Moldova, Republic of Member profile
Status of notification in the reporting periods
2010-2012
2012-2014
2014-2016
2016-2018
2018-2020
2020-2022
2022-2024
2024-2026
Notification information
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Moldova, Republic of
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26/01/2024
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2022-2024
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Moldova, Republic of
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27/07/2022
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2020-2022
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Moldova, Republic of
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28/02/2022
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2020-2022
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Moldova, Republic of
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22/11/2021
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2020-2022
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Moldova, Republic of
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15/10/2020
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2018-2020
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Moldova, Republic of
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07/09/2020
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2020-2022
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Moldova, Republic of
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26/05/2020
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2012-2014, 2014-2016, 2016-2018, 2018-2020
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Moldova, Republic of
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26/05/2020
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2018-2020
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Types of restrictions
All biennial periods and all notifications
Top 10 HS chapters notified
All biennial periods and all notifications
Top 10 WTO justifications notified
All biennial periods and all notifications
Top 10 Non-WTO commitments notified
All biennial periods and all notifications
QR details
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Trade policy review
Latest Trade Policy Review (Report by the WTO Secretariat): WT/TPR/S/428/Rev.1
A. Import prohibitions and restrictions and import licensing
3.48.
The Republic of Moldova notified the WTO of its import prohibition and restriction measures that are currently in force.[138] The authorities maintain that the importation of certain products, such as certain animals, plants, narcotics, arms, asbestos, and ozone‑depleting substances, are strictly prohibited. According to the authorities, such import prohibitions are implemented on the grounds of public safety and morals, protection of human life and the environment, national security, and compliance with the Republic of Moldova's international obligations.
3.49.
In the Republic of Moldova, a negative-list approach is applied to import prohibitions and restrictions. During the review period, four types of products were added to the import prohibition list (Table 3.5).
3.50.
The Republic of Moldova also notified the WTO that effective 1 January 2021, importation of used motor vehicles (including used cars, trucks, buses, and tractors) was no longer prohibited[139]; instead, imports of used motor vehicles are subject to excise duties whose rates vary according to the age of the vehicles. The authorities state that an internal tax rather than a trade measure is a more effective and efficient tool to address the environmental and road safety concerns caused by used motor vehicles.
3.51.
The Republic of Moldova maintains trade restrictions/embargoes on the grounds of the United Nation's Security Council Resolutions.[140]
3.52.
The Republic of Moldova notified the WTO of its legislation concerning import licensing procedures[141], and responded to the questionnaire on import licensing procedures in 2015.[142] According to the authorities, the import licensing requirements and procedures have remained largely unchanged since the last Review in 2015.
3.53.
Import restrictions are applied to goods that have to meet special conditions or formalities prior their entry (Table 3.6). Restrictions are controlled with "permissive acts" (i.e. import licences). Import licences are issued by various authorities, primarily the Public Service Agency. The authorities maintain that these licensing requirements are applied because of, inter alia, essential security, protection of the environment and human life, revenue protection, intellectual property protection, and requirements of trade agreements.
3.54.
Applications for a licence must be submitted to relevant authorities, together with necessary documents to demonstrate conditions for importation laid out in sector‑specific laws or regulations have been met. The licensing authorities have up to 10 working days to issue or deny a licence following receipt of a completed application.[143] Once a licence is granted, importers must include the licence in their import declaration.
3.55.
An import licence is not consignment-specific, but an importer-specific authorization of importing the product of interest. The validity of a licence varies from one to five years, depending on the type of authorization required. The validity of the authorization may be extended. No other administrative charges or deposits, except for the licence fee, are required to obtain an import licence. Import licences are not transferable among importers.
B. Export prohibitions and restrictions
3.66.
The Republic of Moldova maintains export prohibitions and restrictions on the grounds of protecting human health and the environment, public security, national security, and fulfilling international obligations. Those restrictions were notified to the WTO.[145]
3.67.
The Republic of Moldova bans export of objects that represent national cultural values or heritage. Effective 5 May 2016, the Republic of Moldova introduced an export prohibition on indigenous raw wood and semi-fabricated wood articles. The authorities note that the export ban is imposed on the grounds of environmental protection and prevention of deforestation; the authorities further note that the export ban is a measure complementary to other already adopted internal measures such as production limitation.
3.68.
In response to the state of emergency declared on 24 February 2022, Moldova introduced a "temporary" export prohibition, effective 1 March 2022[146], on maize, sugar, wheat, and some medical consumables and devices (syringes, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, anticoagulants, analgesics, and transfusion and infusion systems). The export prohibition is supposed to last 60 days or until the end of the state of emergency; it has been notified to the WTO.[147]
3.69.
In the context of fighting the COVID‑19 pandemic, Moldova imposed a temporary export prohibition, effective from 26 May 2020 to 15 October 2020, on personal protection equipment of medical masks, surgical gloves, and biocidal products (e.g. disinfectant). The changes of this export prohibition also have been notified to the WTO.[148]
3.70.
Export restrictions are managed through export licensing requirements. Similar to the import licensing regime, an export licence is not consignment-specific, but an exporter‑specific authorization for activities. Most types of export licences are issued by the Public Services Agency[149], while export licences for wild animals/plants, and endangered species of wild fauna and flora are issued by the Environmental Agency.
WTO's environmental database (EDB)
The EDB contains environment-related measures that may qualify as QRs and therefore should be notified under the QR Decision.