In Chisinau, on 22–23 October 2015, Centrul de Resurse along with PMCG hosted the conference Making the Most of DCFTA to discuss Georgia’s and Moldova’s deepened trade ties with the EU. The conference was organised within the framework of the project Sharing Experience of Public-Private Dialogue in EU Integration Process for Moldova and Georgia, financed by the International Visegrad Fund. PISM was represented at the conference by Damian Wnukowski, an analyst at the International Economic Relations and Global Issues Programme. 

Participants discussed opportunities and challenges for Moldova and Georgia as they implement the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) agreements, signed with the EU in 2014. Talking points included the countries’ perspectives for exporting agricultural products to the EU, phytosanitary standards for food products, technical regulations for industrial goods, and  the impact of the DCFTA on internal reforms. Speakers assessed the first year of DCFTA, noting the rise export from Moldova and Georgia to the EU—a significant success. However, tempered by reality, they also acknowledged that there is still a long road ahead for implementation of the Association Agreement, of which the DCFTA is an integral part. Conference discussion touched on cooperation between the public and private sectors; the two are jointly conducting internal reforms and fulfilling requirements of the DCFTA. In this context, speakers used the experiences of the Visegrad Group countries’ European integration process and public-private dialogue as a benchmark and learning tool for Moldova and Georgia.

EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström was the special guest of the conference. She underlined Moldova’s and Georgia’s responsibility to ensure political stability and rule of law, inevitable byproducts of the DCFTA. Commissioner Malmström referred to the political crisis in Moldova, which has been going on for several months, and expressed the EU’s concern over the situation. However, she stressed that, as Moldova’s “friend”, the EU is bound to tell truth, even if it is unpleasant. Nevertheless, Moldova and Georgia are on the right track and already benefitting from their closer cooperation with the EU.