Events

CHISINAU, 6 September (BelTA) – Belarus and Moldova will liberalize bilateral and transit freight transport, BelTA has learned.

This is envisaged by a draft protocol on amendments to the Belarusian-Moldovan intergovernmental agreement on international road transport of 4 April 1994 and to the additional protocol on its application. The Moldovan government endorsed the draft protocol and gave a thumbs-up to starting talks over signing the protocol.

In particular, bilateral and transit road freight transport will no longer require permits.

According to Moldovan Prime Minister, Economy and Infrastructure Minister Octavian Calmic, the deregulation of Belarus-Moldova bilateral and transit freight transport is going to facilitate trade between the two countries and reduce operating expenses, thus increasing the competitiveness of transport operators at the regional level.

The protocol is also meant to expand the market for Moldovan road haulers.

The countries are going to sign the protocol by 2018. It shall come into effect once Belarus and Moldova exchange their last notifications on having accomplished their domestic legal procedures regarding the entry into force of this protocol.

It was Moldova’s initiative to sign the protocol to deregulate freight transport. The first discussions on this matter began in 2015. The last time the countries discussed the protocol was during a session of the Belarusian-Moldovan intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation held in Minsk on 5-6 June 2017.