News about International trade

The Cypriot Chairmanship started preparations for the official opening of the 1st cluster of negotiations on the accession of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova to the EU.

India’s rice production in the 2025/26 crop season exceeded 154 million tons, a historic high. The country ranked first in the world in this indicator.

Kazakhstan’s oil and fat industry is showing record growth rates and is becoming one of the key drivers of the country’s non-resource exports. According to the results of last year, the industry provided an inflow of 27% of all foreign currency proceeds from exports of processed agricultural products of Kazakhstan. In 2025, Kazakhstan ranked sixth in the world in sunflower oil exports. In the short term, Kazakh exporters hope to bring the country into the world TOP-5 exporters of this product – to the fourth place.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned that global oil inventories could reach critical levels ahead of summer demand if the current rate of inventory drawdown continues.

The Moldovan government has announced the completion of the release phase of a 5.2 hectare plot of land on Tighina Street, paving the way for the construction of a new U.S. diplomatic compound.

Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu commented on the recent nomination of Joseph Burkhalter for the post of United States ambassador to Moldova, stressing the importance of the diplomat’s experience in the business environment for the consolidation of economic relations between the countries.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration is set to impose new duties against major U.S. trading partners, including the European Union and Canada, over concerns about forced labor.

The tenth festival of Japanese culture “Bunkasai” will be held on June 6-7 in the square of the State University of Moldova.

The European Commission said that it was not ready to transfer the first tranche of the €90bn loan approved for 2026-2027 to Ukraine. According to the official version, the delay in the disbursement of the first €9.1bn, which should have been received by Kiev by the end of June, was caused by its failure to fulfill “all the technical requirements” of Brussels.

Moldova reaffirms its commitment to deepen cooperation with NATO as Agne Glevetskaite begins her mandate as head of the Alliance’s Liaison Office in Chisinau. The new Head has already held a series of meetings with government representatives to discuss priorities for the period 2025-2028, with a focus on modernizing the defence sector, strengthening national resilience and implementing assistance packages.

Romanian investment fund Fondul Proprietatea, which owns a 20% stake in the Constanta Sea Ports Administration, continues its court battle against the acquisition of the Giurgiulesti port in Moldova.

Finland has confiscated 3.7m euros of Russian funds at the request of Ukrainian state-run company Naftohaz.

The analytical center Sovecon has adjusted its forecast for wheat exports in the season 2025/26. The forecast for the current season (ending June 30, 2026) has been reduced by 0.6 million tons – 46.8 million tons. Prior to this, the experts of the center twice – in March and April – revised their forecast for the outgoing season upwards.

Ukraine has resumed exporting urea to Europe for the first time in a long time. Last week, 12,000 tonnes of this nitrogen fertilizer were shipped from the Ukrainian port of Chernomorsk to Italy.

Brussels intends to include Rosneft and Lukoil in the 21st package of sanctions against Russia, which the EU countries expect to agree on by the end of next week.

For the first time after 2022, German businessmen are again officially participating in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-26). The relevant information is contained in the program of the event.

Norway may return to the issue of joining the EU. The country’s authorities recognize that the changed global environment and the EU’s growing trade influence are forcing Oslo to reconsider its previous approaches to relations with Brussels.

According to a major Russian mineral fertilizer producer, the European Commission extended the measure, but did not prove that dumping by this company’s structures would continue after its cancellation.

Iraq’s Oil Ministry announced the discovery of a major oil field in the southern province of Najaf, near the border with Saudi Arabia.

German businesses that continue to operate in Russia are mostly in favor of resuming purchases of Russian oil and gas.