OREANDA-NEWS. March 29, 2013. Negotiations on a free trade agreement with the European Union could be completed during a meeting of the Moldova-EU cooperation council, due in June.

“We are in the last stage of negotiations on a free trade agreement with the EU, but they are not completed yet,” acting Economics Minister, Deputy Premier Valeriu Lazar said during a news conference today. He voiced hope that negotiations would be completed “by the meeting of the Moldova-EU cooperation council in June.”.

“We decided to hold many rounds of talks via videoconferences in order to be able to maybe even initial the document until June,” he also said.

The negotiators still have to discuss the chapter related to protection, after completing the one related to industry. “We managed to find the balance we had wanted,” Lazar said. He added that there had been “a good communication with the professional associations as well.”.

The most sensitive area for Moldova is the one of tariff offers. Negotiators of the Agriculture Ministry will need additional rounds of talks to reach an agreement with European experts, given that this field is too sensitive for Moldova.

At the same time, the Economics Ministry develops a roadmap on competitiveness, which, in the minister?s opinion, will be an ambitious document. On its basis, there will be requested support from the development partners, financial assistance in particular in order to enhance competitiveness of enterprises.