Transnistria and Gagauzia
EUBAM URGES MOLDOVA AND UKRAINE TO STRENGTHEN FIGHT AGAINST CIGARETTE SMUGGLING
Advisory Board of the European Union Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM) called on leadership of the two countries to contribute and efficiently support the adoption of measures, directed to a more efficient combating the phenomenon of cigarette smuggling in the region.
According to the EUBAM, the call was expressed at the 31st sitting of the mission's Advisory Board, which took place in Chisinau on Wednesday with participation of representatives of Moldovan and Ukrainian Foreign Ministries, customs, border police and law enforcement agencies, as well as representatives of the EU, the International Organization for Migration, the OSCE and the UNDP.
The Board appreciated a long standing and active cooperation with EUBAM and its partnership services, the mission's efforts on defending intellectual property rights, as well as the providing of support in implementing the mechanism of Transnistrian vehicles' access to the international traffic.
The Board also highly appreciated the activity on developing the roadmap, which implies the extension of joint control at Moldovan-Ukrainian customs stations in 2019-2022.
According to Ambassador Peter Michalko, Head of the European Union Delegation to Moldova, the EUBAM is making a substantial contribution to the stability in the region and the extended mandate of the mission confirmed the European Union adherence to cooperation with partnership services in the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine in interests of their citizens.
The State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Tatiana Molcean pointed at the EU Mission's contribution in the substantial progress in implementing integrated border management, conducting of joint operations, strengthening of institutional potential and staff training, in particular specialists from both sides of the Dniester River, who are working in the vehicle registration offices, created within the mechanism of Transnistrian vehicles' access to international traffic.
She expressed confidence of the need to extend joint customs control, especially in the central part of the border with Ukraine for ensuring stability and security in the region and for creating favorable conditions for business community for developing economic activity.
EUBAM Head Slawomir Pichor said that over the first year of the extended Mission mandate a tangible progress in all the three basic directions - events on strengthening trust, integrated border management and cross-border crime.
The next sitting of the Advisory Board will take place in Odessa in June 2019.
Infotag's dossier: The European Union Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM) started its activity in 2005, at the request of the two countries' presidents to the European Commission. The EUBAM is an advisory and technical body, financed by the EU within the European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument, which implies building capacity of border and customs bodies, as well as other law enforcement and state bodies of Moldova and Ukraine in the field of border management. The mandate of the EUBAM has been prolonged already four times. The Mission's goal is to ensure that border and customs procedures and norms in Moldova and Ukraine to correspond to EU requirements. Before, the mission mandate was extended in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2015 and 2017. The current mandate is valid until November 30, 2020.
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