Poșta Moldovei became the first state-owned enterprise to receive the status of an Authorized Economic Operator (AEO).
According to the Moldovan Customs Service (CS), in order to obtain the AEO certificate, the enterprise went through a complex process of verification, adaptation and ensuring compliance with international standards and customs regulations. It is noted that obtaining the status of AEO became possible with the support of the Structural Reform Program in Moldova, which is financed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Moldova. AEO status is a "quality mark", as well as safety and trust, acknowledged in all EU countries and some third countries (China, Japan, Norway, and USA) that have partnerships with the EU. AEO status offers the owner a number of advantages, such as simplifying customs procedures, reducing the number of checks or giving priority when crossing the state border by allocating a separate lane at the checkpoint. Also, companies with the AEO status can choose the place of inspection and receive a deferral for the payment of customs duties for up to 30 days. Currently, 116 companies in Moldova enjoy the benefits of the AEO status. The CS notes that Moldova is at the last stage of mutual acknowledgement of the AEO Program with the CEFTA countries, which will further increase security throughout the supply chain and simplify trade. Another priority is the mutual acknowledgement of the AEO Program with the EU: currently the CS and the Structural Reform Program (USAID) are implementing the e-AEO IT system, which fully automates the authorization and monitoring processes of the AEO Program and ensures the exchange of information between customs authorities. The introduction of this system will allow the CS to confirm Moldova's readiness to sign an agreement with the EU on the mutual acknowledgement of the AEO. As the acting Poșta Moldovei Vitalie Zaharia noted, so far only five postal operators (Romania, Hungary, Holland, Czech Republic and Slovenia) have the AEO certificate. According to him, the new status will allow the company to become a "trust partner" of the customs authority. At the same time, Douglas Muir, USAID's Director for Structural Reforms in Moldova, said that the status of the AEO is a confirmation for clients and partners of higher quality, which will increase the image and credibility of Poșta Moldovei both locally and internationally. He also stressed that the development of the e-AEO system is one of the provisions of the Roadmap for the digitalization of the economy. In the future, along with partners, USAID plans to develop new joint projects to help Moldova fulfill its international obligations, facilitate trade and strengthen the business environment. // 08.04.2021 – InfoMarket
