Customs

In this part of the CEFTA Web Portal you will find the most important customs import/export procedures separately for each CEFTA Economy. Procedures include but are not limited to: 1.The location of customs clearance offices; 2.The working hours in each office; 3.The procedures to follow based on the destination of your goods; 4.The documents to present to customs authorities for obtaining approval for the relevant destination; 5.The officially approved documents given to you by customs authorities in each case; 6.The procedures followed by customs authorities for calculating the customs value of your goods; 7.The definition of rules of origins determining customs preferential or non preferential tariffs; 8.The Free Trade Agreements signed by each CEFTA Economy with the other signatories. In cases where the final destination of goods is one of the CEFTA Economies, please refer to the import procedures section of this Economy on this portal. In cases where goods transit through different economies before arriving to their final destination, please refer to the transit procedures of these economies. If goods exit one of the CEFTA Economies included in this site, please refer to the export procedures for the relevant Economy.




Temporary admission according to the Customs Code of the Republic of Moldova is the customs regime designated for temporary use of goods on Moldova’s customs territory with partial or full exemption from paying duties or taxes and without the application of economic policy measures.  Temporarily admitted goods have to be re-exported in their initial state, except for natural wear and tear.  Goods under temporary admission regime may not be sold, rented, sub-rented, pledged, transferred or released at the disposal of another person in Moldova without the Customs Service’s approval of the submitted request and payment of customs duties.

The following goods can be placed under temporary admission with total suspension of customs duties:

• professional materials, including printing, radio and TV broadcasting equipment and specialized vehicles for a period of up to 12 months;
• materials for trade shows, exhibitions, fairs, conventions, including free product samples;
• goods imported for educational, scientific or cultural purposes for a period of up to 12 months;
• medical, surgical or laboratory equipment sent free of charge to hospitals and other sanitary institutions for diagnostic or other therapeutic purposes to supplant any insufficiency;
• materials to be used in calamities alleviation works;
• containers, inner or outer packaging and certain pallets usually for up to 6 months, except for cases when such goods are object of a purchase, rental, borrowing or other similar commercial transaction conducted by a Moldovan resident;
• road vehicles, railway transport means, air ships and sea ships.

For a detailed list of goods and applicable requirements for the temporary admission regime, businesses should consult the Governmental Decision nr.1140 on the approval of the Regulation on customs regimes and destinations.

Certain goods can be placed under temporary admission with partial suspension of customs duties, which means that a warranty shall be deposited to ensure the coverage of any potential customs obligation arising later.

Increased attention should be paid to observing the timeframe of temporary admission regime as specified in the authorization issued by the Customs Service. After the expiration of the approved period, the goods placed under this regime can be assigned to another customs-approved treatment. For every day of delay in declaring or failing to observe the approved time limits, the Customs Service applies fines and penalties.

Moldova is a member of the Customs Convention on Temporary Import of Commercial Road Vehicles (18th of May 1956, Geneva).  Also, since the 5th of December 2008, Moldova is a member of the 1990 Istanbul Convention on Temporary Admission (ATA).