News about International trade

The Republic of Moldova has become a party to the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter, and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (PSMA) under the United Nations (FAO). The Agreement entered into force for Moldova on May 20, 2026.

 Grain futures fell on the largest U.S. exchange in Chicago. This was influenced by statements from officials regarding the reaching of an interim agreement to resume shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 0.4% year-on-year in real terms in the first quarter of 2026, marking a significant slowdown following 3.6% growth in the previous quarter. Economic growth was driven by increases in final consumption and foreign trade. The positive trend was supported by growth in household final consumption, as well as an increase in gross value added across a number of sectors.

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 100% tariff on all imports of French wine and champagne unless France repeals its 3% digital tax (digital services tax) levied on American tech giants, including Google (Alphabet), Amazon, Meta, and Apple (the so-called “GAFA tax”).

The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has proposed adding the names of Russian participants in the special military operation in Ukraine to the EU’s sanctions lists. This could result in a ban on their entry into EU countries.

Between June 8 and 14, 2026, revenue from the Customs Service to the state budget totaled more than 807.8 million lei, and since the beginning of this year, approximately 18.4 billion lei has been collected, representing 102.8% of the target.

Moldovan opposition lawmakers are discussing regional and global security issues in Azerbaijan at an international conference titled “Regional Contributions to Global Security: Strengthening Peace in the South Caucasus.” The event is taking place in the city of Shusha.

The second Intergovernmental Conference between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union is taking place in Luxembourg, marking the official launch of accession negotiations under Cluster 1—“Fundamental Values.”

In May 2026, gasoline imports into Ukraine rose by nearly 30% compared to the previous month, reaching 90,300 metric tons.

The export of live sheep from Romania has been completely banned. The European Commission’s decision on this matter will be published in the next issue of the *Official Journal of the European Union*.

Two types of beer and five types of snacks have been added to the Belarusian State Standards Committee’s Register of Hazardous Products. Over the weekend, they were completely removed from the shelves of Belarusian stores.

Democratic political strategist James Carville is best known for coining the slogan of Bill Clinton’s successful 1992 presidential campaign: “It’s the economy, stupid.” This holds true for this November’s midterm elections as well, and President Donald Trump’s Republican Party appears to be headed for a crushing defeat.

Armenia is seeking to obtain special economic status in the EU, following the example of Moldova and Ukraine. This was announced by Armenian Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan in the country’s Parliament on June 12.

China is developing a digital payment system to compete with the dollar. The mBridge cross-border payment platform has received support from the central banks of Hong Kong, Thailand, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. The project aims to reduce dependence on the dollar and strengthen Beijing’s ties with trading partners under the Belt and Road Initiative.

The Republic of Moldova may launch direct flights to Saudi Arabia. On Wednesday, June 17, the government will consider a draft resolution to initiate negotiations on an official air services agreement between the two countries.

Atif Farooqi, Advisor and Chief Operating Officer of the Pakistan-Romania Business Council, met with Rahmat Hendiarta, Indonesia’s Acting Ambassador, to promote innovative trilateral trade cooperation between Pakistan, Indonesia, and Romania.

On Tuesday, Members of the European Parliament will vote on legislation formalizing the trade agreement between the European Union and the United States. The agreement was reached last July by U.S. President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

China’s export machine continues to impress with its strength. The country ended last year with the largest merchandise trade surplus in world history ($1.2 trillion), underscoring the continued competitiveness of its manufacturing sector. But the money earned is no longer going to the same places as before.

A project to develop automotive electronics is being launched in Belarus. The systems are planned to be installed in the Belgee X50+ model. 

Tehran has blocked access to the tunnels, making it more difficult to remove nuclear material and complicate negotiations with the United States.