Moldova: Selling and Buying

Reaching the Consumers

Marketing Opportunities

Consumer Behavior

Moldovans have a tendency to prefer products coming from the former Soviet Union as these are more easily available.  Nevertheless, the new middle class is increasingly attracted to foreign products and namely American brands.  Moldovans continue to shop in markets and shops which are generaly close by. The gradual appearence of supermarkets, which attracts the more financially comfortable sections of the population (especially households that own a car enabling them to be mobile) is being seen.

Consumer Profile and Purchasing Power

On the whole, the Moldovans have limited purchasing power and spending is limited to foodstuffs. Nevertheless, a portion of the population is very rich and is attracted to foreign luxury products.

Consumers Associations

SDC , Consumers' Protection Associations

Main Advertising Agencies

AGD GROUP / AVIAGRUP-DESIGN SRL (Moldovan only, written in the Cyrillic alphabet)
ICE CREATIVE MARKETING AGENCY
CASA IMAGO (Moldovan only)
All Moldova

Distributing a Product

Market Shares

The dominating leading brand name supermarket group in Moldova is Ant Lant (US $ 25 million per year).  There are three Metro stores in Moldova (two in Chisinau and one in Balti). These chain stores cohabit with the small traditional traders who remain very present in Moldova (local grocery stores).

Organizations in the Retail Sector

Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Moldova

Market Access Procedures

International Conventions

Member of World Trade Organisation
Party to the Kyoto Protocol
Party to the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
Party to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal
Party to the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer

Main International Economic Cooperation

The Republic of Moldova is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
The country has also signed a number of bilateral agreement namely with Serbia and Romania.

For more information, visit the University of Darmouth website

Non Tariff Barriers

Customs duties are fairly low in Moldova but the administrative procedures are slow and the corresponding fees high.  There are also numerous customs restriction on certain products which sometimes makes conducting business in Moldova very difficult.

Customs Duties and Taxes on Imports

Most of the products are taxed at 5% of the customs value of their country of origin.

List of tariffs and local taxes that apply to your product on our service Customs duties and local taxes.

Customs Classification

The rates are determined by the HS Nomeclature of the Republic of Moldova which is based on the International Commodity Description and Coding System (HS).

Import Procedures

All importers have to make a customs declaration in the national language.  The customs authorities are allowed to seize samples of imported products.  After document and physical verification of the merchandise and payment of the customs duties, the products are allowed on the Moldovan territory.

 

 

For more information, refer to the Republic of Moldova's Customs website.

Importing Samples

The procedure is the same for samples.

For more information, refer to the Republic of Moldova's customs website.

For Further Information

Customs Service of the Republic of Moldova

Organizing Goods Transport

Main Useful Means of Transport

30% of the merchandise is transported by road.  The lack of investment in the maintenance and renovation of the road network (more than 12,700 kilometers) means that the roads are in a bad state.  Most of the untarmacked roads are old military roads, that do not cross through any villages and are therefore not ideal for transporting merchandise in the towns.

A European road that is in better condition and can be used to transport merchandise passes through Moldova and goes up to Moscow. 
Railroad transport is a very important means of transport for merchandise and assuredly the most practical. There are more than 1000 kilometers of rail in Moldova and despite the bad state of the network, the train remains the primary method of transporting merchandise.

Moldova being landlocked, trasportation can be done via two of the country's rivers.  The three principal ports are Bender, Rybnitsa and Varnitsa.

Ports

Ministry of Transport and road industry of Moldova (in Moldovan) Ministère des transports de la République de Moldavi

Airports

Balti International Airport
Chisinau International Airport

Sea Transport Organizations

Ministry of Transport and Road Industry of the Republic of Moldova (naval subdivision)

Air Transport Organizations

Civil Aviation Administration of the Republic of Moldava

Road Transport Organizations

Ministry of Transport and Road Industry of the Republic of Moldova (road subdivision, in Moldovan)

Rail Transport Organizations

Ministry of Transport and Road Industry of the Republic of Moldova (train subdivision, in Moldovan)

Identifying a Supplier

Type of Production

Industrial production is dominated by the food industry and the production of bevarages. Food and drinks account for approximately 45% of the industrial production. The most significant and valuable production is the production of wine which represents 15% of all the industrial production. Canned products and primary products are also very important for the industrial sector (5%). The industrial sector remains very dependent on the import of primary products.

To search directories by industry in Moldova, check out our service Business directories.

Manufacturers Associations of the Main Industries

1 professional associations listed for Moldova.
Choose your sector Food industry

Trade Agencies and Their Representations Abroad

Chamber of  Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Moldova

Enterprises Federation

Confederation of the Trade Unions association of the Republic of Moldova

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