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Trade: EU strengthens relations with Moldova,Georgia,Ukraine

(ANSA) - BRUSSELS, SEPT. 21- The opening of trade relations between the European Union and Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine, with ''mutual access to the market and alignment to European rules, will bring greater benefits, the impetus given to trade is evident after the first years of implementation of the ''free trade'' agreements''. That is what European Commissioner for Trade, Cecilia Malmstroem, deputy premiers of Ukraine and Moldova, Stepan Kubiv and Iurie Leanca, and Georgia's Economy minister, Giorgi Kobulia, said in a joint statement, issued at the end of an informal meeting in Brussels on the implementation of the free trade areas established in the respective association agreements with the EU. The next step, Malmstroem and ministers explained, consists of identifying ''areas of common interest in which positive results can be expected in the near future'', provided, Brussels underlined, that reforms in the countries involved ''are implemented in a timely manner''. The focus is mainly on public procurement, SMEs, healthcare, and customs procedures. The talks will continue in the coming weeks, ahead of the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Eastern Partnership (Moldova, Georgia and the Ukrainian take part in it), scheduled for October 15.(ANSA).