The changes were developed with the support of the Secretariat of the Economic Council, with the assistance of the USAID Project for Institutional and Structural Reforms, in coordination with the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization. The changes aim to eliminate regulatory constraints and implement solutions to reduce bureaucracy, including:

Eliminating the prohibition of registering an enterprise if a person has previously registered enterprises that are not operating and have not been liquidated in accordance with the law or have debts to the national public budget; Eliminating the obligation to publish notices regarding changes in the name and location in the Official Gazette.

The notice shall be published in the electronic bulletin of the registration authority; Reducing registration fees for changes in the constituent information of an economic agent related to the change of administrator, location; Eliminating the legal constraint for registering branches of a foreign legal entity recently created, as they do not yet have closed and reported financial periods, including because they have just started their activity;

Eliminating the limitation on the payment of interim dividends to quarterly or semi-annual payments; Eliminating the taxpayer’s obligation to submit to the responsible subdivision of the State Tax Service an application for the transfer of the file to another subdivision in case of a change of location; Granting the economic agent the right to place advertising devices on the facade of premises that are owned or used in business activities, without obtaining the consent of all apartment owners in the block, if the advertising does not exceed the limits of the mentioned facade and does not obstruct visibility;

Obliging banks to use information from the sources of state registers to verify the identity documents of individuals, without requesting copies of them from clients and accepting documents in the form of electronic documents in the interaction with clients.

Within the framework of public consultations within working group 1 of the Economic Council, “Eliminating Constraints in Entrepreneurial Activity,” led by Mila Malairău, executive director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Moldova, representatives of the business community and state authorities were able to make proposals to improve the document. These will be taken into account when finalizing the changes.

The draft will be further analyzed by the Government and receive the opinion of the competent authorities. According to experts, these changes, if approved by Parliament, will bring 150 million lei in savings for economic agents annually.

November 18, 2024 – The National Association of ICT Companies and the National Confederation of Employers of the Republic of Moldova are calling for the modernization of the medical leave management process by transitioning to a digital format. This initiative aims to address the challenges faced by both employers and employees in managing processes related to temporary incapacity for work. The topic was discussed within Working Group 4 of the Economic Council under the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova. Currently, employers and employees face numerous difficulties, including the untimely submission of medical certificates; incorrect declaration of data in the medical certificate or loss of the certificate or its incorrect completion, leading to recalculations and additional corrections. These issues generate additional costs in terms of time and resources, affecting both accounting efficiency and compliance with the requirements of the State Tax Service. The digitalization of medical certificates would reduce bureaucracy by eliminating the need for stamps and manual entries; it would simplify the process of transmitting data between the employee, employer, and the National Social Insurance House (CNAS); increase transparency and accuracy of the declared data; and reduce the risk of errors in tax and administrative declarations. Representatives of CNAS present at the event mentioned that they support the digitalization of this service, and one solution would be to strengthen the medical certificate portal. Representatives of CNAM support that the digitalization of medical certificates would greatly simplify not only the work of employers but also the work of family doctors by reducing bureaucratic actions. During the discussions, it was decided to further discuss this topic in order to identify institutions that could provide digital and regulatory solutions to overcome this challenge.

During the discussions, it was noted that eNotarization is a digital system that will allow notaries to perform notarial and administrative tasks online, using electronic tools to provide online notarial services, access databases, sign and transmit official documents, and interact with national registries and other institutions. Through eNotarization, processes will become more efficient and faster, eliminating the need for paper documents and facilitating access to essential information with just a few clicks. The new system will simplify notaries’ work and improve the security and traceability of official documents. Most importantly, it will ensure access to notarial services for investors and the diaspora remotely—electronically.

The implementation of the eNotarization platform follows legal framework adjustments initiated by the Economic Council, with the support of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization, through Law 126/2023 on remote business in Moldova. In the second phase, with the support of the EBRD and the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the following were developed: the Concept of the digital eNotarization system, the Technical Requirements, and the Operating Regulations for the eNotarization platform. The similar systems are already functioning in several European countries.

Experts from Estonia, where this system has been successfully operating for several years, will be involved in the implementation in Moldova. According to officials from the Ministry of Justice and the EBRD, the new digital eNotarization system could be operational by the end of 2025. The Economic Council Secretariat, which today signed a Memorandum of Collaboration with the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Moldova regarding the implementation of the digital eNotarization system, will monitor the entire implementation and launch process of the platform.

This action is part of the Roadmap for Digital Economy and E-commerce developed within the Economic Council platform. The ultimate goal of these activities is to ensure the necessary tools and regulatory framework to launch, develop, and close a business in Moldova remotely—through digital tools.

Plans for the transposition of European legislation, which will have a significant impact on the economic framework of the Republic of Moldova, were also discussed. The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized the importance of cooperation between authorities and the business community in adapting the national economy to European standards and regulations, underlining that these joint efforts will contribute to increasing the country’s competitiveness on the European market. According to Cristina Gherasimov, the business association sector will have the opportunity to provide the necessary expertise in the process of transposing EU acquis and standards into national legislation and to communicate the potential impacts expected from the implementation of EU legislation.

In this context, the Deputy Prime Minister urged the business association sector to carefully examine Cluster 2 “Internal Market”, which represents a crucial negotiation package within the framework of the Republic of Moldova’s accession process to the European Union. This cluster focuses on aligning Moldova’s national legislation with the EU acquis in the field of the Single European Market and is structured into several negotiation chapters, including: free movement of goods, free movement of workers, the right of establishment and the freedom to provide services, free movement of capital, company law, intellectual property law, competition policy, financial services, consumer protection and public health. Members of the Economic Council to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova stated that they are open to providing support to state institutions. In the process of accession to the European Union, the Republic of Moldova must transpose a significant number of European directives and regulations into national legislation.

And in this regard, to ensure effective cooperation with the business community, it is crucial that it has access to complete and up-to-date information about the deadlines and timetables of the aforementioned process, the participants in the meeting added. At the end of the discussions, the following steps were agreed upon in the process of involving the business community in the actions to harmonize national regulatory acts with EU legislation. In this regard, questionnaires will be conducted among the business community.

These will highlight the areas and EU regulations that are most sensitive for entrepreneurs, allowing the Government to focus on the priority aspects for economic operators in the process of harmonizing European legislation with that of the Republic of Moldova.  

The legislative project is in the final stage of public consultations and will soon be submitted for approval. Marina Bzovîi highlighted the importance of harmonizing national legislation with the EU Digital Services Act (DSA). This initiative aims to integrate the Republic of Moldova into the European digital space, facilitating cross-border digital trade and protecting users of online services. Another point of interest was the status of initiatives to develop eKYC (Know Your Customer) and eNotary platforms, aimed at improving the digital infrastructure for identity verification and online document notarization.

These projects are essential for simplifying administrative processes and facilitating access to digital services. During the same event, the presidency of the iCouncil was transferred to Irina Oriol, the new Executive Director of the National Association of Information Technology Companies (ATIC). The iCouncil operates within the Economic Council to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova. Here, issues related to the digitalization of entrepreneurship and the economy are discussed.

Furthermore, adjustments have been made to the Government Decision regarding the Register of Real Movable Guarantees. Thus, the exception granted to banks to simultaneously be both a pledge registrar and a creditor, if the pledgor has expressed their written consent, is also extended to credit organizations. Another modification aims to reduce risks and create a safer working environment for workers.

The Government has also simplified the reporting procedures regarding the state and use of mineral raw material resources to the Geology and Mineral Resources Agency and has eliminated requirements related to packaging manufactured in commercial units. This deregulation package estimates total savings of approximately 44 million lei per year for Moldovan entrepreneurs.

The changes were developed by the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization, with the support of the Economic Council Secretariat to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova and the United Nations Development Programme.

On September 20, 2024, the Ministry of Energy presented new regulations for these sandboxes to the business community and government agencies. The first document outlines the responsibilities, structure, and organization of the Commission for Innovative Testing Grounds in the Energy Sector, a permanent inter-institutional collegiate body without legal personality that manages and oversees the implementation of innovative testing projects.

The second regulation is set to establish the procedure for initiating, reviewing, and approving innovative testing projects, as well as the selection process for participating in the innovative testing ground. According to Cristina Pereteatcu, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, after public consultation, these regulations will be submitted to the Government for approval, so that by the end of this year, the first energy regulatory sandbox in the region can be launched. It could operate within the Bălți Free Economic Zone.

The platform of the Economic Council to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova has hosted constructive discussions on the concept and draft law on implementing the legal framework for regulatory sandboxes, facilitating an open dialogue between the Ministry’s leadership, the Economic Council Secretariat, and its members. In innovative technology testing centers, known as regulatory sandboxes, entrepreneurs test new energy technologies.

The Republic of Moldova is the first country to launch innovative testing grounds in the energy sector.

September 19, 2024 – Women in Moldova earn up to 15% less than men, and this gap is even larger for women who are responsible for childcare. These findings are highlighted in the report “Gender Pay Gap in Moldova”, presented by the International Labour Organization (ILO) at the meeting of the National Council for Economic Empowerment and Gender Equality, part of the Economic Council to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova.

According to the document, wage inequality is mainly found in the private sector, while salaries in the public sector are equal. Globally, the gender pay gap is even more pronounced, reaching about 20%. The ILO report, “Gender Pay Gap in Moldova: Recent Trends and Policy Recommendations”, based on Labour Force Survey data from 2010-2023, shows significant progress in reducing the gender wage gap in the country.

“The economic empowerment of women in Moldova is not only a matter of social justice but also an essential factor for the sustainable development of our country. We must ensure that women have equal access to resources, opportunities, and support to fully realize their potential in the labor market, thus contributing to economic growth and overall well-being,” said MP Marina Morozova, who attended the meeting.

Carolina Bugaian, Vice President of the Working Group of the National Council for Economic Empowerment and Gender Equality, emphasized that women’s economic empowerment brings benefits both at the individual and societal levels. Economically active women are more independent, have higher self-esteem, and contribute to the well-being of their families and communities. At the macroeconomic level, women’s economic empowerment leads to economic growth, poverty reduction, and a more equitable society.

The presented report also includes a series of recommendations supporting the economic empowerment of women in Moldova, such as increasing the number of fathers taking paternity leave, encouraging mothers to reintegrate into the workforce, improving access to childcare services, and promoting women’s enrollment in STEM fields, among others.

August 8, 2024 – The Economic Council to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova held a meeting of Working Group 2 “Facilitating the green transition and cross-border trade,” chaired by the European Business Association. The main topic of the meeting was compliance with the requirements for the management of packaging and packaging waste as stipulated by the current regulatory framework. The discussions focused on identifying barriers that hinder companies from complying with the principle of extended producer responsibility and proposing solutions for better implementation of Government Decision No. 561/2020.

Participants in the meeting – representatives of business associations, collective systems, and economic operators – both small and large companies – as well as development partners, discussed the obstacles faced by companies in trying to comply with packaging management regulations. The main barriers identified included a lack of legislative clarity, high costs associated with adapting to new requirements, insufficient infrastructure for the collection and recycling of packaging waste, and cumbersome procedures for registering collective and individual systems.

The importance of improving cooperation between public authorities and companies to ensure the effective implementation of legislation and promote good practices in packaging management was also emphasized. During the discussions, several solutions were proposed to support companies in the process of complying with environmental requirements. Participants agreed that the Secretariat of the Economic Council will collect proposals for amending the regulatory framework discussed, both those voiced during the meeting and those to be submitted by August 15, 2024.

Subsequently, the expert team will develop a position paper that will be proposed for examination and consideration to the relevant ministry for the adjustment of Government Decision No. 561/2020. Government Decision No. 561/2020 provides a regulatory framework for stimulating environmentally friendly practices in the industrial sector and facilitating international trade by reducing administrative and regulatory barriers.

The ongoing legislative amendments aim to align national policies with international and European standards on sustainability and economic efficiency. Discussions on the final draft of the amendments to the regulatory framework will take place at the Economic Council.