The price and tax advantages of international e-commerce are negatively impacting Moldovan retailers, particularly in the fashion, auto parts, and cosmetics sectors
This is according to the study "Moldova E-Commerce Market in 2025," presented by AmCham Moldova. According to the Moldovan Customs Code, individuals may receive parcels from foreign online stores without paying customs duties and VAT if the value (including delivery) is less than €150 per item (excluding alcohol, tobacco, and perfume), with a limit of one parcel per person per week. This threshold allows for the import of clothing, footwear, and various other goods without additional customs duties. In 2024, according to the Customs Service, only 14,710 postal items addressed to individuals exceeded this exemption threshold. However, the study's authors note that, despite the benefits for consumers, the price and tax advantages of cross-border e-commerce negatively impact Moldovan retailers, particularly in the fashion, auto parts, and cosmetics sectors. Domestic online retailers and manufacturers pay VAT and import duties when purchasing goods for sale or materials for production—expenses that foreign sellers avoid. As a result, cross-border online shopping is considered a significant barrier to the development of Moldovan e-commerce and retail. It's worth noting that former Finance Minister Victoria Belous previously stated that the ministry is analyzing several taxation models for goods purchased online by Moldovan citizens on foreign marketplaces and online stores, including introducing taxes on all parcels, reducing the non-taxable value of parcels, and so on. This issue was discussed at a meeting of the Economic Press Club in the summer, when a representative of the Ministry of Finance announced that new provisions related to the cross-border online trade market were planned to be approved as part of the 2026 fiscal policy package. As previously reported by InfoMarket, the duty-free value limit for parcels in Moldova was reduced in the summer of 2023 from €200 to €150. Subsequently, customs legislation was amended to clarify the categories of goods and the frequency of online orders eligible for duty-free treatment. Meanwhile, in 2023, an initiative to reduce the duty-free value limit for parcels to €45 was discussed; however, this proposal generated considerable public outcry and was not approved.// 01.12.2025 — InfoMarket
