RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/ACC/MOL/15/Rev.1
15 September 2000
(00-3638)
Working Party on the
Accession of MoldovaOriginal:  English
ACCESSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA
Information on Import Licensing Procedures
Revision
The Ministry of the Economy of the Republic of Moldova has submitted the following revised
information on Import Licensing Procedures, with the reque st that it be circulated to Working Party members.1
_______________
                                                     
1 New text is indicated in bold.WT/ACC/MOL/15/Rev.1
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Information on Import Licensing Procedures
The following respond to the questions contained in Annex3 of the WT/ACC/1.
I. OUTLINE OF SYSTEM
Moldova does not, at present, maintain quotas or other quantitative restrictions on imports. A range
of goods such as ammunition, explosives, drugs, medication, gold and silver are subject to licensing in
accordance with Article XX and XXI of the GATT.
The Republic of Moldova has a unified licensing system based on the provisions of Law on
“Licensing certain types of activities” no. 332 of 26 March 1999 (Annex No.2) and Governmental Decision
777 of 13 August 1997, amended by GD no. 76 of 22 January 1998, GD no.793 of 21 August 1999.
Most goods enter the Republic of Moldova without an import licence. However, certain goods which
may affect the health of citizens or raise environmental or national security concerns require a licence to be
imported into the country. The licenses do not establish any limitations on the quantities of goods.
The Law and the GD no. 777 authorise certain institutions to issue licenses for specific transactions,
thus being limited to those transactions. The institutions and the product groups covered are as follows:
(a) Special Governmental Committee
Product Group HS-Code Reason for
licensingGATT
Reference
Weapons, ammunitions, military
equipment, kits to produce such
equipment, works and services in the field
of technical-military cooperation93.00 National
securityArt. XXI (b)(ii)
Explosive substances 36.01-36.04 National
securityArt. XXI (b)(ii)
Nuclear materials, technologies,
equipment and installations to produce
such materials2844, 8401 National
securityArt. XXI (b)(ii)
(b) Ministry of Health
Product Group HS-Code Reason for
licensingGATT
Reference
Pharmaceutical products 1204, 1207,
1211,
2924, 2935-2938,2941, 3001-3006,
370110, 4014,
4015, 481840,
481890, 7017Protection of
human, animal
or plant life orhealthArt. XX(b)
Medical and optical equipment, parts
and accessories, bio-media for the
development of microorganisms9001-9004, 9018-
9022, 3821Protection of
human, animal
or plant life orArt. XX(b)WT/ACC/MOL/15/Rev.1
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Product Group HS-Code Reason for
licensingGATT
Reference
health
Diagnostic tests and chemical reactives 3822, 38084 Protection of
human, animalor plant life or
healthArt. XX(b)
Drugs, substances with psychotropic
effects; materials to produce suchsubstances1302, 2921, 2922,
2926, 2929, 2932,2939, 280610,
2807, 28416,
290231, 290911,
291411, 291412,
29143, 291524,291633,
29242950,
29329073-
29329071,
293332, 29394,29396. Protection of
human, animalor plant life or
healthArt. XX(b)
(c) Ministry of Agriculture and Processing Industry
Product Group HS-Code Reason for
licensingGATT
Reference
Poisons 280480, 280540,
2837, 2838,
284160, 2904,
2907, 2908,
291521Protection of
human, animal
or plant life or
healthArt. XX(b)
Chemical and biological products for
plant protection and stimulation of plant
growing.31, 3808 Protection of
human, animal
or plant life or
healthArt. XX(b)
Tools and devices for vet services 9018-9022 Protection of
human, animal
or plant life orhealthArt. XX(b)WT/ACC/MOL/15/Rev.1
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(d) Ministry of Finance
Product Group HS-Code Reason for Licensing GATT
Reference
Tobacco product 2401, 2402,
2403Protection of human,
animal or plant life or
healthArt. XX(b)
Petroleum oils 2710 Protection of human,
animal or plant life or
healthArt. XX(b)
Alcoholic beverage 2203, 2204,
2205, 2206
2207, 2208Protection of human,
animal or plant life or
healthArt. XX(b)
Precious metals (silver and gold),
objects made thereof, alloys,
semifabricates, wastes containingprecious metals (except electronic
articles containing precious metals),7106, 7108,
7113, 7114,
7115, 7118,711210Special role of gold and
silverArt. XX (c)
II. PURPOSES AND COVERAGE OF LICENSING
1. The Republic of Moldova has a unified licensing system that applies to arms and military
equipment, silver, gold and alloys, chemical substances and poisons, pharmaceutical products and drugs.
2. The licensing systems apply to goods irrespective of their origin.3. The import licensing system is not intended to restrict the quantity or value of imported goods. It is
designed to provide up-to-date information on trade in commodities of social or security concern. Licensingis believed to be the least costly way of securing such implementation.
4. Import licensing is authorised under the Law on  “Licensing certain types of activities” no. 332
of 26 March 1999 (Annex No.2) and Governmental Decision 777 of 13 August 1997, amended by GD
no. 76 of 22 January 1998, GD no.793 of 21 August 1999.  The Government can modify or rescind itsdecision at will.
III. PROCEDURES
1. Goods imported under import licensing procedures are not subject to restriction as to the quantity or
value of imports.
2. (a) An applicant for a licence may submit an application at any time. Licenses normally are
issued within five days from the date of application. Licences can be obtained in a shorter period of
time for goods arriving without a licence.
(b) A licence can be granted immediately on request.(c) A licence is issued for the period requested by the importer. There is no minimum time-
frame between the date of the issuance of the licence and the date by which the importation mustoccur. Procedures do not vary according to the period of the year.WT/ACC/MOL/15/Rev.1
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(d) Applications are considered by the bodies resp onsible to issue the licenses after receipt of all
necessary documents (see V, below). The competencies are set out in Annex 1 of Governmental
Decision No.777, and are laid out in the above table.
3. Where activity licensing is involved, a firm not licensed for the appropriate activity would be
refused an import licence. Otherwise failure to satisfy the requirements of V.1. below, in the only
grounds for denying a licence. The reasons for a refusal must be provided in writing to the applicant.
An applicant may contest a baseless refusal to issue a licence through the judicial system.
IV. ELIGIBILITY OF IMPORTERS TO APPLY FOR LICENCE
1. All legal persons are equally eligible for import licenses.
V. DOCUMENTATION AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICATION FOR
LICENCE
1. Submission of the following documents for licence issuance is required:
- A request;
- An application form;
- Selling or purchasing contract concluded with a foreign partner;
- Copy of registration certificate;
- Certificate from Fiscal Inspectorate confirming that the applicant has honoured all his
obligations to the Budget and to the Social Fund.
- Certificate from the National Bank and the Customs Department confirming that the
applicant has repatriated all foreign exchange earnings from previous foreign tradetransactions within the prescribed time limit.
2. Upon actual importation the following documents are required:
- Licence;
- Selling-purchasing contract.
3. In conformity with Article 15 of Law regarding issuance of licenses for some types of activities
no. 332-XIV from 26.03.99, the license is issued on a fee.
Article 15 of Law no. 332-XIV from 26 March 1999 stipulates:
1) The license is issued on a fee;
2) The fees for the license will not exceed 220 minimal salaries for natural persons and 50
minimal salaries for the juridical persons, wi th the exception of points, indicated in the
annex NR. 2 point 2, letter h), I), j) the tax is annually established in the Budget Law;
3) The fee for the delivery of the license duplicate in the case of the loss of the latter
consists of 10% of the licensing taxes;
4) The license fees are collected within the respective budget, on the account of which the
body, authorized with license issuance works.
4. No deposit or advance payment is required for the issuance of a licence.WT/ACC/MOL/15/Rev.1
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VI. CONDITIONS OF LICENSING
1. Import licenses are issued with the period of validity requested by the importer. Moreover, based on
well-grounded request by the applicant, a licence extension may be granted. An authorised official must
affirm a licence extension in writing .
2. If a licence is not utilised, be it partially or wholly, it is cancelled and returned to the issuinginstitution. There is no penalty payment.
3. Licenses are not transferable between importers.
4. For licensing of petroleum products, tobacco products, alcoholic beverage are introduced
certain special conditions:
- insurance of activities without losses
- The payment of debts to the budget and Social Found
Licensing for the export, import and reexport of precious metals are issued to the economic
agents – holders of licenses on activities with precious metals and precious stones in Republic ofMoldova.
VII. OTHER PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS
1. There are no other administrative procedure.
2. Foreign exchange is automatically provided through the banking system for goods to be imported. A
licence is not required as a condition to obtain foreign exchange. Foreign exchange is always available to
cover licenses issues. The only formality to be performe d in order to obtain foreign exchange is to present
the import contract indicating the amount to be paid for the imported goods.
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LICENCE
Series_______________________ number__________________ date_________________________
Economic Agent
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
(The name and headquarters of juridical/natural persons)
Licence to
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Type of activity)
Conditions of activity
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Licence terms of validity _____________________________ till __________________ 199_______
The signature of the person,
authorised with licensing functions
The seal of the institution,
delivering the licence
__________