Persbericht 13e bijeenkomst samenwerkingsraad EU-Moldavië (en)

EU - REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA COOPERATION COUNCIL, THIRTEENTH MEETING EU Press release

The Cooperation Council welcomed the positive dynamics in EU - Republic of Moldova relations and the developments achieved since its last meeting in June 2010. In this context, the Cooperation Council stressed the opportunities provided by the Eastern Partnership, including its multilateral dimension.

The EU welcomed Moldova's European aspirations and commitment to the goals of political association and economic integration, and underlined its determination to move forward with concrete measures to ensure that reforms in the Republic of Moldova can be sustained and yield tangible results for the population.

The Cooperation Council recalled the importance of respecting democratic standards and the rule of law, and of creating an atmosphere of inclusiveness, in finding a way out of the current political stand-off about the election of the next President of the Republic of Moldova. The EU welcomed the positive assessment of the November 2010 parliamentary elections by the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation, and expressed expectation that the local elections of June 2011 will show further progress towards compliance with international standards.

The Cooperation Council also expressed satisfaction at the good progress made in negotiations on the future EU-Moldova Association Agreement. It reviewed the state of play towards the start of negotiations on a deep and comprehensive free trade area, and the recent achievements in bilateral co-operation the areas of aviation, research and energy. It also stressed the value of deepening sectoral cooperation to sustain structural reforms in the Republic of Moldova.

The EU expressed appreciation for the Moldovan Government's comprehensive reform programme, and its pro-active consultations with the EU and other donors on how best to assist such reforms. At the same time, the EU stressed the importance of implementing and deepening the reforms initiated in the past years, with particular respect to the fight against corruption; the improvement of the business climate; and comprehensive reforms in the area of justice, freedom and security.

The EU expressed full support for the Moldovan Government's efforts to meet its international commitments to macro-economic stabilisation. It welcomed the release of the third tranche under the IMF Extended Credit Facility/Extended Funding Facility Arrangements and announced its intention to launch the preparatory steps for a second disbursement of EU macro-financial assistance.

The EU welcomed Moldova's strengthened cooperation in the area of foreign and security policy. It also stressed its increased engagement in the Transnistria settlement efforts, including through continued EUBAM support and confidence-building measures. It recalled its efforts in support of the resumption of official settlement talks, exclusively in the internationally recognised "5+2" format.

The EU was represented by Mr. Zsolt Németh, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Hungary and Head of the European Union Delegation and Mr. Stefan Füle i, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy. Prime Minister Vladimir Filat led the Moldovan delegation.

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