Over the past five years, with the support of the USAID Moldova Structural Reform Program, the Customs Service has taken major steps to implement the DCFTA/Association Agreement with the EU. It has made a significant contribution to facilitating the country’s international trade. The first Trade Information Portal (www.trade.gov.md) was created, which allows the national and international business community to quickly, detailed and transparent access to the information necessary for the import and export of goods to and from Moldova, the Program said in a press release.
USAID Moldova Mission Director Scott Hocklander met with Moldovan Customs Service Director Igor Talmazan. The meeting focused on the efficient collaboration developed within the partnership between the two institutions to facilitate trade in Moldova.
The United States Agency for International Development supports the Customs Service in its efforts to modernize, digitize, and adjust operational practices to comply with international agreements. One goal is to increase transparency and efficiency in relation to the business environment and citizens, and to simplify the access of Moldovan products to the European market.
Over the last five years, the new Customs Service website - www.customs.gov.md - has been modernized to facilitate quick access to operational information needed in the Customs Service’s collaboration with the business community, the general public, the press, and other government institutions and development partners. Also, based on the CS Call Center, an important tool provided by AA / DCFTA and AFC-WTO was created - the Foreign Trade Information Point, available 24/7.
The TIR Electronic Pre-Declaration procedure has been developed and put into operation. It reduces the processing times of the documentation accompanying the goods at the border crossing points and thus reduces the effort and valuable time required for business development and commercial movement of goods. The electronic version of the transport bill, e-Transport Bill, was developed also and implemented. This is an IT solution that digitized the procedure required for the internal transit of goods between customs posts and thus made the activity more transparent and reduced operational times. Legislative proposals and studies needed to facilitate trade and improve the movement of goods through border crossings have been drafted as well.
The electronic version of the AEO program (Authorized Economic Entity) was also developed. This will not only reduce time, exclude paper documentation and reduce interaction with human operators, but will also provide a strategic solution for complying with international AEO standards and the ability to exchange data with customs institutions in other countries to obtain mutual recognition of the AEO Program.
