Prime Minister's Economic Council Activity Updates

Prime Minister's Economic Council Activity Updates

• 04.04.2018

On March 30, as a member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Council, AmCham engaged in discussions on the Economic Council’s actions during 2017, which focused on improving the business environment, and priorities for 2018.

The Executive Director of AmCham, Mila Malairau, chairs Working Group (WG) number 1 on the “Elimination of Constraints to Entrepreneurial Activity”. Mila has highlighted several priorities of the working group that were initiated in 2017 and will remain in the WG’s focus in 2018, such as:

1.The reduction of compensatory remuneration under the law on copyright and related rights. The amendments aim at reducing and capping the amount of compensation, as well as improving the procedure for collecting it. In addition, a new concept was proposed regarding the modification of the mechanism and procedures for collecting and distributing this remuneration with a more active involvement of state bodies, which will ensure a real guarantee for all the actors involved in this process, and a considerable decrease of the value of remuneration (from 3% and more - up to 1%), which will reduce the financial burden on economic operators.

2.The improvement of legislation on industrial wastewater evacuation and treatment. As member of a specialized working group constituted under the Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment, AmCham advocates for the adoption of a clear and best practices compliant methodology for calculating prices on sewage services rendered by SA Apa-Canal Chisinau when treating industrial wastewaters that exceed the required quality indicators.

3. The incineration and co-incineration as a mean of waste treatment. Last year, AmCham advocated for a provision in legislation that would allow co-incineration of waste that cannot be recycled in other environmentally friendly ways. This will reduce its accumulation, help obtain energy and recyclable components from production and domestic waste.

4.The review of regulatory framework on healthcare public procurement. AmCham has militated for modifying the governmental regulation in this field, in order to ensure a balanced reduction of delay penalties imposed on suppliers of medicinal products under public procurement contracts. A draft regulation including the recommended amendments has been put forward for public consultations in March 2018.

5.During 2018, AmCham will also remain actively involved in commenting on the new Labor Code in order to ensure it aligns with best international practices.

The Prime Minister Pavel Filip thanked the business community’s representatives for their active involvement in improving the framework regulating the business environment.