A new law on the Customs Service will be promoted in the Government and Parliament in the course of 2018. The main provisions of the document refer to the appointment of the director general, which is proposed to be named by the minister of finance for a five-year term on a contest basis. The customs functionaries are to be chosen also by contest, IPN reports.

In a news conference on January 4, Customs Service director general Vitalie Vrabie said the bill also defines the social guarantees of the customs functionaries, in particular their right to free transport, with the travel expenses being covered by the Customs Service. “1/4 of the customs inspectors have to permanently cover long distances and, regrettably, the costs incurred when travelling to other places than their place of residence, at a distance of hundreds of kilometers, are not covered,” he stated, noting that the situation could change from this April.

At the same time, Vitalie Vrabie said the new Customs Code of the Republic of Moldova was drafted and was proposed for public debates and will be soon submitted to the Cabinet and then to Parliament for consideration. Moldova needed a new Customs Code three years after the signing of the Association Agreement, but delays were witnessed owing to technical difficulties. However, effort will be made for this to be adopted and put into practice starting with next year.

“The new code was adjusted to the EU standards and specifies a series of instruments for facilitating trade, which enable to apply simplified customs procedures. 2018 will be a preparatory period during which we will work out all the regulations for ensuring the implementation of the code,” stated Vitalie Vrabie.