Free trade agreement with Moldova: Federal Council launches approval process
Bern, 21.02.2024 - On 21 February the Federal Council adopted the dispatch on the free trade agreement between the EFTA countries and Moldova. The dispatch will now be referred to Parliament for approval. Moldova is the first partner country with which EFTA has agreed a comprehensive chapter on e-commerce and incorporated its new model chapter on trade and sustainable development.
The new free trade agreement with Moldova is modern and far-reaching. It is consistent with EFTA's more recent free trade agreements with third countries and covers a broad range of sectors. It includes provisions on trade in industrial goods, processed and unprocessed agricultural products, technical barriers to trade, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, rules of origin, trade facilitation, trade in services, investment, intellectual property protection, competition, public procurement and dispute settlement. Moldova is also the first partner country with which EFTA has agreed a comprehensive chapter on e-commerce and incorporated its new model chapter on trade and sustainable development.
A trading partner with potential
The bilateral trade volume between Switzerland and Moldova is worth some CHF 50 million (2022) and has further growth potential. The new free trade agreement opens up broad market access and improves the legal framework and predictability for economic players.
The free trade agreement between the EFTA member states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) and Moldova was signed in Schaan, Liechtenstein, on 27 June 2023.
Address for enquiries
Communication GS-EAER
info@gs-wbf.admin.ch, +41 58 462 20 07
Publisher
The Federal Council
https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start.html
Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research
http://www.wbf.admin.ch
