Xifres de comerç exterior de Moldàvia

Foreign Trade in Figures

International trade represents around 111% of Moldova's GDP (World Bank, latest data available). The country is a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and has signed 43 free trade agreements, including those with the EU, Turkey, the UK, and the Commonwealth of Independent States. According to data by the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2022 the country’s main exports were food and live animals (21.3%), machinery and transport equipment (15.9%), mineral fuels and lubricants (13.6%), and petroleum products (12.9%); whereas imports were led by mineral fuels and lubricants (28%), machinery and transport equipment (22%), petroleum products (16.7%), manufactured goods (14.1%), and chemical products (11.7%).

Traditionally, exports were directed mainly to Russia, but since 2009 more than half of Moldova’s exports have been destined for EU markets. In 2022, the country’s main trading partners were Romania (28.6%), Ukraine (16.6%), Italy (7.6%), Turkey (7%), and Germany (5.3%); whereas imports came chiefly from Romania (17.9%), Russia (12.4%), China (10.3%), Ukraine (9.3%), and Turkey (7.2% - data National Bureau of Statistics). New figures show that, in 2023, the European Union absorbed 65.4% of Moldova's exports, representing a 6.8 percentage point increase compared to 2022. Moreover, the EU comprised 48.3% of the country's imports, marking a 1% rise year-on-year.

Moldova’s trade balance is structurally in deficit. According to data by WTO, in 2022 the country exported USD 4.3 billion worth of goods against USD 9.2 billion in imports (+37.8% and +28.45% y-o-y, respectively). Concerning services, exports (at USD 2.2 billion) were higher than imports (USD 1.3 billion). Data from the World Bank shows that the country’s trade balance on goods and services was negative by 28.3% of GDP in 2022 (from 27.2% one year earlier). Preliminary figures from the National Bureau of Statistics point out that, in 2023, Moldova exported USD 4 billion worth of goods (-6.5% year-on-year), importing USD 8.6 billion (-5.9% y-o-y).