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Countries and regions
Moldova
The EU is negotiating a new Association Agreement with Moldova since January 2010. The negotiations on the trade part of this agreement (Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area - DCFTA) started in February 2012.
Six rounds of negotiations have taken place with most chapters being provisionally closed at this stage. The seventh round of negotiations will take place in June 2013. Negotiations are now in the end phase and if the pace of talks is maintained, it is realistic to complete the negotiations by the Vilnius Summit of Eastern Partnership (late November).
Trade picture
- The EU is Moldova's first trading partner with more than 40% of Moldova's total trade - followed by Russia and Ukraine. Overall trade with Moldova accounts for only 0.1% of EU's overall trade.
- EU exports to Moldova are dominated by machinery, transport equipment, chemicals, fuels, mining products and agricultural products.
- EU imports from Moldova to the EU (€842 million in 2011) are mainly agricultural products, clothing, textiles and machinery.
- Over half of Foreign Direct Investment came from the EU Member States and more than 10% of the Commonwealth of Independent States member countries.
EU-Moldova "trade in goods" statistics
| Year | EU imports | EU exports | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 0.9 |
| 2011 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 1.0 |
| 2012 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 1.0 |
EU and Moldova
Trade negotiations
- Negotiations with Moldova for a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement are an integral part of the future Association Agreement. These negotiations cover market access issues and the full range of regulatory areas of mutual interest.
Moldova's exports to the EU are already liberalised to a large extent under the EU Autonomous Trade Preferences. This preferential regime (together with Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus regime) offers the most favourable access to the EU market for Moldova. It grants Moldova unlimited and duty free access to the EU market for all products originating in Moldova, except for certain agricultural products (for which tariff rate quotas are defined).
Moldova has a non-preferential Partnership and Co-operation Agreement with the EU since 1994. This will be replaced by a new EU-Moldova Association Agreement currently under negotiation.
Moldova and European Neighbourhood Policy
Moldova is a partner country of the Eastern Partnership within the European Neighborhood Policy. The European Neighborhood Policy constitutes an important part of the political, economic, and institutional reform work that the EU is actively assisting Moldova with. The 2005 EU – Moldova European Neighbourhood Partnership Action Plan lays out the strategic objectives for political, economic and institutional reforms in Moldova and is currently being implemented.
Moldova is also a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). In October 2011 a free trade agreement was signed among 8 CIS member states. Moldova is also a party to the amended and enlarged Central European Free Trade Agreement, which entered into force in July 2007.
Trading with Moldova
- Importing into the EU from Moldova
- EU trade defence measures on imports from Moldova
- Exporting from the EU to Moldova
- The EU is present on the ground in Moldova
- Trade relations are part of the EU's overall political and economic relations with Moldova
- Moldova is a member of the World Trade Organisation
- Trade SIA in support of negotiations of a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) between the EU and respectively Georgia and Moldova