The European Union has decided to remove the duty placed on all wines imported from Moldova, as one of Europe's poorest countries struggles to cope with a ban on exports to Russia.
The EU-Moldova Association Agreement was signed yesterday and provides for measures to establish an EU-Moldova free trade area.
"The immediate liberalisation of imports of Moldovan wines to the EU shows our political will to respond to unjustified and arbitrary pressures exerted by Russia on its Eastern partners. The measures backed today will help Moldovan wine producers to overcome the difficult situation caused by the Russian ban," an EU spokesperson told Focus news agency.
In announcing its ban on imports of Moldovan wines and spirits in September, Russia said they contained impurities and Moldova had consistently failed to act to improve the quality of its produce. Kremlin critics say previous Russian bans on wine from Moldova and Georgia have been politically motivated.
However, the ban is widely believed to be intended to discourage Moldova from strengthening its political and economic ties with the EU.
Last week, John Kerry became the first U.S. secretary of state to visit Moldova in more than two decades, part of a show of support for pro-Western moves by the former Soviet republic in the face of Russian pressure.
© 2013 - European Supermarket Magazine by Enda Dowling
