Moldova Follows Armenia's Example: EAEU-Moldova Memorandum Signed

• 04.07.2017, 11:52
• Anna Karapetyan
•  EEU,  "Insight" Analytical Center ,  Analytics

On April 3 Moldova and Eurasian Economic Union signed a memorandum of cooperation, that has not only economical, but also political meaning for the region.

The goal of the Memorandum is to promote the increase of trade, investment and develop cooperation in the spheres interesting for both sides. This document puts no legal responsibilities for the sides, but record the will of the sides to deepen their cooperation in a written form, which has also a political meaning.

Moldova is one of the Eastern Partnership countries, that has already signed Association Agreement and DCFTA with the EU. At the same time, when Igor Dodon won the elections at the end of the past year, he announced about the aim to cooperate with the EAEU. As a result, the Memorandum was signed.

Moldova is the first country, that has already signed the Association Agreement and DCFTA and at the same time wishes to cooperate with the EAEU. In fact, Chisinau followed the example of Armenia – the policy of "and-and". When official Yerevan in 2013 announced about its decision to join the EAEU, it was also underlined that Armenia wants to continue deepening the cooperation with the EU and is ready to sign the Association Agreement. But Brussels thought it was not possible then.

Now these problems are solved, Armenia, as a member of the EAEU, has already pre-signed the new Framework Agreement with the EU. Moldova did the opposite, at first it signed the Association Agreement and now starts cooperation with the EAEU.

In general, the whole this process shows, that the position of Armenia not to oppose but combine the two integration processes gets wider expansion and becomes more acceptable both for the EU and the EAEU, and for the other countries of the region. In case of development of such tendencies, Armenia, Moldova and other countries, that follow this example, can also play a role in the process of overcoming the conflicts of the EU and the EAEU and build an atmosphere of sustainable regional cooperation.