Moldova has successfully held the 3rd round of talks on a free trade agreement with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).
Moldova’s Ministry of Economy said this, reminding that the association includes Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The Moldovan delegation was headed by Vadim Gumene, state secretary of the Ministry of Economy. He was accompanied by Anatol Fala, general secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry and representatives of the Permanent Mission of Moldova in Geneva. The EFTA delegation was led by Ambassador Harald Aspelund of Iceland. Issues related to trade in goods and services, including investment, were on the agenda of the negotiating sessions. The discussions recorded positive results with regard to the supply of goods and the principle of liberalization of trade in services, the chapter on investment, as well as legal provisions, aspects concerning general and institutional provisions of the agreement, as well as provisions aimed at dispute resolution. One of the key issues in negotiating a free trade agreement with EFTA states is to maximize the benefits for domestic producers with export potential and, consequently, to diversify markets for Moldovan products through trade liberalization and elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers in relations with EFTA states. The EFTA countries showed openness towards Moldova, taking into account the geopolitical situation in the region and the difficulties faced by our country. In this context, it was decided that Moldova would benefit from greater preferential access both in trade in goods and in trade in services. Negotiations for a free trade agreement with EFTA were launched in 2021, based on a joint declaration on economic cooperation signed in 2017. // 13.06.2022 - InfoMarket
