The Report on autonomous trade preferences for the Republic of Moldova was voted, on Tuesday, with a large majority (503 in favour, 14 against and 17 abstentions) in the EP plenary.
“The Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council adopted today will immediately help Moldovan wine producers to overcome the difficult situation caused by the Russian ban. The close cooperation between the EU institutions made possible that an agreement was reached at first reading, and so the overall EU response comes in a swift manner. Hopefully the remaining procedures will occur rapidly, so the full liberalization will enter into force as of the 1st of January 2014″, stated the rapporteur Iuliu Winkler.
In his opinion, after the Vilnius Eastern Partnership Summit, the EU has to reaffirm its commitment to the EaP process. “The EPP strongly supports the European choice of Moldova, acknowledges the achievements of the pro-European governments of our Eastern partner and encourages Moldova to continue carrying out the reform processes needed for further rapprochement towards the EU. EPP welcomes the initialling, in Vilnius, of the Association Agreement, comprising a very ambitious Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. However, the procedures of finalizing the DCFTA will take some time during 2014, and are foreseen to enter into force in early 2015. In this context, the immediate and full liberalization of imports of Moldovan wines to the EU is a strong signal that the EU shows political will to respond to unjustified and arbitrary pressures from Russia towards its Eastern partners. (…) The strong signal of political support of the EP towards our Moldovan partner is relevant, however the Parliament will continue also to follow closely the progress on the path of reforms of Moldova, since the conclusion of an AA is not an end in itself, but just a framework for the closer cooperation between the EU and Moldova”, added Iuliu Winkler.