Number of obligatory documents needed for customs clearance to be reduced three-fold

Chisinau, 28 April /MOLDPRES/- Prime Minister Chiril Gaburici, following consultations with representatives of the Economic Council, has asked for the creation of a working group meant to take actions on simplifying import/export procedures.

According to a press release by the Economic Council of the Prime Minister, the information about all permissive documents (certificates, licenses, authorizations) necessary for import/export will be available by accessing an automated database - TARIM (Integrated Customs Tariff of Moldova), managed by the Customs Service.

To this end, under an order by the prime minister, an interministerial working group was set up, that will revise all permissive documents on import/export, in order to exactly establish goods code. On the basis of coding, information will be included in TARIM and could be consulted by all economic agents on the website of the Customs Service:  www.customs.gov.md. 

So far, TARIM has included the information about taxes levied at crossing the border. Yet, once completed with permissive documents, the database will become the only official source of information about all measures applicable at import/export. Moreover, no regulatory measure on import/export could be applied, if it did not make reference to the goods code and is not contained in TARIM; this will bring a better transparency and predictability to entrepreneurs.

At the same time, the working group will revise the requirements on documents necessary for customs clearance, in order to reduce their number and set minimum list of data and documents, which should be obligatorily presented to the customs body, to get free customs. Thus, both for export and import, the government will propose to reduce the number of mandatory documents to three, namely: invoice, transport documents and, for certain categories of goods, permissive document. Presently, under the Doing Business World Bank ranking, nine mandatory documents are demanded for export and 11 - for import.

Thus, exporters and importers will have certainty and predictability in terms of the list of permissive documents necessary for import/export, which will simplify the customs clearance procedures, will reduce time and costs related to international trade. At the same time, this will ensure uniform enforcement of non-tariff measures, will minimize the risk of corruption and will get Moldova closer to the European standards in cross border trade. The new amendments will help the Moldovan companies to fully benefit from the opportunities provided by the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement signed with EU.

Removing obstacles to exports is one of permanent demands on behalf of the business environment to the Economic Council platform. At the same time, this is one of the main recommendations from the Briefing Book, elaborated by donors community of Moldova. The same provisions are also contained in the present government action programme of Moldova.

The draft laws elaborated by the working group will be submitted to the government for approval in the third quarter of 2015 at the latest.

(Editor A. Raileanu)