Moldovan exports to Romania exceed one third of those achieved in CIS

Chisinau, 03 July /MOLDPRES/ – Romania continues to strengthen its position as major market for Moldovan goods, share of exports to Romanian market in total exports increasing from 16.6 per cent in 2014 to 25.1 per cent in first quarter of 2018.

In 2018, Russia, which formerly dominated foreign trade of Moldova, reached the fourth position in the top of countries according to the destination of Moldovan exports, being overtaken by Romania, Italy and Germany. Also, deliveries of goods and products in the neighbouring country outstrip those in all CIS countries, which represent only 16 per cent of total exports. These data reveal an optical change of Moldovan companies, according to IDIS Viitorul expert Viorel Chivriga.

The statistics confirm the assessments of analysts. Thus, if in 2014 exports to CIS countries amounted $735 million, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (BNS), then after introduction of restrictions imposed on Moldova by Russia following the ratification of EU Association Agreement, deliveries in the eastern direction dropped nearly 50 per cent.

On the other hand, exporters reoriented due to facilities offered by the Free Trade Agreement with EU and intensification of relations with Romania, deliveries of Moldovan goods on its market being in a continuous ascendant. According to BNS, exports of goods from Moldova to Romanian market increased from $434 million in 2014 to $600 million in 2017. A strong increase, by 32 per cent, also occurred in first quarter of 2018.

The largest share in volume of goods exported from Romania to Moldova is made by mineral products, followed by machinery, equipment and technical equipment. The main categories of goods shipped from Moldova are machinery, equipment and technical equipment, common metals and metal products, as well as food products.

Viorel Chivriga notes that in 2017 the exports made by entrepreneurs from the left bank of the Dniester region were superior to Romania (16.2 per cent of the total local exports in the region) and Ukraine (18.3 per cent), which surpassed Russia 10.5 per cent).

According to him, four years since the signing of EU Association Agreement, there has been a complete change of geographical directions on export and import and exchange of positions among the top trading partners. Also, on import side, share of European states is the top one and accounts for more than half of the total goods and products inputs in Moldova.

Director of programmes from IDIS Viitorul, Viorel Chivriga, has said that change of trade of Moldova means the choice of safe markets, stable playing rules, experience and technologies. "There has been a considerable leap in the takeover of EU standards, while there is a problem in harmonising legislation. Although some institutions report good activity reports, there are arrears, and quality of some acts leaves it to be desired. There are also backlogs in reporting, which shows the lack of control of government institutions."

(Reporter V. Bercu, editor A. Raileanu)