The European Commission has today been granted a mandate by European Union transport ministers to open negotiations on a comprehensive air transport agreement with the Republic of Moldova.
Vice-President Siim Kallas, responsible for transport said: "I am very pleased with the unanimous support from Member States to grant us a negotiating mandate for Moldova. Moldova is a direct neighbour of the EU and an important partner in the European Neighbourhood Policy. This makes Moldova an obvious candidate for joining the wider European Common Aviation Area".
The agreement aims at mutually opening the respective markets and at integrating Moldova into European aviation structures. Moldova is ready to harmonise its legislation with European standards and to implement a large part of the EU's aviation rules. The agreement will be a further step in creating a wider Common Aviation Area between the EU and its neighbours.
Moldova was one of the first countries in the Eastern neighbourhood to sign a horizontal air services agreement with the European Union. This has brought in line with European law Moldova's bilateral air services agreements with 17 Member States.
The new comprehensive aviation agreement would be an important step towards strengthening aviation relations between the two partners. Air transport is the single most important mode of transport to link Moldova to most EU Member States and has been growing steadily in recent years. It is expected that the agreement will offer more travel opportunities, more direct connections and economic benefits for both sides.
Similar comprehensive air transport agreements with neighbouring countries have been concluded with the Western Balkan countries, Morocco, Georgia and Jordan and negotiations are on-going with Ukraine, Israel, Tunisia and Lebanon.
