Launching Ceremony and First National Steering Committee for SECO-WCO GTFP Phase II in Moldova

Building on the positive outcomes of Moldova's participation in the trade facilitation light touch intervention during the first phase of the GTFP, the Customs Administration of Moldova expressed its desire to resume its involvement in the second phase of the Programme as a fully-fledged country. The second phase of the SECO-WCO Global Trade Facilitation Programme (GTFP) was successfully launched in Chișinău, Moldova, on 19 November, followed by the first National Steering Committee Meeting.

During this official kick-off of the GTFP-II, the Customs Service of the Republic of Moldova, the Swiss Cooperation Office in the country on behalf of SECO, and the WCO signed the tripartite MoU and the Country Work Plan for 2024-2027. The presence of the representatives from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Commerce of Moldova, as well as business associations and other key stakeholders, underscores the importance of their involvement in this significant initiative.

The second phase of the Programme is dedicated to further strengthening the organizational and technical capacities of the Customs Administration of Moldova. The Country Work Plan Activities for 2025, approved during the first National Steering Committee meeting, are designed to lead, plan, and implement sustainable and transparent Customs reforms with better private sector and relevant stakeholder involvement, applying international standards and best practices.

Specifically, the GTFP-II country project in Moldova is structured in two components, as follows:

• Organizational Development, which aims at strengthening the Customs organizational capacity to manage reforms and improve national and regional competitiveness;
• Trade Facilitation, which aims to support the implementation of efficient Customs procedures to facilitate the cross-border movement of goods and reduce trade-related costs.

For more information on the SECO-WCO Global Trade Facilitation Programme (GTFP), please contact [email protected].