OREANDA-NEWS. February 03, 2014. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), in concert with the Chambers of Commerce and Industry from the Romanian Prahova, Bacau, Vaslui and Neamt counties, organised a business forum in Chisinau.

"By carrying out this meeting , we have set the goal to strengthen the bilateral economic relations, present Moldova’s investment opportunities, promote local products export to the Romanian and European Union markets, as well as to create a new efficient cooperation platform between Romanian and Moldovan business representatives ", CCI head Gheorghe Cucu said at the event’s opening.

Cucu stressed that "Romania continues to be an attractive market for Moldova, proved by the presence of local companies’ representatives at the event. Although positive trends are recorded, the economic collaboration potential between the two states is not fully developed and, in this respect, joint and sustained efforts are needed to create optimum conditions for a harmonious development, in line with the European norms and standards, of cooperation ties between Romanian and Moldovan companies," Cucu said.

For his part, the head of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture from Vaslui, Ionel Constantin, praised the economic cooperation between Romania and Moldova, as well as the bilateral inter-chamber collaboration. He voiced hope that the present meeting would allow the participants fully use opportunities to mutually promote goods and services, make trade information and contact exchanges, as well as create viable and long-term business partnerships.
Ionel Constantin, as well as the Bacau CCI head Doru Simovici appreciated the organisation of the “Made in Moldova” national exhibition in Chisinau, visited by entrepreneurs of the two counties practically every year. They wished all participants in the event that business meetings, due today, come up with their expectations and help achieve the goals set by businessmen from the two banks of Prut.

About 50 Moldovan business people and 30 Romanian entrepreneurs attended the forum.

Data by the National Statistics Bureau shows that Moldova’s external trade turnover with Romania stood at 1.034 billion dollars in January-November 2013 /without taking into account the trade activity of the Transnistrian businessmen/, up by 15.53 per cent against 2012. The Moldovan goods export to the Romanian market was estimated at 384 million dollars, increasing by 19.25 per cent against the same period of 2012, whereas the import amounted to 650 million dollars, rising by 13.43 per cent against January-November 2012.

Romania ranks second on the top of countries where Moldova exports goods and has a share of 17.46 per cent of all the Moldovan export. As for the import, Romania is on the third position, with a quota of 13.16 per cent of all Moldova’s import.