Moldovan authorities will assess the impact of the new US duties on each specific product and propose adaptations to the new tariffs
They are also negotiating with the European Union to expand the supply of these products and will analyze alternative markets. This was said at a meeting held by the leadership of the Economic Development and Digitalization Ministry with 40 Moldovan exporters operating on the US market, who responded to the invitation to jointly analyze the impact of the new US duties applied all over the world, including on Moldovan products. Economic Development and Digitalization Minister Doina Nistor said that for many of the companies present at the meeting, the US market has become one of the main expansion markets, especially in 2024, when Moldovan exports to this country increased, reaching $90 million. “We want to turn this challenge into an opportunity. The authorities and the business community are analyzing the impact of the new US duties, and we will present concrete proposals for each exported product,” she said. For their part, representatives of the companies spoke about the problems caused by the decision of the US authorities and expressed concern about the competitiveness of the Moldovan products on this market. Mircea Manoli, Director of the Association of Fruit and Vegetable Processors Speranța-Con, said that the US market was stable, which ensured constant supplies, while Moldovan exporters promoted the country under their own brand. “The US market will partially absorb the shock of the new prices, as the juice sector in the US does not have its own production of concentrated drinks. An alternative market for us would be primarily the EU market, and we can also analyze the Asian continent market,” Mircea Manoli emphasized. Fashion designer and creator of the Julia Allert brand, Julia Allert, who in recent years has become a leader in online sales in the US, UK and EU, believes that at the moment it is difficult to give up on the US, where the e-commerce market is very developed and her brand is already well known among customers. “Only today we have started to understand the real situation and how the new tariffs that have come into force apply. In the coming days we will understand how the new rules work and how they affect our business,” emphasized Julia Allert. Stefan Iamandi, Director of the National Office of Vine and Wine, said that this meeting is crucial for winemakers. “Because if this situation had arisen in early 2024, it would have been completely different. But now, after the success we had in the US market last year, it is very difficult to immediately assess what impact we will feel. We believe we need to further expand our presence in alternative markets, such as the European market, to guarantee the competitiveness of our products,” he said. The Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization also asked the IT and BPO (business process outsourcing) services sector to analyze the potential impact on it, for which the US market is an important customer, especially in the logistics and transportation sector. “Tariffs do not have a direct impact on the services sector in Moldova. In 2025, we may witness a decrease in the revenues of companies serving the US market, as their customers are directly financially affected by the tariffs imposed, regardless of their country of origin. Within the park, more than 600 companies claim the US as an export market,” said Marina Bzovîi, Executive Director of Moldova Innovation Technology Park. The companies' representatives emphasized during the meeting the importance of maintaining and strengthening Moldova's position in global value chains, especially in the automotive and textile sectors, where the possible reduction of European demand for the US market may lead to additional indirect losses for Moldovan exporters. The sectoral Ministry will support and assess the impact on each specific product and propose adaptations to the new tariffs. At the same time, negotiations have been started with European partners, where 3 out of 4 goods produced in Moldova are exported, and experts are analyzing alternative markets for products subject to the new duties. According to the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization, Moldova's exports to the United States in 2024 amounted to 2.5% of the total volume ($90 million), and imports - 1.5% of the total volume ($135 million). Our country mainly exports the following product categories to the USA: dessert wines, which accounted for 48% of total exports to the US in 2024; fruit juices, especially apple juice, where Moldova had a significant share (14%); plastic devices and vehicles (9%), alcohol (5%), bakery products (2%) and textile products (3%). The new tariffs applied by the US officially came into force on April 9. For Moldova they amount to 31%. // 09.04.2025 - InfoMarket
