News about International trade
The Ministry of Finance has developed and approved the professional standard for “Customs Clearance Specialist.” The relevant ministry order has been published and has entered into force.
The Russian military carried out a series of strikes on Ukrainian port infrastructure. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, four vessels used to deliver cargo for the Ukrainian Armed Forces were struck on the night of July 15.
Endava, a leader in the IT market, ended 2025 with a net profit of 45.2 million lei, which is half the previous year’s figure. The decline in financial performance was driven by a drop in sales and currency fluctuations.
The European aviation market finds itself in a vulnerable position: the region’s fuel reserves will last less than 30 days, and new risks in the Middle East could complicate jet fuel supplies. Europe has already increased imports from the U.S. and Asia, ramped up refinery utilization, and tapped into reserves, but its dependence on external suppliers remains high.
The world is entering a new phase in the development of artificial intelligence, in which the main issue is no longer the speed at which new models emerge, but rather the ability of governments to control their impact.
China’s crude oil imports in June fell to their lowest level since October 2016, despite the escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf. The sharp decline in purchases by the world’s largest oil importer served as a new sign of weakening demand and heightened uncertainty in the global energy market.
The international company Uber Technologies Inc. is in advanced negotiations to acquire the German company Delivery Hero—one of the world’s largest food delivery services. The potential deal could be one of the largest in the history of the European food delivery market and significantly alter the balance of power in the industry.
Restrictions on commercial shipping in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait as early as last Friday triggered a 10-euro-per-metric-ton increase in food wheat prices on the Paris Matif (Euronext) exchange. This week began with a significant rise in prices in major European grain-exporting countries, including Romania.
The German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd, one of the world’s five largest container carriers, has criticized the U.S. proposal to impose a 20 percent levy on cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Bulgaria has decided to withdraw from the “coalition of the willing”—an international group of countries advocating for continued support for Ukraine. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev made this announcement on July 14.
The rainfall that fell last week and at the beginning of this week was not heavy enough to damage the first-group winter crop harvest, but it was enough to slow down the harvest campaign in Moldova somewhat. However, the weather forecast for the near future is improving, albeit not dramatically. The harvest will pick up speed. And while there may not be a comprehensive overview, at least the official data on its interim results—as promised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Industry (MAIA)—will be released in the coming days.
The U.S. will impose a 20% fee on all cargo transported through the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. President Donald Trump announced the fee for passage through this key shipping route in the Middle East. He posted this on his personal page on Truth Social.
This year, due to a relatively cool spring, the sales season for locally grown sweet cherries began about two weeks later than usual. However, it will also last longer—through this week and possibly next week—unless rainfall disrupts the growers’ plans.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Washington may take over security operations in the Strait of Hormuz and expects to receive financial compensation for doing so.
Farmers in the southern part of the country have begun the large-scale rapeseed harvest. According to the leadership of the Agrocereale association, initial feedback from farmers regarding the crop’s yield is encouraging—the average yield has not yet fallen below 2.5 metric tons per hectare, but some farms are harvesting as much as 4 metric tons per hectare.
Trade volume in the Kyiv Customs District for January–June 2026 totaled $18.2 billion—$4.3 billion more than in the first half of 2025.
The power struggle between von der Leyen and Kallas is escalating into an open confrontation over Israel. A power struggle is heating up in Brussels over “options” to restrict or ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements.
Following the decision by the 27 EU member states to open a new negotiating cluster on “External Relations,” President Maia Sandu held a meeting with the ambassadors of the European Union member states and the Group of Seven (G7) countries, accredited to Moldova.
New European requirements for social data are creating additional challenges for the automotive transportation sector.
In the first half of 2026, the European Union imported more liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia’s flagship “Yamal LNG” project than ever before. EU purchases reached a record 9.89 million metric tons in the first six months of the year—an 18% increase over the same period last year. According to Urgewald, Europe paid up to €6 billion for the shipments.
