Moldova made progress in civil aviation, thanks to strategic partnership with EU

Chisinau, Nov 20 /MOLDPRES/- The fourth meeting of the Joint Committee on Common Aviation Area between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova took place yesterday in Chisinau, with the participation of representatives of the European Commission's Directorate General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE), the Interior and Foreign Ministries, as well as representatives of the Civil Aviation Authority, the European Integration Office and MoldATSA.

State secretary for transportation at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development (MIDR) Mircea Pascaluța welcomed the presence of European officials and expressed gratitude for the progress achieved in the civil aviation thanks to the strategic partnership with the EU. "Today's meeting is a proof of the solid partnership we have built and of our commitment to strengthen our national aviation sector for the benefit of our citizens and those of the EU. Since the signing of the Common Aviation Area Agreement, we have made significant progress in aligning our country's aviation policies with European standards", he noted.

Among the key results of the partnership were increased connectivity, improved aviation safety and security, and expanded opportunities for airlines and travelers. In concrete figures this means 3,504,322 passengers registered by Chisinau International Airport in the first 10 months of this year, 43.7% more than in 2023. In addition, the total number of passengers for October 2024 is 411,424, which shows a 158.2% achievement according to this year's plan and a 57.9% increase compared to October 2023. Aircraft carrying capacity has also increased significantly, with the maximum take-off weight in October 2024 being 46.4% higher than the previous year.

Discussions at the meeting focused on the need to update some provisions of the Common Aviation Area Agreement (Annex III), namely, the inclusion of the new European regulatory framework in the field of air transport with a focus on passenger rights, the regulation of the use of unmanned aircraft, the Single European Sky, as well as other updates of the regulations already transposed. This will create improved conditions for the transposition of the EU aviation acquis, ensuring the alignment of Moldova's regulations with EU standards.

The European officials thanked for the productive discussions and analysis in the Joint Committee and reiterated that they will continue to support the Republic of Moldova in efforts to implement the Common Aviation Area Agreement.

The Common Aviation Area Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova was signed in October 2012 and entered into force in August 2020.