OREANDA-NEWS. April 20, 2012. The fosterage of the cooperation ties between representatives of the Moldovan and French business environments was the main issue discussed today at a meeting of the leadership of the Moldovan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the leadership of the French-Moldovan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the head of the "Mobiasbanca Groupe Societe Generale".

At the meeting, the head of the Moldovan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Gheorghe Cucu highlighted the significant support provided by the French partners for the development of the Moldovan economic institutions. "We should develop the partnership between our institutions in order to facilitate the launch of new economic ties. Although the quota of the trade exchanges between our countries has been constantly increasing from 2001 until now, it is still low. There are 81 French companies in Moldova. Moreover, the French investments account for only 3 per cent of the overall number of foreign investments in Moldova. In the context, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry urges you to step up our efforts and to elaborate an action plan for the next years," Cucu said.

Gheorghe Cucu also said that in June 2012, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry plans to organize an economic mission to Lyon and Toulouse in order to familiarize the French investors with the Moldovan business opportunities. In this respect, Cucu asked the support of the French-Moldovan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in order to carry out a comprehensive programme for Moldovan companies.

For his part, the head of the French-Moldovan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Emmanuel Skoulios vowed his full support for the organization of the above-mentioned economic mission. "The direct contacts between representatives of the business environments will lead to the launch of long-term business partnerships. There are many French businesspeople interested in making investments in Moldova. Thus, we should outline the concrete fields which might arouse the interest of the Moldovan and French companies," Emmanuel Skoulios said.

The turnover of Moldova's foreign trade with France stands at 17.3 million dollars in January-February 2012, by 25 per cent more against the similar period of the year before. The export of goods in the first two months of 2012 was estimated at 8 million dollars, hiking by 35 per cent against 2011. At the same time, the import of French goods to the Moldovan market stood at 9.3 million dollars, which makes by 16.2 per cent more against January-February 2011.