Programmes

The project supports the efforts of the Moldovan government to progress in key areas of the DCFTA, linked to the improvement of public governance and economic recovery and growth, i.e. quality infrastructure, market surveillance, internal and external markets and opportunities, and competitiveness awareness in the context of the AA/DCFTA. 

Objectives

The overall objective of the project is to support the Republic of Moldova in strengthening the country’s Quality Infrastructure framework within the context of the DCFTA. Specifically, the project aims to:

• further align the country’s Quality Infrastructure and Market Surveillance structures with EU requirements;
• enhance the country’s private sector competitiveness aspects by improving SMEs’ production, quality and business processes;
• design a concrete multi-layered DCFTA visibility and communication action plan in particular in the field of Quality Infrastructure, Market Surveillance and internal and external market conditions and opportunities. 

Beneficiaries:

Ministry of Economy & Infrastructure, and Moldovan agencies and state bodies including the Institute for Standardisation of Moldova, the National Institute of Metrology, the National Accreditation Centre (MOLDAC), the Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance Agency, the Moldovan Investment and Export Promotion Organisation (MIEPO) and the Organisation for Small and Medium Enterprises Sector Development  (ODIMM), as well as individual Moldovan (export-oriented) companies and their representative organisations.

Activities:

Quality Infrastructure

• Advisory support to Moldovan testing laboratories for procurement of equipment based on detailed needs analyses;
• Support to Ministry of Economy & Infrastructure during implementation of Action Plan for Private Sector Service Certification and Conformity Assessment;
• Support to Moldova in maintaining EA-BLA membership;
• Support to the National Moldovan Metrological Institute in maintaining EURAMET membership;
• Support to the Institute for Standardisation of Moldova in implementing DCFTA requirements;
• Support in the implementation of the Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance Roadmap;
• Support in further alignment of Moldova’s Quality Infrastructure to EU requirements

Market Surveillance

• Support in the implementation of the Multi-Annual Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance Agency Institutional Development Plan;
• Support in establishing of RAPEX based system of exchange of information about dangerous non-food consumer products.

Internal and External Markets and Opportunities

• Support to up to 75 export-viable companies in enhancing their overall competitiveness in the following areas:
  
  • Quality
  • Production
  • Exports and Marketing
  • Management
• Support to ODIMM and MIEPO to enhance the effectiveness of their project for companies in seizing DCFTA-induced market opportunities;
• DCFTA linked capacity building for staff of BSOs (both state and NGOs), including the Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Support and improve existing DCFTA Public-Private-Dialogue [PPD] on AA/DCFTA implementation

DCFTA Visibility and Communication

• Support to Ministry of Economy & Infrastructure and its subordinated agencies during the execution of their different awareness, communication and visibility actions in the field of Quality Infrastructure, Market Surveillance and internal and external market conditions and opportunities;
• Support to MoEI and its implementing agencies to improve their overall outreach efforts.

Additional Project Activities

• Support to MoEI in designing, carrying out and reporting on DCFTA implementation
• Support to MoEI and its subordinated agencies in improving the effectiveness and efficiencies of their operations and staff skills.

Results:

The project is expected to achieve the following results:

• Moldova’s legal and normative Quality Infrastructure and Market Surveillance frameworks are closely aligned with EU requirements;
• The overall competitiveness of Moldovan businesses in the fields of quality, production, export promotion and marketing and management is improved;
• The Ministry of Economy is assisted in the execution of its different awareness, communication and visibility actions in the field of Quality Infrastructure, Market Surveillance and internal and external market conditions and opportunities.