Study on Moldovan legislation adjustment to community acquis launched

“Moldova is able to meet the safety and quality standards for products typical of the European market and efficiently use the import quotas on certain animal products set by the EU within the autonomous trade preferences system,” the head of the European Union Delegation to Moldova, Ambassador Dirk Schuebel said at the launch of the study “Agrarian and Food Policy and Legislation. Harmonization with the EU Standards”, Info-Prim Neo reports. The study is made as part of the Support to the Implementation of Moldova-EU Agreements Project financed by the European Union. According to Dirk Schuebel, the study will provide assistance in identifying the priorities and planning the steps aimed at promoting the agri-food products on the EU market. Richard Moody, one of the three authors of the study (the other two are Irina Kireev and Ina Butucel), said the study analyzes the legislation and the necessity of protecting the consumers, presents the community acquis on food and agriculture and the trade rules in the EU, and makes a series of recommendations as to the steps that must be taken. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vasile Bumacov said the study will be useful to the Moldovan specialists. According to him, 60 laws have been adjusted to the community acquis, while the amendments for another 46 laws are being drafted. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry worked out a plan of action on the basis of the recommendations made by two missions of the European Commission that had been in Moldova in May-June and with the support of the high-ranking adviser from Poland. There will be created the Agency for Food Safety that will assess the safety of products. The two-year €5.2 million Support to the Implementation of Moldova-EU Agreements Project will be completed this year. Seventeen studies are to be made within the project. Three of them were presented to the public – on the harmonization of legislation on competition, the fiscal legislation and the agri-food legislation.