Expert-Grup

How to boost trade in goods between the Republic of Moldova and the United States of America

Politici de creștere economicăMonday, 11 April 20224921 views

Automatically translated summary. The full text is available in Romanian.

A study examines the tariff constraints in bilateral trade in goods between the Republic of Moldova and the United States and identifies opportunities to intensify exchanges. It argues that exports to new markets are needed because the regional security crisis that began in February 2022 will sharply reduce exports eastwards.

Bilateral trade remains small. Over the last five years the US accounted for only 0.8-1.0% of Moldova's total goods exports (ranking 18th-20th) and 1.3-1.5% of imports (14th-15th). Tariff barriers are one factor: although Moldova benefits from the US Generalised System of Preferences (group A), less than a quarter of its agri-food exports to the US were eligible in 2020. The study proposes extending the group A+ preferences, meant for the least developed countries, to group A for certain tariff lines.

In 2021 Moldova exported goods worth USD 31.7 million (+24%) and imported USD 107.4 million (+57%), so the trade deficit reached USD 75.7 million, up 77% on 2020. In 2020 exports were led by agri-food products (46%), chemicals (17%), plastics (15%) and textiles (13%); about 15% was re-export. Imports were dominated by vehicles and transport equipment (29%), machinery (18%) and instruments (16%).

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