On January 28, the first round of talks on amendments to the Intergovernmental Free Trade Agreement between Ukraine and Moldova took place. The event was co-chaired by the Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine - Trade Representative of Ukraine Taras Kachka and the State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure of the Republic of Moldova Iuliana Dragalin.

Thus, the parties began drafting a Protocol between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the Republic of Moldova on amendments to the Free Trade Agreement and agreed on a number of its provisions. Negotiations have begun with the aim of applying the provisions of the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin in trade relations between Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.

The parties also discussed topical issues of bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

Background

The delegation of the Government of Ukraine to participate in the negotiations was formed by the order of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine of December 11, 2020, № 1561-r.

A regional convention is an instrument that establishes identical rules of origin for goods used in free trade agreements concluded between its contracting parties. Ukraine participated in the Regional Convention on February 1, 2018.