Moldova: the customs code must be aligned with EU rules before the end of 2026

Moldova formally opened its negotiations to join the European Union in June 2024. The process gathered pace in 2026, with accession conferences held on 15 June and 14 July 2026, which opened new negotiating clusters, including the one covering the fundamentals of the rule of law and the economy.

According to Moldova's national programme for EU accession, the deadline set for the full implementation and harmonisation of national customs legislation with European standards is the end of 2026. A mission of experts from the Romanian customs service visited Chisinau from 8 to 12 June 2026 to assess the compliance of the Moldovan customs code with the EU regulatory framework.

This assessment covered in particular import and export duties, customs debts and guarantees, special customs procedures, the movement of goods within the customs territory, and electronic systems for economic operators.

At this stage, this is legislative and administrative harmonisation work, not an immediate change to the duties applied. Importers who use Moldova as a point of entry or transit should nonetheless expect a gradual convergence of Moldovan customs procedures, including for goods of non-European origin such as Chinese products, towards the framework in force in the European Union.