Overview

Moldova inherited its principles of metrology, standardization, testing, and quality from the Soviet era, where manufacturers had to follow compulsory standards.  The country’s transition to free-market economy, coupled with the accession to the WTO in 2001, triggered a revision of the old system and movement toward a philosophy that standards are industry-initiated and market-driven.  New laws were passed in keeping with Moldova’s WTO commitments and aspirations for European integration.  The country has increased its efforts to harmonize its quality assessment system with European standards. especially after signing the AA/DCFTA.

The major functions of accreditation, certification, and market surveillance have been separated.  Starting in 2007, all national standards became voluntary.  The country continues to transpose EU directives and regulations. 

Standards

The country’s central standardization organization is the National Institute for Standardization.  The Institute adopts standards and maintains the national fund of standardization documents.

Moldova originally adopted a number of Soviet GOST (state standards developed in the Soviet Union).  Under its AA/DCFTA, Moldova continues to adopt the body of European standards.  A large body of European standards (CEN/CENELEC) have become Moldovan national standards, including the harmonized standards, all of which have been transposed. All conflicting standards (including GOST) have been withdrawn with the transposition of European standards.

Moldova is a correspondent member of the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) and the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML); an associate member of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC), the European co-operation for Accreditation (EA), and the Meter Convention; an affiliated member of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC); a full member of the Euro-Asian Cooperation of National Metrological Institutions (COOMET); and an observer to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI),

Moldova is a member of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).  It is also a member of the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO). 

Testing, Inspection and Certification

The Ministry of Economy is responsible for the development of policy in the field of standardization, metrology, accreditation and conformity assessment, and for overseeing the following public institutions: National Institute of Standardization (NIS), National Institute of Metrology (NIM), National Center of Accreditation (MOLDAC), and Consumer Protection Agency (CPA).

Products certified in the country of origin, with which Moldova has signed agreements on mutual recognition of results of product conformity assessment, undergo a procedure of recognition of the certificates of conformity.  Moldova has signed such agreements with a number of CIS states.  Since 2012, Moldova recognizes EU-issued certificates of conformity and test reports translated into Romanian.

• National Institute for Standardization
• National Center for Accreditation
• State Inspectorate for Non-Food Product Surveillance and Consumer Protection

Publication of Technical Regulations

Central public authorities work out and approve technical regulations for their areas of responsibility.  Technical regulations are published in the official gazette Monitorul Oficial.Contact Information 

Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization

Piata Marii Adunarii Nationale 1, Chisinau MD2033, Moldova
Tel. (373 22) 25 06 06

National Institute for Standardization

Str. Eugen Coca 28, Chisinau MD2064, Moldova
Tel. (373 22) 74 85 42
Fax (373 22) 24 54 14

National Food Safety Agency

Str. Mihail Kogalniceanu 63, Chisinau MD2009, Moldova
Tel. (373 22) 29 47 30

Chamber of Commerce and Industry 
Stefan cel Mare 151, Chisinau MD 2004, Moldova
Tel (373 33) 22 15 52 

Use ePing to review proposed technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures. 

The ePing SPS&TBT platform (https://epingalert.org/), or “ePing”, provides access to notifications made by World Trade Organization (WTO) Members under the Agreements on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), distributed by the WTO from January 16, 1995 to present.  ePing is available to all stakeholders free of charge and does not require registration unless the user wishes to receive customized e-mail alerts.  Use it to browse notifications on past as well as new draft and updated product regulations, food safety and animal and plant health standards and regulations, find information on trade concerns discussed in the WTO SPS and TBT Committees, locate information on SPS/TBT Enquiry Points and notification authorities, and to follow and review current and past notifications concerning regulatory actions on products, packaging, labeling, food safety and animal and plant health measures in markets of interest. 

Notify U.S., operated and maintained by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) since 2003 to distribute and provide access to notifications (and associated draft texts) made under the WTO TBT Agreement for US stakeholders, has reached its end of life. Per obligation under the TBT Agreement, each WTO Member operates a national TBT (and an SPS) Enquiry Point.  National TBT Enquiry Points are authorized to accept comments and official communications from other national TBT Enquiry Points, which are NOT part of the WTO or the WTO Secretariat.  All comment submissions from U.S. stakeholders, including businesses, trade associations, U.S domiciled standards development organizations and conformity assessment bodies, consumers, or U.S. government agencies on notifications to the WTO TBT Committee should be sent directly to the USA WTO TBT Inquiry Point.  Refer to the comment guidance at https://tsapps.nist.gov/notifyus/data/guidance/guidance.cfm for further information. This guidance is provided to assist U.S. stakeholders in the preparation and submission of comments in response to notifications of proposed foreign technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures.