Swiss government adapts customs provisions with Moldova
Bern - On 14 March 2025, the Swiss Federal Council, the Swiss federal government, approved the customs concessions agreed with Moldova. With the approval, Switzerland is moving to implement the provisions set out in the free trade agreement (FTA) between the EFTA states and the Eastern European country. The FTA will come into effect on 1 April 2025.
(CONNECT) The free trade agreement between the states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and Moldova, which was signed on 27 June 2023, will enter into force on 1 April 2025. At its meeting on 14 March 2025, the Federal Council adopted the amendments to the ordinance required to implement the agreed customs concessions, according to a statement.
When the FTA comes into effect, 98.5 per cent of current Swiss exports to Moldova will be duty-free. The FTA also contains provisions on investment, the protection of intellectual property and the removal of non-tariff barriers, as well as competition, trade facilitation, and trade and sustainable development.
For the first time, this FTA also includes comprehensive provisions on e-commerce in accordance with the EFTA’s new model chapter. In 2023, Switzerland exported goods (excluding gold) worth 56 million Swiss francs and imported goods (excluding gold) worth 22 million Swiss francs.
According to the statement, the FTA will improve the competitiveness of Swiss companies on the Moldovan market and minimize the potential for discrimination against the European Union and the UK, which have already concluded FTAs with Moldova. The FTA’s conclusion is also politically significant, with the backdrop of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and the fragile domestic political situation in Moldova, writes the statement. ce/mm
