The development and facilitation of trade and economic relations between the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine were discussed at the meeting of the co-chairs of the Joint Moldovan-Ukrainian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic and Trade Cooperation
September 29, 2023 – Vadim Gumene, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization, participated in the meeting of the co-chairs of the Moldovan-Ukrainian Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic and Trade Cooperation, serving as its vice-chairman.
The meeting was chaired on behalf of the Republic of Moldova by the Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration, Oleg Serebrean, and on behalf of Ukraine by the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister for the Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine, Irina Vereshchuk.
One of the main topics discussed during the talks with Ukrainian officials was Ukraine’s imposition of a dumping tax on imports of Moldovan cement, which distorts the activities of cement-producing enterprises in the Republic of Moldova and has negative repercussions on bilateral trade between the two countries. In this context, Secretary of State Vadim Gumene reiterated the strong request to eliminate, in the near term, the anti-dumping duty on Moldovan-origin cement, in order to avoid triggering any commercial defense processes by the Republic of Moldova in sectors harmed by massive imports from Ukraine.
Following constructive discussions, Ukraine has expressed its commitment to eliminate the dumping duty imposed on cement imports from Moldova by the end of 2023.
Furthermore, the parties have expressed their openness and commitment to contribute to the removal of trade barriers, including streamlining border controls to facilitate the flow of goods, reviewing environmental taxes, and ensuring consistent and transparent enforcement of legislation by both countries.
In conclusion, the co-chairs of the commission mentioned that holding such meetings facilitates the development and deepening of Moldovan-Ukrainian bilateral relations and strengthens the commitment of both parties to overcome and resolve issues that arise in bilateral trade.
During the event, topics related to the current status of bilateral trade and economic relations were discussed, as well as the identification of actions to be taken to address certain constraints and the enhancement of collaboration in strategic sectors for both parties. These sectors include the European integration of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, cooperation in the energy and infrastructure sectors, and agriculture.
Representatives of the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, the National Agency for Food Safety, the Customs Service of our country, as well as representatives of the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Kiev, also participated.
In the first half of 2023, Ukraine ranked second among the Republic of Moldova’s top trading partners, accounting for approximately 14.6% of the Republic of Moldova’s total trade flows, or about 929 million. USD.
