On April 7-8, Brussels will host a bilateral screening meeting on Chapter 29 "Customs Union" as part of the negotiations on the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the EU
This was reported by the Customs Service of Moldova, noting that on March 31-April 1, the CS team led by its director Alexandru Iacub, together with representatives of the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Culture and the Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices, held final preparatory activities for the bilateral screening meeting on Chapter 29 "Customs Union", which will be held in Brussels on April 7-8. The preparatory event was held at the Ministry of Finance with the participation of Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Cristina Gherasimov and the leadership of the Bureau for European Integration. The purpose of the event was to complete the technical elements of the official presentations that will be held during meetings with representatives of the European Commission, emphasizing the progress achieved in harmonizing national customs legislation with EU legislation and in fulfilling the commitments undertaken during the accession process. During the two days, the steps taken to integrate the regulatory and institutional framework, align customs procedures with European standards, simplify international trade, strengthen control mechanisms, and digitalize customs systems were analyzed. Discussions also touched upon customs debt management, special regimes, the application of non-customs legislation at the border, the role of the customs authority in related areas such as environmental protection, health or product safety, and the intensification of international cooperation in the fight against fraud. In the context of the exercise, Customs Director Alexandru Iacub said that the preparation for the bilateral screening is a manifestation of institutional responsibility and European maturity. "We are at a stage where every detail matters, and the consistency of our message must reflect both the reforms implemented and the vision of a modern customs system. This joint effort demonstrates that Moldova has the capacity and determination to be part of the European customs area not only in terms of technology, but also through a real and sustainable adoption of European values," he said. The CS emphasizes that preparations for the bilateral screening under Chapter 29 confirm Moldova’s commitment to advancing the process of accession to the European Union, demonstrating strong political and institutional will, as well as technical capabilities to transpose and implement EU legislation in practice. // 01.04.2025 — InfoMarket
