UNDP Jobs - 45180- International Consultant on EU Approximation of Le

International Consultant on EU Approximation of Legislation Relating to Properties of Phyto-Sanitary Products

Location :

Chisinau, MOLDOVA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

09-May-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

Relations between the Republic of Moldova (RM) and the European Union (EU) formally started with the signing of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) in 1994 that entered into force in 1998. The PCA established the basic principles of cooperation between RM and EU and was designed for a10 year period.

The Partnership and Cooperation Agreement will soon be replaced by an Association Agreement which includes a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA). The documents provide for political association and economic integration and have been initialed in Vilnius in November 2013.

For the Republic of Moldova the AA represents a reform agenda which is based on a comprehensive program of legal harmonization with EU norms.

Exceeding the classical arrangements of free trade, DCFTA provides not only a mutual opening of markets for most goods and services but requires a gradual rapprochement of norms and standards such as quality standards and rules, sanitary rules, intellectual property rights, trade facilitation, public procurement and competition, energy trade and other.
Except for European Economic Area and EU candidate states, never before has the EU opened its internal market to such an extent to a third country. This reality is possible due to the commitment of the Republic of Moldova to take over the acquis communautaire.

In exchange to effective implementation of EU legislation Moldova will gradually become part of the EU internal market.

A deeper economic integration through DCFTA will boost the country's economic growth, will create business opportunities and promote real economic modernization and integration into the EU. The direct result of establishing free trade area with EU is that citizens will benefit from higher quality and safer goods and services while manufacturers will be supported to access international markets.

UNDP and its international partners are committed to assist Moldova, through technical and financial assistance, in promoting costly legal and institutional reforms that DCFTA entails.

The Project “Building Institutional Capacity of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration (MFAEI)” aims at strengthening the institutional capacity of the MFAEI as lead institution in the AA negotiation process. In the same context, the Project seeks to contribute to developing EU integration capacities of key line ministries through aligning relevant policies, administrative and institutional arrangements, legislation, procedures and best practices to EU standards and requirements.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project will contract an International Consultant to consult and raise capacity of both the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI) in upgrading and EU approximating national legislation, institutional arrangements, procedures and best practices in developing a methodology for assessing the equivalence of active substances and the physico-chemical properties of phytosanitary products.

The expert will assess and report on current legislation, institutional arrangements, national procedures and documentation in the area of assessing the equivalence of active substances and the physico-chemical properties of phytosanitary products; develop, jointly with beneficiaries, a mission action plan for remedying relevant gaps and lacks; support the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry in drafting legislation/legislative amendments (including regulating institutional arrangements) and supporting documentation (e.g. legislative impact analysis); support the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry in drafting a package of operational documents compliant with EU requirements and EU best practices in the area of assessing the equivalence of active substances and the physico-chemical properties of phytosanitary products; consult relevant stakeholders and support the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry in preparing relevant guidelines in line with EU best practice; present the final mission report during a workshop with beneficiaries.

Competencies

Strong analytical and drafting skills;
Ability to analyze, plan, communicate effectively with stakeholders and present ideas clearly and effectively;
Demonstrated interpersonal and diplomatic skills;
Ability to enter new environments, adapt quickly and produce immediate results;
Computer literacy - competent user of Microsoft Office programs.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualification:

Relevant Bachelor degree in chemistry and/or plant health or other related field;
Relevant Master's Degree or PhD would be an asset;
Certified capacity of implementing EU legislation in the area of assessing the equivalence of active substances and the physico-chemical properties of phytosanitary products would also constitute an advantage.

Experience:

Minimum 7 years of work experience in the area of assessing the equivalence of active substances and the physico-chemical properties of phytosanitary products;
Experience in transposing EU requirements in the area of assessing the equivalence of active substances and the physico-chemical properties of phytosanitary products;
Experience applying specific EU standards and good practices in the area would be an advantage;
Knowledge of and experience in assisting government institutions within projects funded by international organizations in the region of Central and Eastern Europe (experience in countries with economies in transition would be an asset).

Language requirements:

Fluency in written and spoken English;
Knowledge of Romanian or Russian would be an asset.

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

Proposal: Explaining why they are the most suitable for the work;
Financial proposal; in (USD, specifying a total lump sum amount and the number of anticipated working days);
Personal CV including past experience in similar projects and at least 3 references.

Financial proposal:

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals the financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including fee, taxes, travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days).

Travel:

All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Up to two travel missions are envisaged under this assignment, with a minimum 20 working days in Moldova.

Note:

For complete information about this vacancy, including detailed tasks and responsibilities, full and detailed description of the evaluation procedure which will be applied, as well as the UNDP General Conditions of Individual Contract, please refer to the Terms of Reference, the Individual Consultant Procurement Notice published at the UNDP Moldova website, Jobs Section: http://www.undp.md/jobs/current_jobs.