thousand entrepreneurs and helped to create almost 30 thousand jobs.