Moldova signs Joint Procurement Agreement to deepen health cooperation with the EU

On 9 July, Moldova became the 38th country to sign the Joint Procurement Agreement in the area of health. Moldova is now also the 6th EU candidate country to become part of the Agreement. 

The signing took place in Chisinau, during an official visit by European Commissioner for health and food safety, Stella Kyriakides.

The Joint Procurement Agreement is a legal and operational mechanism which enables participating countries to join forces in the face of a serious health threat and to jointly purchase essential supplies, such as medicines and medical equipment. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, it allowed participating countries to acquire personal protective equipment, needles and syringes for COVID-19 vaccination, ventilators and medicines under equal conditions.

Another example – the European Commission recently has signed a joint procurement framework contract to supply up to 665,000 doses of the zoonotic influenza (avian flu) vaccine from Seqirus. This contract ensures that participating countries have access to medical countermeasures if needed.

“The agreement allows us to have access to those medicines that are not found here in the Republic of Moldova and also to lower the acquisition prices because we are a small country and sometimes for companies there is no interest to participate in the purchases that we launch,” said Ala Nemerenco, Minister of Health: “Joint procurement of medicines is actually an important step that already shows that we are a small part of the European Union, even before the document of accession is signed.”

The Commissioner also met with President Maia Sandu and Prime Minister Dorin Recean to discuss cooperation in the health sector in the context of the start of EU accession negotiations. The EU high official also visited the Institute of Emergency Medicine in Chisinau, which was renovated a year ago with EU funds.

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Press release