The European Union is open to Moldovan agricultural products, and the European market is a predictable one, unlike other markets, emphasized Ambassador Jānis Mažeiks in an interview for Radio Chișinău.
He mentioned that last year, quotas for several products exported to the EU were doubled. Practically, all Moldovan products can already enter the EU without customs duties.
“We see the challenges faced by agriculture in the Republic of Moldova and are analyzing how we can assist the Republic of Moldova in this regard. Some things can be done in the short term, while others would require more time for planning, as there are also financial aspects involved. I am confident that producers from the Republic of Moldova will appreciate the cancellation of the few remaining quotas for the Republic of Moldova in the coming years. So, there are no longer numerical limits for exports from the Republic of Moldova for agricultural products. Last year, many of these quotas were doubled, tripled (…) which I believe shows us that agricultural producers are becoming more active in utilizing the rich and predictable European market. Unlike other markets, the EU does not consider eliminating exports for agricultural products from the Republic of Moldova, and we will continue to support this. We have seen a very good example regarding the volume of cherries exported from the Republic of Moldova to the EU, which has exploded this year. The volume of cherries has increased 12-fold,” stated Jānis Mažeiks.
The Republic of Moldova benefits from an Association Agreement, including a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area with the EU since 2014. This preferential trade system has allowed the Republic of Moldova to take advantage of the elimination of customs duties on exports to the EU.