About 200 representatives of the member states of the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) and representatives of Russia, Ukraine and the Middle East took part in the International Investment Forum “Moldova – CEFTA – EU: Dialogue, Trade, Investments” that took place in Chisinau on May 29-30, Info-Prim Neo reports. In a news conference, Denis Jelimalai, executive director of the Organization for the Attraction of Investments and Promotion of Exports of Moldova (MIEPO), said the event represents a real success. On the second day of the forum, the invitees visited the industrial parks and the free economic zones. The Moldovan businesspeople and the foreign ones agreed on a number of mutually advantageous cooperation projects. On the first day of the event, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Valeriu Lazar said the CEFTA market includes over 20 million consumers. Regretfully, the economic entities of Moldova insufficiently use the opportunities offered by this market. According to him, good cooperation prospects for developing businesses and launching joint production projects exist in the industrial sector, including the processing industry. Dinu Armasu, executive director of the Association of Foreign Investors of Moldova, said the potential investors avoid coming to Moldova because the market here is small. But, given the opportunities offered by the CEFTA and the free trade agreements signed by Moldova with CIS member states, the Moldovan market can be extended considerably and the investors should be informed about this. The event was organized by the Chamber of Trade and Industry in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy and the MIEPO, with support from the German Association of CEFTA Chambers of Trade and Industry Project. Trade between Moldova and the CEFTA countries last year was US$26.2 million, up 67% on 2010.