News about International trade
According to preliminary data, in the first quarter of 2026, Moldova’s current account deficit decreased by 17.1% compared to the same period last year, amounting to -806.2 million euros. This change was driven by a reduction in the foreign trade deficit.
Romania has increased its natural gas supplies to Moldova by 50% compared to last year, raising them from 2 million m³ to 3 million m³ per day.
The French Senate has passed a long-debated bill to combat “ultra-fast fashion,” targeting e-commerce platforms, including Shein, Temu, and AliExpress, which are based in China.
Chinese smartphone manufacturers are preparing for a sharp decline in shipments in 2026. The reason is a memory shortage, which has been exacerbated by the explosive growth in demand for artificial intelligence equipment.
Ukraine’s rail freight carrier, Ukrzaliznytsia, did not change its rates for the use of grain cars in July of this year. However, the cost of transporting other types of cargo using the company’s rolling stock has increased.
New FAO regional flagship report highlights persistent inequalities in food security and nutrition, rising diet costs and growing concerns over obesity and child overweight
In the EU, packages containing goods valued at less than €150 will no longer be eligible for the de minimis exemption—a provision that exempted very inexpensive shipments from customs duties and was actively used by platforms such as Temu and Shein.
Officers from the Customs Service’s mobile unit stopped a Crafter vehicle—which had already entered our country—for a customs inspection in the vicinity of the city of Leușen. The minibus was traveling from the United Kingdom and was carrying several unaccompanied parcels.
The Belgian Agency for International Cooperation (ENABEL) will expand its activities in Moldova. The main focus will be on strengthening the resilience of the healthcare system and developing capacity to respond to public health emergencies. This topic was discussed during Health Minister Emil Ceban’s official visit to Brussels, which is taking place June 29–30.
A bipartisan delegation from the U.S. Senate, consisting of Senators Ted Budd, John Barasso, Tim Kane, and Alan Armstrong, is on an official visit to Chisinau. The American lawmakers held separate meetings with President Maia Sandu and Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu.
Gas prices on European exchanges are rising again. On Monday, the price of July futures on the TTF hub rose by more than 3%. Prices recovered from their recent drop below $490 and are once again heading toward the psychological threshold of $500 per thousand cubic meters.
Markus Perestrelu, President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, emphasized the need to strengthen the defense capabilities and develop the defense industries of the alliance’s member countries.
From January through May 2026, slightly more than 1.42 million metric tons of cargo passed through the terminals of the Giurgiulești port complex. This cargo volume was distributed very unevenly across months, shipping destinations, and product categories.
The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), in collaboration with Italian law enforcement agencies and Turkish customs authorities, has uncovered a scheme involving the illegal export of approximately 7,100 metric tons of textile waste from Italy to Turkey. According to investigators, the organizers circumvented costly environmental regulations by passing off the waste as reusable textiles.
During trading on Monday, June 29, the market price of Brent crude, the benchmark North Sea oil, began to rise amid renewed mutual missile strikes between the U.S. and Iran in the Middle East.
Last week, the National Food Safety Agency (ANSA) organized two training programs for phytosanitary inspectors with support from the GIZ (German Agency for International Cooperation) project and in partnership with EU4Trade/CEFTA.
From June 22 to 28, 2026, revenue from the Customs Service to the state budget totaled more than 791.2 million lei, and since the beginning of this year, approximately 20.1 billion lei have been collected, representing 102.5% of the target.
The El Niño weather phenomenon could lead to a decline in sugarcane production in India and a reduction in sugar exports, which could cause global sugar prices to rise.
The X5 Group, which operates the “Pyaterochka” and “Perekrestok” retail chains, has suspended purchases of products from Italy’s Ferrero Group. The company cited the supplier’s “unjustifiably high selling prices” as the reason for the decision.
This simplification of the transit procedure is provided for in the new transit information system (NCTS), which, overall, significantly improves customs procedures.
