EU faciliteert grensverdrag tussen Moldavië en Oekraïne (en)

Today Ukraine and Moldova will sign in the presence of the European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy agreements which commit the two sides to step up their exchange of information on movement of goods and people across their shared border.

This will improve controls on the Transnistrian section of border which cannot be adequately controlled on the Moldovan side at present. The agreements set up an automated system for exchanging pre-arrival information on cargo crossing their shared border, and for the exchange of information among border and customs services of the two countries. The agreements are the result of discussions in trilateral format with the EU, and the countries' co-operation with the EU Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM).

Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner i congratulated the two countries on the new agreements, saying: "This is a remarkable step forward by the two countries to ensure full control and transparent management of their common border, including the Transnistrian section. In a very short time since the launch of EUBAM, co-operation between Ukraine and Moldova has been transformed - bringing greater efficiency in the fight against smuggling, trafficking of human beings and illegal migration".

She added: "The growing effectiveness of border controls on the Ukrainian-Moldovan frontier is the direct result of the EU's work with the two countries under the European Neighbourhood Policy. Today's news shows that the ENP is bearing fruit in ways that make a real difference".

The agreements will be signed in Brussels by Deputy Foreign Minister Kistruga representing the Republic of Moldova and Deputy Foreign Minister Veselovsky representing Ukraine. Under the agreements

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  the Customs Services of Ukraine and Moldova agree to implement an automated system for exchanging pre-arrival information on cargo crossing their shared border.
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  the Moldovan and Ukrainian Border Guard Services commit themselves to the regular exchange of information at the national, regional and detachment levels.
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  all four services undertake to provide the necessary information to produce a common, monthly Border Security Assessment, which will be presented at the monthly co-ordination meeting chaired by the EUBAM.

A signing ceremony in the Berlaymont building at 15.45 on 21st November is open to the press. Those wishing to attend should contact Christina Müschen on 02/29 80373.

For more information:

The EU's relations with Moldova:

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/moldova/intro/index.htm

The EU's relations with Ukraine:

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/ukraine/intro/index.htm