Romanian Center for European Policies, with its representing body in Republic of Moldova (CRPE -RM) has organized on Thursday, 16th of October, at Chisinau, the conference "How to assure the successful implementation of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with European Union in agriculture."
At the conference were present representatives of relevant institutions and ministries from Republic of Moldova and Romania, also diplomats representing the Delegation of European Union at Chisinau and the Embassy of Netherlands, as well as representatives of associations of producers, business associations and representatives of the banking system of Republic of Moldova.
The event took place in two phases: a conference aiming the general public where have been presented the results of the research "The Export of Moldavian agricultural products to the European Union. Proposals for rural development policies", a sectorial study regarding the necessities of farmers from the sectors of viniculture, meat, fruits and vegetables concerning the fructification of the DCFTA. The Romanian Center for European Policies Team (CRPE) identified for each sector in particular the most burning issues that limits the possibilities of export to the EU and recommends to concentrate the funds and efforts of the state and producers in the respective issue. Therefore, for the fruits sector is important to organize the producers and the post-harvest infrastructure, which will allow the selection, packaging and contracting according to the European practices. For the wine sector, the main challenge is the program of rejuvenation of the vineyard and the marketing on a demanding market like the one of European Union. In the meat sector, the main issue is certification and adopting of European standards, during the adoption accumulating a significant delay.
Also in the first part of the conference was launched "The Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement in Republic of Moldova in a comparative context with other Eastern Partnership countries" a comparative study on the implementation of the free trade agreement of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine.
The second part „ Strategies for growing the profitability of Moldavian exports in EU. The experience of Romanian agriculture in the process of integration in the European Union" was a workshop oriented to the representatives of ministries and institutions that have the attribution of implementing the DCFTA and of representing organisations of farmers.
A special guest of this workshop was Mrs. Cornelia Mihai, former secretary of state and chief of Management Authority for Rural Development in Romania- who made recommendations to the collegues from Republic of Moldova who are at the starting point concerning the designing of a policy of rural development. Cornelia Mihai showed where Romania succeded in this domain (for example rejuvenation of vineyards) and where it succeded ( for. ex. in prioritizing the funds received from EU for rural development). At the same time, she appreciated that „testing system in the food safety domain is of urgent matter for the moldavian authorities. More over that putting in practice of the legislative framework and of control in the sanitary-veterinary field, fitosanitary and food safety represents a pre-condition for accesing the ENPARD funds, an assistance program in agriculture offered by EU. Through ENPARD can be provided the funds for adoption to the EU standarts, necessary for the private economic agents that activate in the agri-food sector."
The debate was concentrated on the good practices that can lead to the growth of the value of Moldavian products for being successfully exported on the European market. The authors of the report exposed in front of the authorities the dissatisfaction of the Moldavian producers that receive in present subventions in an unpredictable manner. The main conclusion was that the ENPARD program should refuse from the habit of dividing the funds without prioritization, on the principle give-everybody-little-by-little and to concentrate the funds in order to facilitate the exports of the Moldavian agri-food products on the European market. The participants at the debates concluded that it would be necessary to organize more initiatives of these kind that would build the national consensus on the agricultural policies topic, where officials, experts and representatives of producers to be able to offer solutions of public policies.
The working agenda of the event is available here.
The presented materials within the conference you may find below:
Impact of the DCFTA on Moldovan agriculture and other industries, and services sectors, de Wichter Slagter
Export of Moldavian Agricultural Products in EU. Proposals for rural development policies, by Cristian Ghinea and Alexandra Toderita.
Adaptation to the Unique European market. The experience of farmers from Romania, by Danieal Giurca
Key elements for a proper preparation of European programs oriented to agriculture and rural development in Republic of Moldova, by Cornelia Mihai
Valorization of Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement DCFTA between Republic of Moldova and EU, by Victoria Câmpeanu
The role and importance of business associations in the process of promoting the businesses. Experience of EBA Moldova, by Olesea Ghedrovici.
The research was financed by the Embassy of Netherlands through the Program "Rule of Law and Good Governance", and the event of launching and of public debate have been co-financed by the Embassy of Netherlands and the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, from the funds of assisting the development of Romania (in partnership with the Program of United Nations for Development).
Source: http://www.crpe.ro/evenimente-2/