OREANDA-NEWS. May 25, 2010. The meeting is chaired by the co-chairs of the Commission: the Vice-Premier, the Minister of Economy of Moldova Valeriu Lazar and the Minister of Economy, Commerce and Business Environment of Romania Adrian Videanu. During the forum, the parties discussed the prospects of Moldovan-Romanian cooperation in the European and regional context, as well as important aspects of bilateral cooperation in trade, energy, agriculture, industry, transportation, environmental protection, small and medium-sized enterprises, standardization, using the opportunities granted by the status of Romania as EU member and trade advantages of Moldova in this regard.

According to the Ministry of Economy of Moldova, in 2009 the volume of foreign trade between Moldova and Romania amounted to USD551.3 million, decreasing by 40%. Romania with 12 per cent share in total trade has ranked the second after Russia among the main trading partners of Moldova. The volume of Moldovan exports to Romania for the period totaled USD 239.6 million, decreasing by 28,6% compared with 2008.

At the same time, Romanian imports totaled USD 311.7 million, declining by 47.2%. Initially, it was planned that V session of Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation and European Integration of Moldova and Romania, would be held on April 19-20 but then it was postponed to May 24-25, following the closure of the airspace between the two countries in connection with the spread of the volcanic dust cloud.