19/01/2017 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday 19 January, Maja Kocijancic, spokesperson for the European External Action Service, contradicted the Moldovan president, Igor Dodon, who said on Tuesday 17 January that the Association Agreement between the EU and Moldova hadn’t brought any benefits to his country and the volume of exports to the EU had fallen (see EUROPE 11705). She explained to this newsletter: "The Association Agreement has entered into force, and is being implemented with positive results for both sides". Kocijancic said that EU imports from Moldova increased by 5% in 2015, but the country’s trade with the rest of the world fell. The value of Moldovan agriculture exports to the EU increased by 9% in 2015. The EU imported goods worth €1.2 billon, down 21% since 2013. Kocijancic pointed out that the Association Agreement ‘is the main basis of EU-Moldova bilateral relations.’ (CG)