News about International trade
Online stores and national pavilions under the brand “Made in Moldova” may appear in China. The Chinese Minister of Agriculture Zhang Zhu proposed to open them directly on the largest Chinese trade platforms during a meeting with Moldovan Foreign Minister Mihai Popşoi.
European Commissioner for Economic Affairs Valdis Dombrovskis said Russia is using the crisis in the Middle East to make profits, but the EU will not relax the sanctions regime for the sake of cheaper oil or gas supplies. Even in the face of global energy fluctuations.
A US official will visit the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) for the first time in several years. Rodney Mims Cook, head of the US Federal Commission of Fine Arts, will come to St. Petersburg this year.
Germany’s economy grew by 0.3% in the first quarter of 2026 thanks to an increase in exports. According to official data, exports grew by 3.3% quarter-on-quarter, while investment fell by 1.5%.
Farmers are not against the unification of the VAT rate in the agri-food sector, but are strongly opposed to the proposed increase of the rate more than twice – from 8% (on agricultural products and some food products) to the standard 20%.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu has been honored with the GLOBSEC award. Together with her, the award was received by the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola. The GLOBSEC organizers justified the awarding of the prize to Maia Sandu by her “commitment to defend democracy under unprecedented pressure, as well as her role in ensuring a stable future and reforms in Moldova”.
Sugar industrial consumers are satisfied with the content of the dialog with the representatives of the Parliament and the Ministry of Economy on the new draft regulation on sugar imports in the Republic of Moldova. According to them, the authorities took into account the proposals of food industry associations and prepared a balanced draft decision, which provides for the introduction of annual quotas for sugar imports from CEFTA countries and Belarus.
US President Donald Trump’s administration is increasingly relying on informal channels and political appointees in foreign policy, resulting in a weakening of the traditional US diplomatic system.
Electrical equipment, plant products, furniture, fats and oils, as well as wines and beverages were the main categories of goods exported by Moldova to the European Union (EU) in 2025. The total value of Moldovan exports to the European market exceeded $2.55 billion.
The EU Intellectual Property Office and the European Commission in partnership with the intellectual property offices and authorities of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia, Serbia and the Republic of Moldova launched the EU4IP – Western Balkans project.
European haute couture houses are increasing their presence in the United States, choosing American cities as venues for shows and cultural collaborations. From spectacular outings in Times Square to performances in the New York subway, Old World brands are increasingly choosing iconic urban spaces rather than traditional catwalks.
Two Chinese supertankers (VLCCs) and one vessel from South Korea crossed the strait on Tuesday. Together, they carry about 6 million barrels of crude oil, the largest daily cargo volume in more than a month.
The members of the National Council for Integrated State Border Management held an extraordinary meeting on May 21, during which they approved the decision to establish a Working Group for Quality Control in preparation for the Schengen conformity assessment.
A court in Kazakhstan has allowed the Ukrainian state-run energy company Naftohaz to enforce a ruling to recover about $1.4bn from Russia’s Gazprom in a gas transit case.
Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Mihai Popşoi and Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China Wang Yi held talks in Beijing, during which they discussed, among other things, the possibility of launching a direct flight between the two states.
The National Energy Regulatory Agency (NERA) has set new maximum fuel prices that will be in effect tomorrow, May 22.
The global berry market remains volatile due to climatic transformation, changing harvest dates, and labor shortage.
Conflict in the Middle East is increasing pressure on Sri Lanka’s tea industry, putting one of the country’s key export sectors and the millions of people who depend on Ceylon tea production at risk.
In May, the volume of visible stocks of crude oil and petroleum products fell by 8.7 million bpd. This decline indicates a critical supply deficit – this is almost twice the average rate of decline since the start of the conflict.
New phytosanitary requirements for wheat supplies to the Indonesian market will come into force on June 1, 2026. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry of MAIA notified Moldovan traders interested in supplying grain to the market of this country.
