Moldova will engage in dialogue with the US on reducing customs tariffs on Moldovan goods from 25% to 15%
Moldova's Ambassador to the US, Vladislav Kulminski, announced this while presenting the priorities of the diplomatic mission. He noted that in the field of trade, Moldova aims to increase trade turnover with the US by 25% and reduce customs tariffs on Moldovan exports from 25% to a maximum of 15%. “We will continue an open dialogue with the US authorities to ensure that Moldova does not suffer from recent decisions,” the Ambassador said. Referring to other priorities of the Moldovan Embassy in the US, he noted that there are plans to digitize and simplify some services so that Moldovan citizens in the US can obtain more documents online. In general, the Moldovan embassy intends to develop partnerships with the US in three strategic areas: peace and security, energy, and trade. For example, in the field of energy, there are plans to promote large projects and American investments, including the construction of the Straseni-Gutinas power line, which is important for Moldova's energy independence. Vlad Kulminski also said that the embassy plans four official visits at the executive level and to attract at least two new American investors to Moldova. According to him, Moldovan diplomats continue to cooperate with the White House and the US National Security Council to maintain stability in Moldova and prevent any attempts to provoke crises. Cooperation with Congress remains a priority. There are plans to organize mutual visits and work with senators and congressmen from both parties. As previously reported, on August 1, 2025, the US administration introduced a 25% tariff on all goods produced in Moldova, as well as a number of differentiated tariffs for other countries around the world (some higher, some lower). The duties came into force despite the Moldovan authorities' efforts to delay their introduction and reduce them. Moldova asked the US authorities for a transition period, which would allow the Moldovan authorities to continue dialogue with the American side to reach a bilateral agreement, including on the possible reduction of duties. The Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization noted that Chisinau is open to dialogue with Washington and believes that Moldova has a chance to reach an agreement on reducing tariffs, since most industrial goods imported from the US to Moldova are not subject to duties, which is an advantage for Moldova. Earlier, experts from Expert-Grup Independent Think Tank noted that the 25% customs tariff imposed by the US on Moldova does not affect all goods equally, but has the strongest impact where Moldova has no clear competitive advantages or where the US can quickly replace its source of supply. The Moldovan government noted that that the US decision to impose a 25% tariff on all goods produced in Moldova will affect 2.5% of Moldovan exports, but the government will provide assistance to entrepreneurs to maintain their competitiveness, and the Moldovan authorities are determined to continue the strategic partnership with the US, which has been successfully ongoing for more than 30 years. // 26.01.2026 – InfoMarket.
