News about International trade

The President of the Republic of India, Draupadi Murmu, who is arriving in Moldova on Monday, July 20, at the invitation of President Maia Sandu, will be accompanied by several dozen businesspeople. The Office of the President has announced the official visit of the high-level Indian delegation. This is the first-ever visit by an Indian head of state to our country since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Moldova and the Republic of India on March 20, 1992.

Despite the sharp deterioration in the security situation in the Black and Azov Seas, the Turkish wheat market has so far shown only moderate price increases. This is due to expectations of a record harvest in Turkey itself, which will significantly reduce the country’s need for grain imports.

Geopolitical tensions and renewed concerns about friction between the U.S. and China are putting pressure on risk assets, including Bitcoin.

Spain’s proposal to allow Brussels to borrow up to 850 billion euros a year to stimulate growth has reignited a long-standing debate over a common EU debt. However, the prospect of joint borrowing continues to divide the bloc’s member states.

Acting Prime Minister Eugen Osmochescu commented on today’s launch of EU accession negotiations under Cluster 6—“External Relations”— — as part of the third intergovernmental conference between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union, held in Brussels.

The European peach and nectarine market entered the second half of July amid expectations of a larger harvest, intensified competition among major producing countries, and significant variations in prices.

In the 2026/27 marketing year, Kazakhstan has a chance to regain its global leadership in flour exports. According to expert forecasts, the country will export about 2 million metric tons of food-grade flour and 3 million metric tons of feed-grade flour. To produce these volumes of semi-finished products, approximately 7.5 million metric tons of wheat will be processed, accounting for nearly half of the expected 2026 harvest.

In the first five months of this year, exports rose by 11.4%, while the trade deficit increased by 3.3%.

The risks of attacks on port infrastructure and vessels in the Azov and Black Seas, as well as the resulting delays or more serious disruptions to agri-food supply chains, are spreading quite rapidly to the main Black Sea shipping routes. These are the routes through which a significant portion of the world’s grain and vegetable oil trade is exported.

On August 10, 2026, amendments to the Domestic Trade Act (No. 231/2010) will take effect, requiring retailers to indicate the country of origin on food price tags. The National Food Safety Agency (ANSA) is reminding all interested parties of this requirement.  

U.S. President Donald Trump has instructed the U.S. Trade Representative to impose 25% tariffs on most imports from Brazil.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz outlined two main negative scenarios for Ukraine and Moldova: the threat of direct military aggression in the event of a Ukrainian defeat, as well as a significant slowdown or change in the format of their European integration.

Customs officers at the Otach checkpoint on the border leaving the Republic of Moldova (toward Mogilev-Podolsk, Ukraine) discovered more than a metric ton of cigarette cartons after a Renault Magnum truck, driven by a 54-year-old Moldovan national, arrived for customs clearance.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Kyiv today, July 15. This time, the talks are focused not only on Ukraine’s European integration but also on joint arms production, which Brussels views as one of the key elements of its support for Kyiv.

The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the country’s antitrust regulator, has approved eBay’s acquisition of the secondhand clothing platform Depop, removing a key regulatory hurdle to the completion of the deal.

Extreme heat is becoming a new economic challenge for producers of Parmigiano-Reggiano—one of the most recognizable symbols of Italian exports. In Emilia-Romagna, where the famous cheese is produced, farmers and processors are forced to increase spending on cooling livestock and storing products in an effort to preserve the quality of a cheese with a history spanning more than 800 years.

Iran has threatened to extend restrictions to other strategic maritime routes used for global energy shipments amid a new round of tensions with the United States. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that Tehran is prepared to threaten “all export corridors that benefit the United States and its allies” if pressure on the country continues.

The Swiss group Richemont, which owns the Cartier jewelry house, began the new fiscal year with results that exceeded analysts’ forecasts. The main driver of growth was steady demand for Cartier jewelry in North and South America, as well as in the Asia-Pacific region.

Following the rise in wheat prices in Ukraine and Romania, triggered by the blockade of shipping in the Sea of Azov, wheat prices have risen in Moldova. Whether this is an isolated (and short-term) occurrence or the beginning of a widespread (and sustained) trend will become clear within one or two weeks.

Some destinations are overrun with tourists, while others remain virtually unknown.