DECISION No 2/2022 OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED BY THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA ON THE CARRIAGE OF FREIGHT BY ROAD

of 15 December 2022

regarding the continuation of the Agreement [2023/604]

THE JOINT COMMITTEE,

Having regard to the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova on the carriage of freight by road  ( 1 ) , and in particular Article 6 thereto,

Whereas:

(1) The Joint Committee has adopted its Rules of Procedure by its Decision 1/2022 of 15 December 2022.

(2) As set out in Article 5(1) of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova on the carriage of freight by road (hereafter ‘the Agreement’), the Agreement is to apply until 31 March 2023.

(3) As set out in Article 6(2) of the Agreement, the Joint Committee is to be convened at the latest three months before the expiry of the Agreement in order to assess and decide on the need for the continuation of the Agreement, including its duration.

(4) The monitoring of the Agreement has shown that it has provided benefits in terms of trade for both the European Union and the Republic of Moldova, and that the increase of road transport services has also been beneficial to road transport operators of both parties.

(5) The Agreement has allowed the Republic of Moldova to start redirecting its trade towards the European Union and has therefore contributed to the progressive integration of the Moldovan economy into the western economy. Together with a comparable road transport agreement signed with Ukraine, it has also eased the export of Ukrainian goods, contributing to the Solidarity Lanes.

(6) The prolongation of the Agreement should be understood as also contributing to the reconstruction of Ukraine beyond Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

(7) It is therefore appropriate to prolong the Agreement until 30 June 2024,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Continuation of the Agreement

The Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova on the carriage of freight by road is hereby prolonged until 30 June 2024.

Article 2

Entry into force

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Done at Brussels, 15 December 2022.

For the Joint Committee

The Co-chairs

Mircea PĂSCĂLUȚĂ

Kristian SCHMIDT

( 1 )    OJ L 181, 7.7.2022, p. 4 .