News about International trade

“Granting permission for the visit of the delegation from Afghanistan was a mistake in assessing the situation and in interagency coordination,” said Prime Minister Vasile Tofan. According to him, formal administrative procedures were followed, but the potential political and diplomatic risks were not sufficiently taken into account when the decision was made.

Serbia’s largest oil company, Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS), which is indirectly controlled by Russia through Gazprom and Gazpromneft, has reached an agreement to sell its Romanian subsidiary, NIS Petrol, which owns 19 gas stations operating under the Gazprom brand.

Ukraine and Moldova will continue to collaborate on projects in the infrastructure and energy sectors. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made this statement following a meeting with Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mihai Popșoi.

Energocom purchased 12,134 MWh of electricity on August 3—27% more than two days ago.

Cross-border traffic between Moldova and Romania has increased by 40% compared to the same period last year. This has prompted the authorities of both countries to consider measures to optimize it.

The Romanian government has reached an agreement with major industrial consumers to voluntarily reduce energy consumption during evening hours amid an energy crisis caused by a severe drought and a sharp drop in water levels in the Danube.

Net foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into Moldova in 2025 totaled 408 million euros, while the total volume of accumulated investment exceeded 5.4 billion euros. European Union countries remained the main investors. At the same time, our country has fallen into a negative trend characteristic of most of its neighbors in the Central and Eastern European region.

Prime Minister Vasile Tofan presented to development partners the priorities of the government’s program and the main areas of cooperation with international organizations and agencies operating in the Republic of Moldova.

Moldova has issued visas to members of the Afghan Ministry of Agriculture delegation, but emphasizes that it does not recognize the Taliban government and will not hold official meetings with representatives of the delegation. The Foreign Ministry’s statement followed press reports about the visit by the Afghan representatives.

During trading on Monday, August 3, the market price of Brent crude oil, the benchmark North Sea grade, fell by approximately 4.5%.

It is becoming increasingly difficult for Moldova to provide consular services to its citizens in the Russian Federation, amid a reduction in the number of diplomats on both sides. This was stated by Mihai Popșoi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova.

Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu announced plans to import electricity from Ukraine due to a record-breaking drought, after Bucharest declared a state of emergency in the energy market and shut down one reactor at a nuclear power plant.

Preliminary data show that the European economy “remains resilient” despite the recent sharp rise in energy prices. The eurozone economy grew by 0.4% in the second quarter of this year, exceeding widespread expectations of a slowdown due to the war with Iran. On a year-over-year basis, GDP growth was 1.0%.

Energocom S.A. warned that Romanian authorities have declared a 30-day state of emergency amid a decline in electricity production caused by low water levels in the Danube.

PARIS—For many years, Europe and China have embodied competing models of development and energy transition. Europe has emphasized markets, common rules, and multilateral organizations, while China has focused on industrial policy, infrastructure investment, and manufacturing. Europe developed regulations that often became global benchmarks (the “Brussels effect”). Meanwhile, China built factories.

In the first half of 2026, the number of insolvent agricultural companies in Romania rose by nearly 80% compared to the same period last year. In addition to rising energy and fertilizer prices, another major factor is the pressure from Ukrainian grain imports.

The Republic of Moldova’s development strategy is, in essence, “predetermined,” according to Prime Minister Vasile Tofan. He said that the country’s limited domestic market does not leave it with many options.

Moldova has the potential to bring more of its companies to the Romanian capital market and develop dual listings between the Bucharest Stock Exchange and the stock exchange infrastructure in Chisinau, according to Prime Minister Vasile Tofan.

The Republic of Moldova and Turkey have begun exploring opportunities for cooperation in the defense industry, including the production of military equipment, surveillance systems, and defense technologies, drawing on the experience and capabilities of Turkish industry in this field.

Shares of Apple, the world’s most valuable company, are falling sharply following the release of a weak revenue forecast for the third quarter, which is expected to include the launch of new iPhone models.