Foreign Policy Association together with Friedrich­Ebert-Stiftung offer you a newsletter on foreign policy and European integration issues of the Republic of Moldova. The newsletter is part of the “Foreign Policy Dialogue” joint Project. NEWSLETTER MONTHLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2020 NR.9(175) Synthesis and Foreign Policy Debates The newsletter is developed by Sorina Ştefârţă, editor-coordinator TOPICS OF THE EDITION: 1. Johannes Schraps, member of Bundestag: “We are pretty much“together”, and we are already in the middle of the“relaunch”” 2. Editorial by HE Angela Ganninger, German Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova: “The German EU Presidency, committed to strengthening the Union’s core values” 3. Radu Magdin, political analyst, Romania: “German ambition remains key to the political reinvention of the European Union in a new reality” 4. Expert Opinion. Dumitru Oprițoiu: “State of the Union – between crisis and recovery” News in brief On September 9-11 this year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Oleg Țulea , paid his first visit to Brussels, delayed by about half a year due to the pandemic. He has had several meetings, including on specific topics, as part of his agenda: Philippe Goffin, his Belgian counterpart; David McAllister, Chair of the European Parliament’s Foreign Policy Committee; Dragoș Tudorache, MEP and rapporteur on the EU-Moldova Association Agreement; Mircea Geoana, NATO Deputy Secretary General. Minister Țulea has also met with the European Commissioners Kadri Simson (Energy), Oliver Varhelyi(Neighbourhood and Enlargement) and Ylva Johansson(Home Affairs). During the talks, the Moldovan diplomat has expressed the gratitude of the Moldovan authorities for the EU’s support in strengthening the national health system and counteracting the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including in the economic field. He assured the interlocutors that the Government remains firmly committed to implementing the European agenda. He has also informed about the development by national authorities of an Action Plan focused on the country’s socio­economic recovery, noting that the EU sectoral assistance is an important catalyst for the reform process. From Brussels, the Foreign Minister left for Kassel, where he participated, together with German and Moldovan officials, in the inauguration ceremony of the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Moldova in this city. In his speech on this occasion, Oleg Țulea highlighted the importance of strengthening the cooperation with the German Länder, in particular in the field of trade, economy and investment, Hesse being one of the largest and most prosperous Länder, with a population of 6, 5 mln. and a GDP of USD 330 billion. The Minister welcomed the appointment as Honorary Consul of Dr. Christopher Posch, a lawyer and owner of the Posch Frank Rechtsanwälte Law Firm, known for his work in the media and real estate fields. For his part, Mark Weinmeister, Secretary of State for European Affairs, emphasized the attention paid by the Hesse authorities to boosting relations with partner countries. He noted that the presence of the Honorary Consulate will essentially contribute to the intensification of trade and economic relations, but also cultural relations with the Republic of Moldova. More than 1,800 Moldovan companies have export activities on the European market, the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure announced on the occasion of the sixth anniversary since the signing of the Association Agreement and the implementation of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area(DCFTA). Moreover, the impact of DCFTA contributed to changing the configuration of the foreign trade of the Republic of Moldova, the EU becoming the main trading partner o Moldova with a share of 70 per cent in exports and 50 per cent in imports. For comparison, in 2014, only 53 per cent of exports were directed to the EU. The top EU countries where domestic companies carry out export activities are Romania, Italy, Germany, Poland and Bulgaria. The exports of Moldovan products on the EU market in January-June 2020 have reached a value of USD 742.6 million, and the imports from the EU have amounted to USD 1118.2 million. Germany 2020: three decades of Unity, three decades of European leadership Sorina Ștefâ r ță The current half of 2020, between July 1 st and December 31 st , is taking place, at the European level, under the auspices of the German Presidency of the EU Council. For Berlin, this is the thirteenth term at the helm of the European Union, which is happening in a more than symbolic year, as Germany is celebrating three decades since the country’s reunification. A mandate that would most likely have become a triumph had it not been for the pandemic that has turned the world’s life upside down. A mandate that Berlin has adapted to the new(post-) pandemic realities and which is ambitious to turn into a triumph, despite all the difficulties. “Germany is doomed to lead Europe”, headlined The Economist in late June, highlighting the fact that having Chancellor Angela Merkel as leader of the country holding the EU presidency and Ursula von der Leyen at the head of the European Commission, the Germans are now running the European affairs. Europe did not revolt, on the contrary, it has relaxed at the thought it is now in safe hands. “Usually, German power in Brussels is the political equivalent Monthly Bulletin, Nr. 9(174), september 2020 64, Sciusev str. MD-2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, Tel-Fax:+373 22 21 09 86 Website: www.ape.md E-mail: office@ape.md