Imagine cross-border trade as a highway where goods flow seamlessly to their destinations, significantly reducing costs for businesses while consumers enjoy faster access to global products. To realize this vision, Moldova is actively collaborating with international organizations to enhance its trade facilitation capabilities. Recently, with support from the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the World Customs Organization's (WCO) Global Trade Facilitation Programme (GTFP), Moldova conducted a virtual follow-up workshop on Time Release Study (TRS) to assess progress in reducing cargo clearance times and develop a national implementation roadmap.
Key Stakeholders Collaborate for Trade Efficiency
The workshop, held from March 17-21, 2025, brought together over 30 representatives from Moldova's Customs Service (CSM) and other critical agencies, including the National Food Safety Agency (ANSA), Border Police, National Road Transport Agency, Economic Development Committee, and private sector participants. The discussions focused on measuring Moldova's average release times in alignment with WCO's TRS methodology and establishing clear implementation plans.
SECO-WCO Global Trade Facilitation Programme Gains Momentum in Moldova
This event marks a significant milestone in Phase II of the SECO-WCO GTFP in Moldova, aligning with the country's strategic objectives to streamline trade processes, reduce costs, and enhance economic competitiveness. Through WCO collaboration, Moldova is adopting international best practices while tailoring solutions to its specific needs.
Workshop Delivers Actionable Roadmap
During the five-day session, participants addressed critical areas:
- TRS Progress Assessment: Comprehensive review of current TRS implementation, identifying bottlenecks in existing procedures
- Environmental Scan Analysis: Examination of factors influencing clearance times, including regulations, infrastructure, and technology
- Work Plan Development: Creation of detailed import/export TRS implementation strategies with defined timelines and responsibilities
The discussions emphasized public-private partnership importance, encouraging closer coordination between government agencies and businesses to drive trade facilitation reforms.
Strategic Timeline: TRS Report Completion by January 2026
Workshop participants established a clear target to finalize the TRS report by January 2026, with findings to be disseminated across government and trade communities. This comprehensive analysis will inform policy decisions while helping businesses optimize supply chain operations.
WCO experts recommended Moldova's TRS encompass both import and export processes to provide complete visibility of goods movement through the supply chain and identify efficiency improvement opportunities.
WCO Reaffirms Commitment to Moldova's Trade Modernization
The WCO has pledged ongoing technical support to Moldova's Customs Service, assisting in developing robust TRS methodologies and implementing data-driven trade facilitation measures. TRS serves as a strategic management tool that enables customs administrations to benchmark performance, identify improvement areas, and optimize clearance processes.
The Transformative Impact of Time Release Studies
TRS implementation delivers multifaceted benefits:
- Enhances transparency and predictability for trade operators
- Pinpoints procedural inefficiencies for targeted improvements
- Strengthens interagency cooperation across border management entities
- Boosts national competitiveness through reduced trade costs
- Demonstrates government commitment to trade facilitation reforms
Moldova's Trade Facilitation Journey: Progress and Challenges
While Moldova has made significant strides in trade facilitation, challenges remain in infrastructure development, technology adoption, and interagency coordination. The country must also adapt to evolving international trade regulations while strengthening regional partnerships.
With continued SECO-WCO GTFP support and government commitment, Moldova is positioned to achieve substantial progress in streamlining cross-border trade, fostering economic growth, and deepening global economic integration.