News about International trade
Following the pandemic, the flow of international tourists has shifted toward new destinations. The number of foreign visitors has grown most significantly in Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Egypt, while a number of popular tourist destinations, including the United States, Thailand, and Italy, have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels.
Hungary refused to approve the results of the review of Clusters 2 and 3, concerning Moldova and Ukraine, at a meeting of the EU Council’s Working Group on Enlargement (COELA).
Maersk, a container shipping operator, is no longer able to provide services in Ukraine through the Black Sea fishing port “due to the deteriorating security situation caused by Russian attacks.”
Romania risks facing a serious crisis in the fuel market after Kazakhstan—which accounts for 63% of its imports—suspended oil shipments, according to Romanian economist Adrian Negrescu.
The global oil market is entering one of its most vulnerable periods in recent decades. Against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the strategic oil reserves of OECD countries have already fallen to their lowest level since December 1990, and commercial stocks continue to decline, which significantly reduces the global market’s ability to compensate for new supply disruptions.
Energocom, Moldova’s state-owned company and primary gas supplier, has launched a series of auctions to procure natural gas for the upcoming gas year, running from October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2027.
“It all started with apple shipments—and that’s how it will continue. Dried fruit shipments will be added.” This was the central theme of the speech by Iurie Fala, executive director of the “Moldova Fruct” Association, at the Moldovan-Indian business forum held in Chisinau.
For the first two years, the rates will remain at zero; after that, they will be raised to 100%, and then to 200%.
A protest was lodged with Moldovan Ambassador Lilian Darii, specifically regarding two incidents involving staff and vehicles of the Russian Embassy in Moldova.
Russia has intensified its attacks on the Odesa region, using missiles and new types of drones. Behind this tactic is an effort to strike a region that is crucial to Ukraine’s maritime logistics.
Former high-ranking officials from Germany and Russia held a secret meeting in Baku on July 12–14 to discuss ways to end the armed conflict in Ukraine.
The diesel fuel shortage is becoming increasingly acute in Europe, which will cause stocks to fall by the end of the year to their lowest level since 2015—299 million barrels.
Swiss watchmaker Swatch Group expects to improve its financial results in the second half of the year following an uptick in sales in recent months. Despite a decline in profits for the first half of the year, the company reported a recovery in demand for its brands.
During the last ten days of July, a clear upward trend in the purchase price of rapeseed for export emerged on the Moldovan market. While just yesterday the “working price” for rapeseed demanded by major traders was around 10 lei/kg, today it has risen to 10.1–10.2 lei/kg. There are several factors driving this growth, the most important of which are the currently limited domestic supply and high external demand. As a result, competition has intensified.
Moldova will serve as a test case for the latest reforms aimed at integrating the European Union’s gas market when mandatory rules for the allocation of bundled capacity take effect at its borders on August 5.
Speaking at the Moldovan-Indian Business Forum held in Chisinau on Monday, Indian President Drupadi Murmu emphasized the deepening cooperation between the two countries and noted that this visit reflects India’s commitment to strengthening ties in the political, economic, and cultural spheres.
In June 2026, Moldova imported nearly 1,300 metric tons of sunflower oil worth 36.7 million lei. The main suppliers were Ukraine, Russia, and Romania. The main buyers were large companies. These figures are included in a review of sunflower oil imports into the Moldovan market by Yuri Rizi, an expert in agromarketing.
The Romanian Ministry of Defense announced deals totaling 1 billion euros for the purchase of radars and helicopters from European aerospace giant Airbus and French defense company Thales.
U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed additional 50% tariffs on imports of certain goods from Canada, the White House announced.
The visit by Indian President Drupadi Murmu and the Moldova-India Business Forum, held as part of the official visit, marked a new phase in the development of bilateral economic relations between India and Moldova.
