The European Parliament extended for another 1 year the preferential regime for the supply of 7 categories of agricultural products for Moldova without paying customs duties.
In particular, the European Parliament approved at a meeting on July 11 a resolution extending for another year such a measure as the suspension of duties and quotas on imports of goods from Moldova to the European Union. Thus, apples, cherries, plums, tomatoes, garlic, table grapes and grape juice from Moldova can continue to be supplied to the EU markets without paying customs duties. Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization Dimitri Alaiba wrote on his social media page that trade liberalization between Moldova and the European Union has already had a positive impact on the Moldovan economy. “Access to the European market with greater openness and trade opportunities has allowed Moldovan producers to promote and sell their products in a competitive environment. By extending such a measure as the suspension of duties and quotas on imports of goods from Moldova to the EU, the EU continues to demonstrate its commitment and support to Moldova,” he said. In turn, the chairman of the European Parliament delegation to the EU-Moldova Parliamentary Association Committee, Siegfried Mureşan, specified on his social network page that 577 MEPs voted for the decision extending the suspension of import duties and quotas applicable to products imported into the EU from Moldova, while 36 votes against and 18 abstentions. “We want to provide Moldova with the widest possible access to the EU market, given that the war in Ukraine greatly affected Moldova's international trade, since its products, which were exported to the East, in transit through Ukraine, were left without a market. That is why in 2022 we decided at the EU level to suspend import duties on 7 categories of goods from Moldova that are subject to tariff quotas: tomatoes, garlic, table grapes, apples, cherries, plums and grape juice. Today we decided to extend this decision for another year,” said Siegfried Murešan. According to him, access to the European market helped Moldova significantly last year, and in general, exports from Moldova to the EU increased from 1.8 billion euros in 2021 to 2.6 billion euros in 2022. “We must continue to offer both possible greater access to Moldovan products in the EU, which is the largest internal market in the world. The free access of Moldovan products does not have a negative impact on the EU market, but it brings great benefits to Moldovan producers. It is for this reason that I believe that we should decide on the permanent liberalization of trade between Moldova and the European Union. Permanent liberalization, in contrast to the temporary suspension of taxes and import quotas, will ensure greater market predictability in Moldova, which will thus be able to attract more large investors,” said Siegfried Mureşan. // 11.07.2023 — InfoMarket.
