EU-MOLDOVA PARLIAMENTARY COOPERATION COMMITTEE SIXTEENTH MEETING 29 October 2012 CHISINAU Co-Chairs: Mrs Monica MACOVEI and Mrs Corina FUSU Final Statement and Recommendations pursuant to Article 89 of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement Under the co-chairmanship of Mrs Monica MACOVEI (EPP, European Parliament) and Mrs Corina FUSU (Liberal Party, Republic of Moldova) the sixteenth meeting of the EU-Moldova Parliamentary Cooperation Committee was held in Chisinau on 29 October 2012. The Committee exchanged views with Mr Andrei POPOV, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, representing the Government of the Republic of Moldova and Mr Dirk LORENZ, Chargé d'affaires, EU Delegation to the Republic of Moldova, on behalf of the European Union. The Parliamentary Cooperation Committee: The relations between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova 1. Recognizes the Republic of Moldova as a European state and reaffirms its support for Moldova's aspiration to become a Member of the European Union in the future, pursuant to Article 49 of the EU Treaty; actively supports the Republic of Moldova in its commitment to share the EU's founding values such as the principles of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law; calls on the European Commission, the EU Council and the EU Member States to express commitment and support for the perspective of EU accession of the Republic of Moldova which has engaged in a European choice in 2009; 2. Welcomes the adoption on 11 July 2012 of the National Development Strategy "Moldova 2020" through which the Moldovan Government commits to implement a long-term strategic vision for the development of the Republic of Moldova in coherence with its path towards EU integration; 3. Welcomes the very good progress of negotiations on all sectors of cooperation of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement as outlined in the Operational Conclusions of the 12th plenary round of negotiations on September 14, 2012; acknowledges with satisfaction that almost all chapters excluding the DCFTA are about to be closed; strongly encourages the European Commission and the Moldovan Government to meet the objective of finalizing negotiations by autumn 2013, ahead of the next Summit of the Eastern Partnership; 4. Welcomes the very good progress and pace of negotiations on a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA); notes with satisfaction that six chapters out of thirteen areas covering trade in goods, non-tariff barriers and technical barriers to trade, trade-related energy, sustainable development, public procurement, customs and D-MD\ PE
trade facilitation were provisionally closed; calls on the European Commission and the Moldovan authorities to complete the negotiations on the thirteen chapters of the DCFTA by autumn 2013; recalls that the DCFTA can only apply to the whole territory of the Republic of Moldova, including the Transnistrian region; 5. Stresses that the establishment of the DCTFA will require the continuous harmonization of the Moldovan legislation with the EU trade rules, the liberalization of trade in goods and services and the removal of technical and non-tariff barriers; welcomes the adoption of the Laws on Competition and on State Aid on 15 June 2012; encourages the Moldovan authorities to continue their efforts in implementing traderelated reforms and adjust the Moldovan legislation in conformity with EU rules; 6. Calls on the European Commission to provide financial support and technical expertise to the Republic of Moldova in order to ensure the full implementation of the DCFTA; recommends the Moldovan authorities to involve the business community, farmers' unions and consumer protection organizations by consulting them on potential issues relating to regulatory approximation in trade areas; 7. Welcomes the signature on 27 June 2012 of the Agreement amending the EU- Moldova Visa Facilitation Agreement; calls on the EU and the Moldovan authorities to swiftly complete the internal ratification procedures of the amended Agreement and to ensure that the targeted categories, in particular business people, academics, students and civil-society representatives will fully enjoy these new conditions for obtaining Schengen visas; 8. Commends the Moldovan authorities for fulfilling their commitment in completing the first phase of the Visa Liberalization Action Plan; welcomes the findings of the European Commission's Report of 22 June 2012 which concluded that the Republic of Moldova met all benchmarks of the first phase of the Action Plan; calls on the EU Council and the European Commission to take the necessary decisions for launching the second phase of the Action Plan; 9. Stresses the critical importance of institutional reforms and actions for ensuring respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, reinforcing administrative and judicial capacity and ensuring the effectiveness of the fight against corruption and organized crime; calls on the Moldovan authorities to adopt swiftly the implementing measures of the law reforming the Centre for Combating Economic Crime and Corruption, which was renamed the National Anticorruption Centre, and to ensure that the Centre will act independently from political influence; 10. Welcomes the progress made by the Republic of Moldova in the implementation of its Mobility Partnership with the EU, in particular in the field of migration management; underlines the importance of citizen mobility and labour migration in the Moldovan economy and society; calls on the Moldovan authorities to pursue their effort and further develop projects on the promotion of legal migration, support to academic mobility, the integration of migration benefits to the economic development strategy and on combating illegal migration and human trafficking; 11. Welcomes the signing on 26 June 2012 of a comprehensive air services agreement between the EU and the Republic of Moldova; acknowledges the importance of creating a "common aviation area"; stresses the progress achieved by the Republic of Moldova towards economic integration with the EU; 2
12. Recommends the Moldovan authorities to take the necessary steps for harmonizing its legislation with European standards and apply EU rules in civilian air transport in order to allow Moldovan airlines and consumers to take full advantage of more direct connections between EU Member States and Moldova; underlines that this Agreement and the process of visa liberalisation are complementary in the sense that they aim at offering more access for Moldovan citizens to the EU; 13. Welcomes the signature on 26 June 2012 of the Agreement on the protection of Geographical Indications for Agricultural Farm Products and Foodstuffs; is confident that the Agreement will be beneficial to the quality of Moldovan agricultural products, their access to the EU market and the promotion of Moldovan tourism; 14. Welcomes the signature on 30 May 2012 of the Administrative Arrangement between the European Commission and the Republic of Moldova on cooperation in the area of prevention, reaction, and response to emergency situations as well as natural and man-made disasters; recalls that Moldova is the 8th state in the world which signed this bilateral agreement with the EU; 15. Welcomes Moldova's commitment towards developing an innovative and efficient industrial policy; commends Moldova's support for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises and for enhancing the competitiveness of the private sector; welcomes the initiation of a dialogue between the EU and Moldova in the field of industrial policies and entrepreneurship; urges the Moldovan authorities to actively participate in the programmes established under the Eastern Partnership such as the SME flagship initiative, the East-Invest programme, the Small Business Support Programmes and the Enterprise Policy Assessment Study; 16. Welcomes the Joint Communication of the European Communication and the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on "Eastern Partnership: A roadmap to the autumn 2013 summit" of 15 May 2012 as a basis for guiding and monitoring the implementation of the activities planned under the Eastern Partnership objectives; welcomes the emphasis of the Roadmap on the principles of joint ownership and differentiation following the "more for more" principle; considers that the Republic of Moldova should further benefit from this merit-based approach and be stimulated to accelerate the implementation of the reforms paving the way to political association and economic integration with the EU; strongly encourages the Republic of Moldova to fully engage in the Eastern Partnership Integration and Cooperation programme adopted on 26 June 2012, which provides support for institution building activities, sector-wide reforms and activities for the peaceful settlement of conflicts; 17. Notes that the budget for bilaterally implementing the Annual Action Programme in favour of the Republic of Moldova under the European Neighbourhood Policy Instrument for the first time exceeds 100 million Euros in 2012, due to the new funding of 28 million Euros to Moldova from the Eastern Partnership Integration and Cooperation programme; 18. Welcomes the first meeting in Chisinau on 5 June 2012 within the framework of the new informal Eastern Partnership dialogues; expresses its conviction that this new institutional format will increase political and sectorial cooperation between the EU and its partners within the Eastern Partnership; 3
19. Welcomes the conclusions of the 6th meeting of the Group for Moldova's European Action which took place on 25 June 2012; commends Moldova for its achievements and supports the continuation of current reforms; 20. Welcomes the developing dialogue between the EU and the Republic of Moldova in the area of the EU Common Security Defence Policy (CSDP); calls on the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Moldovan Government to step up their consultations for setting up a framework for Moldova's participation in the EU CSDP in line with Moldova's national security strategy and its commitment to the future Association Agreement; 21. Commends the auspicious cooperation between the European Commission's negotiation team and the European Parliament and calls for this cooperation to be upheld in agreement with Article 218, paragraph (10) of the TFEU (Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union), which provides that the European Parliament should be informed immediately and to the full at each step of the procedure; 22. Calls on the EU Council, the Commission and the European External Action Service, in the context of the ongoing negotiations on the Association Agreement with the Republic of Moldova, to expand the mandate of EU negotiators in order to make the European integration perspective wording more explicit in the preamble of the Agreement, under article 49 of the Treaty on the European Union; considers this change to be both a valuable lever for the implementation of reforms and a catalyst of public support for these reforms; Internal developments in the Republic of Moldova 23. Reiterates its encouragement to all political parties to contribute constructively to the strengthening of reforms and the adoption of measures meant to consolidate Moldovan democracy; recalls that respect for justice, the rule of law, and human rights are core European values necessary to Moldova's political and economic integration with the EU; 24. Welcomes the President's declared support for Moldova's European path and his strong commitment to the adoption of national anti-corruption measures; commends the adoption of a comprehensive justice sector reform strategy in October 2011 and the related Action Plan approved by the Parliament in February 2012; urges the Moldovan authorities to ensure their proper implementation; 25. Calls on the Moldovan Government to continue structural reforms in the areas of economic policies, public administration, law enforcement, and national security that are crucial for democracy, sustainable growth and social development; recalls the negative effects of the global economic crisis on Moldova's economy and stresses that long term poverty reduction is dependent on good governance, a friendly business environment and a continuous flow of foreign investments; 26. Welcomes the progress made regarding freedom of expression and the independence and pluralism of media; notes that an independent and free media is essential to a functioning democracy; calls on the Moldovan authorities to ensure reforms in accordance with the European rules and standards of the legislative 4
framework that regulates the broadcasting in the Republic of Moldova, the development and modernization of the public broadcasting; 27. Takes note of the adoption on 12 July 2012 of the amendments to the Law on Political Parties and Movements, prohibiting the use of the communist insignia for political purposes and expects the Constitutional Court's decision in this case; 28. Stresses the importance of a clear legislative framework and provisions on political party and campaign financing, ensuring a separation between economic and political circles in decision-making process and preventing conflicts of interest; recommends the adoption and implementation of legislation guaranteeing the transparency of regulation, the oversight of political party financing and equal treatment for all parties; 29. Notes the effects of the global economic downturn and persistent drought on Moldova's economy in 2012; welcomes the announcement made by the European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response that the EU would allocate 3.15 million Euro financial aid to mitigate the negative consequences of the drought; calls on the EU to further increase its financial support to help the Republic of Moldova cope with current economic difficulties, in particular assistance to the populations which are dependent for their subsistence on agriculture; 30. Welcomes the adoption by the Republic of Moldova of an energy strategy within the National Development Strategy "Moldova 2020"; endorses Moldova's accession to the Energy Community treaty; calls on the European Commission to provide financial and technical support to the Republic of Moldova to ensure it can meet the commitments stemming from its accession to the Energy Community Treaty and the Third Energy Package; calls on the Moldovan Government to strongly engage in implementing this strategy as well as the EU Third Energy Package and to ensure that new agreements with the Russian Federation on gas supply guarantee full respect for Moldova's obligations under the Energy Community Treaty; 31. Notes the challenges that the Republic of Moldova has to overcome in the global context of increasing energy prices in order to improve the country's energy security and reduce its overwhelming dependency on energy imports; stresses the importance for diversifying gas supplies to Moldova of the construction of the Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline linking Romania and the Republic of Moldova; encourages the parties to the project to speed up the process; 32. Welcomes the Moldovan Government's approval on 1 October 2012 of the Strategy of the Civil Society Development for 2012-2015 and its Action Plan; calls on the Moldovan authorities to support and monitor its implementation; recalls that an active civil society is a necessary condition for a functioning democracy; 33. Welcomes the Moldovan Government's approval on 4 July 2012 of a national plan on the prevention and combating of human trafficking; notes with satisfaction Moldova's progress in this field; takes notes of the recommendations of the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking of Human Beings to the Moldovan Government on 19 July 2012; calls on the Moldovan Government to take into account these recommendations in its anti-trafficking actions, in particular by strengthening law enforcement and criminal justice responses, ensuring legislative 5
consistency between the Criminal Code and the Anti-Trafficking Law and enhancing child protection measures; 34. Reiterates its regret that the investigations on the events of April 2009 are still in progress; calls again on the Moldovan competent authorities to finalize the investigations and bring to justice the perpetrators of these crimes and of severe violations of human rights during the riots and street protests that followed the 5 April 2009 elections; 35. Calls on the Moldovan Government to pay close attention to the situation of social disadvantaged categories and take urgent measures to fight against poverty and social exclusion; Regional cooperation 36. Welcomes the positive evaluation of the Jointly Operated Border Crossing Point (JOBCP) pilot project created with the support of the European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) at the Briceni-Rossosani crossing point on the Northern segment of the Moldova-Ukraine border; notes the good progress of new experiments in joint Moldovan-Ukrainian border patrolling and control over the Palanca-Mayaki- Udobnoye segment; recommends the parties to further enhance their joint activity in cooperation with EUBAM and with the support offered by the Eastern Partnership Flagship Initiative on Integrated Border Management in order to prevent criminal or illegal actions such as human trafficking, customs fraud and smuggling at the Moldovan-Ukrainian border; 37. Welcomes the progress in the cooperation between Moldova and Ukraine for the demarcation of state borders, the protection and sustainable development of the Nistru river and the functioning of the hydro-energy plant on this river; encourages the two governments to intensify their dialogue and finalize agreements on these matters, as an example of good neighbourly cooperation for the other Eastern European countries; 38. Welcomes the active participation of the Republic of Moldova in the 2007-2012 Black See Basin Operational Programme supported by the EU; underlines the importance of developing long-lasting partnerships in the economic and social areas between the countries which are part of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation organisation (BSEC); invites the European Commission to make proposals for increasing the EU assistance in the continuing programme under the future European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument, for the period 2014-2020; 39. Takes note of the approval on 24 June 2012 of the amended Law on Inland Naval Transportation in line with the European Agreement on Main Inland Waterways of International Importance and the relevant bilateral agreements with Romania and Ukraine; recommends the Moldovan authorities to support the development of ship transport on the Prut and Nistru cross-border rivers, as a vector of economic regional development and integration; On the Transnistrian region 40. Welcomes the continuation of official negotiations in the 5+2 format for the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict and recommends the parties to pro-actively engage in the negotiating process following the agenda and the "Principles and 6
Procedures for the Conduct of Talks" agreed on 17-18 April 2012 in Vienna; welcomes the agreements at the latest round of negotiations on 13 September 2012 to intensify dialogue on human rights issues and to establish a joint forum for dialogue with civil society and media from both sides of the Nistru River; expresses concern about the declarations made by Mr Sergei Gubarev, Special Representative of the Russian Federation for the Transnistrian conflict's settlement, regarding the region s potential independence; believes that a solution to the conflict can only be found with the 5+2 format and urges all parties to the negotiations to work together constructively; expects the next round of official negotiations scheduled in late November 2012 in Dublin to bring further progress on general legal and humanitarian issues and human rights, as well as on the first "basket" of negotiation topics, namely the socio-economic issues; 41. Welcomes the declaration of Mr Timofti, President of the Republic of Moldova at the General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly, on 26 September 2012 in New York, where he called on the OSCE, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, the EU and the United States to unite their efforts and work towards the final resolution of the Transnistrian conflict; 42. Takes note of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly's Resolution 1896 (2012) of October 2012 which requests the Russian Federation to complete the withdrawal of its troops from Moldovan territory; stresses that the replacement of the existing peacekeeping forces with an international civil mission is needed in order to build confidence and ensure the peaceful settlement of the conflict; underlines that the presence of the Russian military troops contradicts the international commitments assumed by the Russian Federation at the OSCE Summit in Istanbul in 1999; believes that the withdrawal of those troops and the removal of the Russian Federation military depots of arms and ammunition from the Transnistrian region would be a significant and constructive step forward in the peace process; 43. Calls on all parties to the 5+2 negotiation format to intensify their efforts and find a long lasting solution to the Transnistrian conflict; reaffirms that any political solution must respect the territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova within its internationally recognized borders; 44. Welcomes the steady diplomatic efforts of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in the 5+2 format negotiations; expresses its belief that given its constant support and involvement in these negotiations the EU should seek an elevation of its status from that of an observer; hopes that in 2013, under Ukraine's Chairmanship of the OSCE, there will be significant progress in these negotiations and that Ukraine will have an ambitious agenda towards finding a long lasting political settlement to this issue; 45. Is aware of the situation of the Latin-script Moldovan schools in the Transnistrian region, where teachers and students were subject to intimidation and threats; takes note of the European Court of Human Rights' judgment of 19 October 2012 in the case of Catan and others v. the Republic of Moldova and Russia, condemning the Russian Federation for violation of the right of education; urges the Russian Federation to fully implement the Court's judgement by paying the applicants over one million Euros in total for non-pecuniary damage; reaffirms that the right of education of people studying in the schools using the Latin alphabet must be guaranteed and calls on the Tiraspol authorities to prevent and stop any types of discrimination towards them; 7
46. Takes note of the decision of the EU Council on 27 September 2012 to lift a travel ban on the former political leadership of the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova, while ensuring that travel bans could be re-imposed on persons blocking progress on the situation of Latin-script Moldovan schools; calls on the EU Council and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to encourage progress regarding the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the Transnistrian region while closely monitoring the actual situation in these areas; 47. Expresses concerns about the reported decision of the authorities from Tiraspol to unilaterally introduce new custom duties to goods imported from the right bank of the Nistru River; encourages the sides to remove trade tariff barriers within the Republic of Moldova guaranteeing that the whole territory of Moldova would benefit from the future DCFTA Agreement with the EU and would implement the regulatory framework following this Agreement; 48. Calls on the Moldovan Government and the authorities from Chisinau to facilitate the free movement of citizens between the two banks of the Nistru River, and in particular to come to an agreement on the re-opening of the Gura Bicului bridge for vehicle traffic. Approved Pro 11 Against 1 on 29 October 2012, in Chisinau. 8