1. Tacis Project “Support to PCA, WTO implementation and to the EU-Moldova European Neighborhood Policy Action Plan (ENPAP)”

2. Moldova has committed itself to three major reforms resulting from:
its accession to WTO (May 2001),
adoption of the EG PRSP (Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (June 2004))
approval of the EU-Moldova Action Plan (February 2005).

3. EU-Moldova Action Plan paves the way to moving from co-operation with EU to a significant degree of integration, including through a stake in EU’s Internal Market
WTO is about access to the world of international trade
EGPRSP’s ambition is to reduce drastically poverty through macro-economic, social and structural adjustments

4. Donors’ support for the implementation of the three major Moldovan initiatives:
Government and Donor Coordination and Harmonization Development Partnership Framework - May 2006
Key principles of cooperation:
- delivery of assistance according to Moldova’s needs and priorities
working with Government to address institutional capacities and other constrains
avoidance of overlapping in donors’ assistance
sharing of information between the Government and the donors, etc

5. EC assistance for the implementation of the ENPAP, PCA and WTO – Euro 3,9 mln for 30 months:
“Support to PCA, WTO implementation and to the EU-Moldova European Neighborhood Policy Action Plan (ENPAP)”

6. Objectives
Overall: Moldova’s approximation towards the EU and its integration in the world economy.
Specific: To support the Government in:
Fulfilling the PCA and EU-MD AP provisions
Realising its rights and obligations as a WTO member
Your excellencies, Ladies an Gentlemen, My name is Nikos Economou and I am the Team Leader of the EU funded project “Support to the PCA and WTO implementation and to the EU/Moldova European Neighborhood Action Plan (more commonly known as ENPAP).
You have already heard the opening statements of important decision makers in the Republic of Moldova, the EU Ambassadors and the Resident Representative of the World Bank.
Their willingness to participate in this conference on supporting the implementation of EU/MD Action Plan shows that there is the Political will of both Moldova and EU to go on with the process of bringing MD closer to EU and also that there is a strong will among Donors for coordination in achieving the same goal.
Allow me in this short intervention to present the logical framework upon which the project is build and then the floor to my partners in the project, in the donor community and in the ministries to provide you with the more profound account of the different issues that I will touch upon.
The overall objective of the Project is Moldova’s approximation to the EU and its integration in the World economy.
As you can immediately realize this is an ambitious objective. But at the same time it is a feasible one, if the proper actions are undertaken, appropriate planning, coordination, cooperation and above all the will to achieve results are present.
All those elements should be incorporated into the specific objective of the project: To support the Government in:
Fulfilling the PCA and EU-MD AP provisions
Realising its rights and obligations as a WTO member

7. ENPAP Trade Related Priorities
Movement of goods
Export promotion
Customs issues
Standards, technical regulation and conformity assessment procedures
Elimination of restriction and streamlined administration in the non-harmonized areas
Sanitary and phyto-sanitary issues
Movement of services and capital (related to FDI)
Intellectual and industrial property rights, etc.

8. Project specific objectives are to support the MoET in three main directions:
Advice on better understanding and implementation of obligations and rights as a WTO member
Advice on Moldova’s negotiating position vis-à-vis the WTO accession negotiations of Russia and Ukraine and other CIS countries
Advice on Moldova’s negotiating position in the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) negotiations

9. Activities:
Assisting in activating the Enquiry points set up in different line ministries under the WTO Agreements and renewal of the notification system;
Enhancing the capacity of the Trade Council
Contributing to the elaboration of Moldova Country Profile and later on assisting with the Trade Policy Review

10. Activities:
Assisting the Republic of Moldova in accession to the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement
Strengthening the capacities on understanding and using the WTO dispute settlement mechanism.
Assisting the Government in aligning its national legislation with the provisions of WTO Agreements and other international conventions to which the Republic of Moldova is a signatory Party.

11. Activities:
Advising the Moldovan Government on its position within the accession negotiations to the WTO of the CIS countries, namely Russian Federation and Ukraine.
Advising Moldova on its negotiation position in the DDA negotiations

12. The roadmap We are here 2006 2007 2008 Stage 1: Assess, Design
Stage 2: Assist System basis development
Stage 3: Empowerment
Effective
Approximation
System, Skills & Plan I
2006
2007
2008
Effective Negotiation
System, Skills & Platform
Continuous support to Trade & WTO negotiations
We are here