Brussels, 18/02/2008 (Agence Europe) - The member states of the EU are ready to plan conclusions of a new agreement to reinforce relations with the Republic of Moldova. At this stage, relations with the former Soviet Republic are governed by a partnership and cooperation agreement (PCA), which entered into force in 1998 for an initial duration of 10 years (it will be automatically extended if none of the parties repudiates it at the end of this year). Moldova is also one of the 16 beneficiary countries of the EU Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). Today, the EU seems prepared to take an additional step and negotiate a new reinforced agreement. In conclusions adopted on Monday 18 February by the “External Relations” Council, the foreign affairs ministers of the EU27 said that they were “ready to start a new reflection on an agreement with the Republic of Moldova going beyond the PCA”. Before reaching any decisions on this subject, the Council would prefer to wait for the report which the European Commission is due to present next April on the situation in the country. “This report will provide a good opportunity to further evaluate the situation”, the ministers stressed.
In their conclusions, the EU27welcomed the “positive dynamic” which has been the hallmark of relations with Moldova over the last 12 months: - entry into force, on 1 January, of the visa facilitation agreement and re-admission agreement; - opening of a joint centre for the processing of these applications in Chisinau, in April 2007; - initial contact between the Commission and the Moldovan authorities to explore the possibilities of concluding an agreement on a “pilot partnership” on immigration. The Council also welcomes the fact that Moldova is coming into line with declarations made by the EU in this field and is looking forward to the entry into force, on 1 March 2008, of the regulation granting additional autonomous trade preferences to this country. The EU also welcomes progress made in Moldova in application of the national “action plan” for the implementation of the European Neighbourhood Policy. However, the ministers stress in their conclusions, “further and continuous efforts are needed in order to strengthen democracy and the rule of law, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of the media, inter alia, in the run-up to the parliamentary elections, and to reinforce the fight against corruption, as well as to improve the investment climate, in particular the transparency and predictability of the regulatory framework”. (H.B.)