What is to be discussed, what could be achieved?
“We recognize that giving people hope without a clear membership perspective is difficult” stated Mr. Graham Watson, Rapporteur of the EU – Moldova Association Agreement during today’s conference on key priorities of the EU – Moldova agenda.
The conference organized today in Brussels by the Romanian Center for European Policies (CRPE), the Foreign Policy Association (APE) of Moldova and Moldovan Mission to the EU enjoyed the participation of Mr. Watson, members of the negotiation team of the the Republic of Moldova, other members of the European Parliament, Commission officials and expert from Brussels based EU think-tanks. Mr. Watson encouraged the Moldovan officials and considered that `the membership perspective for Republic of Moldova is not a taboo subject in Brussels`. On the contrary, Mr. Watson continued, we `will discuss the subject if Moldova would be prepared. There is no example of a European country willing to join the EU and prepared to do so that was refused`.
The chief negotiator from the Moldovan Government, Mrs. Natalia Gherman, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration made an introduction on the current state of play of the negotiations on the EU-Moldova Association Agreement. Additionally, Mrs. Gherman announced the recent decision made in Chisinau for Moldova to issue only biometric passports from January 1, 2011, as part of the attempts to obtain a road-map for visas regime liberalization. The Moldovan Government already started implementing the measures the EU asked from the Western Balkans countries within their road-maps.
Cristian Ghinea, director of the Romanian Center for European Policies and Victor Chirila, executive director of the Foreign Policy Association presented the recommendations of the report released during the conference “EU – Moldova negotiations - What is to be discussed, what could be achieved?”.
The report recommends the EU to make Moldova the success story that the Eastern Partnership needs to obtain viability and credibility.
Recommendations for the Moldovan government:
While not abandoning its attempt to obtain a membership perspective, Moldova should not make an obsession out of it, but rather fully use the wide range of incentives EU is ready to offer in terms of development aid and financial support.
Maintain the reformist momentum, empower ministries to continue reforms even in the electoral period and Moldova will be in a stronger positions to ask for membership perspective in 2 – 3 years.
For the EU Council and Commission:
- Replace the simplistic line “no political decision on membership perspective” with a sympathetic recognition of Moldova`s ambitions
- Compensate the lack of political decision on enlargement with real, immediate and measurable incentives. The first step should be to offer a road map for free-visas regime
- Create Ms / Mr Europe in Chisinau - Stop the double EU representation (Special Representative and Head of EU Delegation). Use the symbolic capital EU has to support reformist policies
- Draw the correct lessons from the previous Action Plan with Moldova. Insist on implementation side and create clear performance indicator.
The report also recommends the European Parliament to adopt for Moldova a similar resolution with the one mentioning perspective membership for Ukraine (March 2010).
Victor Chirila described the reforms that Moldova undertook even without having a road map towards visa liberalization, concluding that Chisinau is on a similar path with Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia, which had at that moment a road map. Granting a Visa Road Map to Moldova will be an enormous incentive for democratic reforms and the EU has to articulate a clear message that visa liberalization dialogue would open the way to the Visa Road Map if Moldova implements the necessary preconditions, concluded Chirila.
The second panel of the conference invited Michael Emerson from the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), Octavian Calmic, Deputy Minister of Economy of the Republic of Moldova and Phillippe Cuisson, Deputy Head of Unit, DG Trade, European Commission to discuss the perspectives for the negotiations on a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. Mr. Emerson brought the example of Georgia, which unilaterally opened its markets and attracted investors. But the Commission official mentioned the Georgian example is not suitable for Moldova, which should concentrate on improving its governance. A debate started between the two participants whether more and fast openness would benefit or harm the Moldovan economy. Mr. Calmic described the challenges faced by the Moldovan government in reforming the economy and draw a set of priorities in this regard.
The conference was part of the project `Romania – Moldova partnership for European integration. The Contribution of the Civil Society` jointly sponsored by the Romanian and Moldovan Soros foundations.
11.05.2010
