Moldova requests Russia to annul export customs duties

Moldova welcomes the joining by Russia of the World Trade Organization and asks initiating negotiations on the annulment of the export customs duties, in accordance with the WTO rules. This was one of the topics discussed in the bilateral meeting of the co-chairmen of the Moldovan-Russian intergovernmental commercial-economic cooperation commission - Deputy Prime Minister Valeriu Lazar and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Rogozin - that took place in Chisinau on April 16, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting a communiqué from the Ministry of Economy. In the meeting, the two officials stressed the efficient implementation of the agreements reached in the last meeting of the commission, including the agreement on the supply of goods, the humanitarian cooperation program, agreements on cooperation in labor migration and agriindustrial sectors between the central public authorities, and the agreement on the creation of the Pavilion “Moldova” at the Moscow exhibitions center. Valeriu Lazar said that the Russian companies now account for about 20% of the foreign direct investment to Moldova, with investments of 4.5 billion lei, while the joint companies total almost 300. He reiterated the invitation for the Russian companies to invest in the industrial parks of Moldova so as to be able to benefit from the favorable commercial regimes available in the east and the west. He stressed the importance of establishing a dialogue with a view to ensuring the efficient and stable supply of Moldova with natural gas by signing a new contract between Moldova Gaz and Gazprom and reiterated that the patrimonial rights of the Russian concern in Moldova will be guaranteed and that the Energy Package III will be implemented in the European integration process. As to the separation of the assets and debts for gas on the two sides of the Nistru River, the Deputy Prime Minister underlined the necessity of signing a separate agreement between Gazprom and Tiraspoltransgaz, whose debts without penalties amount to US$2.749,5 billion. He said in this connection that Moldova Gaz fully paid the debts for 2008-2010, while the debt for 2011 is about US$100 million. The officials examined the possibility of opening the third customs post for the import of Moldovan wine products in Bryansk region. Two such posts are now functional – in Moscow and in Saint Petersburg. The necessity of clearing perishable goods on time, in accordance with the Customs Code of Russia, was another subject for discussion. Lazar and Rogozin also discussed the possibility of extending the period of stay for Moldovans in Russia, without being forced to register with the emigration bodies, the liberalization of air transport, the signing of a cooperation agreement between the customs services of the two countries, and other issues. Russia is the main commercial partner of Moldova. Exports to this country last year rose by 55% to US$625.5 million, while imports by 40.3% to US$822.9 million.