OREANDA-NEWS. July 04, 2014. Moldovan business people will be trained and will be able to get consultancy on the free trade with the European Union. To this end, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) launched a project titled: ”Moldova-EU Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. Business People Informing and Capacity Building.”.

The project was initiated in the context of the signing of the Moldova-European Union Association and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade (DCFTA) Agreements and is meant to prepare Moldovan economic agents for the process of implementing the DCFTA provisions and consolidate their capacities of exporting to the EU market. The programme will be carried out by CCI, in partnership with the European Business Association, on June-December 2014 and is financed by the International Financial Corporation, via the Swedish government. The project has a budget of 240,000 dollars.

At a today news conference, CCI Head Gheorghe Cucu underlined that, during the next seven months, a system of permanent consultancy services would be created, under which entrepreneurs, especially small business representatives, would be explained the practical aspects of DCFTA provisions, would be provided information and consultancy. To achieve this goal, a hotline will be launched and consultants will be trained in the area.

At the same time, practical and informing seminars will be organised, as well as other activities for businessmen of other branches of the national economy from all over Moldova, including the Transnistrian region. Twenty six seminars will take place in Chisinau and Balti municipalities, Edinet, Soroca and Cahul districts, southern autonomous region Gagauz-Yeri and eastern Ribnita town in all. The tackled topics will refer to the EU market access rules and requirements, customs management, promotion of goods and bids in the EU member states, export/import agreements conclusion, tariff and non-tariff barriers and financing instruments for exporters. The seminars will be conducted by experts from Holland, Belgium, Romania, as well as by local experts in the trade and financial assistance sectors, Cucu said.

Attending the event, Head of the EU Delegation in Moldova Pirkka Tapiola highlighted that "the signing of the Association Agreement and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement between Moldova and EU means new opportunities, in order to create a cooperation framework. DCFTA is a start of the way for Moldovan business people, citizens, parliament and government to integrate into EU. Moldova is a small country - a thing that you may turn into an advantage, which would ensure the implementation of all reforms of Moldova’s European integration," Tapiola said.

Referring to the launched project, Swedish Ambassador to Moldova Ingrid Tersman underscored that this partnership would prove functional, Moldova would have possibility to set new partnerships, in order to develop the country. "You have reliable partners in this trip to Europe," Tersman said.

For her part, the chairwoman of the European Business Association, Silvia Radu, said the launched project would contribute to improve the Moldovan business environment. The project’s goal is to expand cooperation of Moldovan business representatives with foreign partners, especially from Europe. "By implementing the Association Agreement with EU and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, we will prove that we are a modern and European state,” Radu added.