| 22 December 2009 The 11th meeting of the Moldova-EU cooperation council was held in Brussels on 21 December. The Moldovan delegation was headed by Prime Minister Vlad Filat. It also comprised Foreign and European Integration Minister Iurie Leanca and Deputy Foreign and European Integration Minister Natalia Gherman. The sides discussed cooperation between Moldova and the EU in the sector of democracy and human rights, economic and sectoral cooperation, judiciary issues, freedom and security. The council welcomed the Moldovan government's agenda streamlined towards European reforms and positively appreciated the government's first steps towards democratic, social and economic reforms in the country. For the first time ever in Moldova's history, the participants in the meeting adopted a joint statement backing Moldova's efforts and listing actions meant to drive Moldova closer to the EU. In particular, the statement mentioned the launch of negotiations on an association agreement and specific steps to create a free trade zone. The sides stated their intention to enter talks on the liberalization of the visa regime in 2010. At the beginning of the year, the EU will send a mission to assess the conditions necessary to start dialogue on the matter. In the joint statement, the EU recognized Moldova's European integration aspirations. The sides also discussed the Transnistrian issue and confirmed cooperation aimed at identifying a viable solution to the Transnistrian conflict. In Brussels, Vlad Filat and Benita Ferrero-Waldner signed a memorandum of understanding concerning EU's consultative assistance for the Moldovan government. To this end, the EU will delegate a group of high-ranking advisers in Moldova's key institutions to help the Moldovan authorities implement sectoral policies in European integration.
| 
