PHOTO // European agriculture officials shared experiences on reforms and European integration in Chisinau

Chisinau, Oct 5 /MOLDPRES/- Tourist complex Kingdom of Wine in Cricova hosted on 4 October a networking event attended by the European Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski, Ministers of Agriculture of the Baltic States and Romania, Moldovan farmers and leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAIA). The event was an opportunity for European officials to share their experiences on reforms and European integration, highlighting good practices in negotiating EU accession.

Participants noted that the Republic of Moldova has a significant advantage in the accession process due to access to modern technologies and high quality of Moldovan agricultural products.

The Moldovan farmers raised questions related to the financing of the agricultural sector by European funds and the ways of efficient absorption of these resources. They also discussed trade relations with EU member states, seeking solutions to increase the competitiveness of agricultural products on the European market.

EU officials encouraged the development of integrated projects that include both the agricultural sector and rural communities. 

The event was preceded by a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Bolea, the team of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAIA) and Ministers of Agriculture of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, who are on an official visit to Chisinau. Discussions focused on the exchange of best practices and experiences gained in the pre-accession process to the European Union, with an emphasis on legislative harmonization with EU standards.

The Baltic ministers emphasized the importance of thorough preparation in the pre-accession phase, recommending the establishment of clear and strategic priorities in the negotiations.

The meeting provided a valuable opportunity for the MAIA team to learn from the experiences of the countries, as well as to identify ways to improve their own agricultural policies and negotiating strategies. The event was a framework for dialog and exchange of best practices, highlighting the importance of collaboration between the Republic of Moldova and EU member states for the sustainable development of national agriculture, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry.