Moldovan parliamentary council for European integration discusses results of Free Trade Agreement's implementation, developments in energy sector

Chisinau, 23 September /MOLDPRES/ - Participants in a today’s meeting of the Parliamentary Council for European Integration unveiled the results of the implementation of the provisions of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) between Moldova and the European Union, as well as developments in the Moldovan energy sector. This is the first meeting of the Council in the parliament’s autumn session, the parliament’s communication and public relations department has reported.  

Participating in the discussions were Parliament Speaker Andrian Candu, Chairman of the Parliamentary Council for European Integration Iurie Leanca, Deputy Prime Minister, Economics Minister Octavian Calmic, Deputy Economics Minister Valeriu Triboi, MPs and civil servants.   

Speaker Andrian Candu reviewed the actions carried out on the platform of the Parliamentary Council for European Integration, noting that they would be continued and developed at the autumn parliamentary session.  

“The fact that the Council’s first meeting of this session takes place in a new hall, called Europe Hall, is symbolical and auspicious. We have proved very good results in implementing the Roadmap on priority reforms and synchronizing the agendas between the parliament and government. The parliament is also to consider several laws concerning the financial and banking sector as soon as possible,” Andrian Candu said.  

The speaker informed that, at the next parliament-government meeting, due in October, the priority actions for the autumn parliamentary session would be given the final touches.  

For his part, Chairman of the Parliamentary Council for European Integration Iurie Leanca referred to priorities of the Council for the autumn session. He noted that the Council, by its actions, was set to contribute to boosting the Moldova – EU dialogue.

“The Moldova – EU dialogue should be revived, given that, while in 2009, it had an ascendant pace, starting from 2015, it had a period of stagnation. One of the priorities of the Council for the autumn session is to strengthen the parliamentary control over the government as regards the carrying out of the Free Trade Agreement. Till late 2016, a string of topic-related hearings are to be organized in five priority sectors: implementation of the energy package, enforcement of the reforms in justice and anticorruption, management of EU’s assistance, as well as priorities of implementation of the Association Agreement with EU,” Iurie Leanca said.   

The report on the outcomes of DCFTA’s implementation in 2014-2016 and the information on the progress made in the energy sector were presented by Economics Minister Octavian Calmic and Deputy Economics Minister Valeriu Triboi.   

“The effects of the implementation of DCFTA’s provisions, enforced in the last two years, will be felt in the next period,” Octavian Calmic said.

According to the report unveiled by the economics minister, the export to the EU market increased by 16 per cent, with the share of Moldovan goods’ export to the European Union’s market standing at 63.6 per cent. At the same time, the ministry approved the strategy of attracting investments and promotion of export, the Council for Promotion of Investment Projects of National Importance was set up, the mechanism of integration into the European system of public procurement was improved.  

At the same time, Octavian Calmic said the government was to work out about 240 legislative acts related to the food security sector, due to be discussed at the present and future parliamentary session.  

Deputy Economics Minister Valeriu Triboi presented the current situation in terms of projects on energy and gas inter-connection, as well as the conclusions of the report of the Energy Community’s secretariat on the work of the National Energy Regulatory Agency.  

The MPs came up with more proposals and suggestions, including strengthening cooperation and communication with the civil society. Andrian Candu assured the Economics Ministry of parliament’s support.

“We are expecting amendments from the Economics Ministry to improve the legislative framework, as well as an action plan to synchronize the agendas of activity of the parliament and government. We encourage you to continue in an accelerated pace to this end, especially for the energy projects, and the parliament is open for any initiative and support,” the speaker said.   

The Parliamentary Council for European Integration was set up in last April, to provide a mechanism of communication and coordination in the process of Moldova’s European integration and of adjusting the national legislation to the EU one. On 29 July 2016, the Moldovan parliament approved a declaration on national partnership in the European integration sector.  

(Editor A. Raileanu)