EBA Moldova moderated the Working Group on ”Cross-Border Trade Facilitation”on the issues faced by the small and medium-sized businesses selling their products through the Internet

On July 6, the Working Group on ”Cross-Border Trade Facilitation” led by Mariana Rufa, Executive Director of the European Business Association, discussed the issues faced by the small and medium-sized businesses selling their products through the Internet.

Internet goods vendors need to facilitate bureaucratic procedures in their trade procecss. 

According to business representatives, small merchants who sell their products/services through internet, such as craftsmen, self-employed, etc., are placed under the same conditions as large vendors who, for their communication with the customs, turn to brokers - whose services cost. Or small entrepreneurs can not afford additional costs that increase their product and consequently it is no longer required on the market.

Under the current conditions in which there is no technical solution that would allow the application of Law no. 284/2004 on e-commerce, economic agents, especially those who export small quantities of industrial goods such as handicrafts, incur excessive costs when exporting small consignments. This prevents the development of small and medium-sized companies as well as their exit on the international market. In order to simplify the export of small consignments sold over the Internet, Moldova's legislation needs to be aligned with the EU's rigors.

At the same time, a technical solution is needed - the development of an additional module in the Asycuda World Customs Information System, and the establishment of temporary conditions to facilitate the international trade of SMEs in the EU market. In order to identify the right solutions, the representatives of the Customs Service, the Post Office of Moldova and other postal operators, as well as the electronic platforms developers will participate at the next technical meeting within the Economic Council platform.