The World Customs Organization (WCO), with the financial support of the United States Agency for International Development, Moldova Institutional and Structural Reforms Activity (USAID MISRA), successfully delivered a national Time Release Study (TRS) Workshop for the Customs Service and stakeholders from the Republic of Moldova. The Workshop was held from 30 January to 3 February 2023, at the training center of the Moldovan Customs Service in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova.

The Deputy Director and the interim Head of the Customs Service of the Republic of Moldova, the Chief of Party, USAID MISRA, and the Economic Consultant, Economic Council to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova (National Committee for Trade Facilitation), participated in the opening of the Workshop.

The workshop was conducted by an accredited WCO Technical and Operational Advisor from India, assisted by a national TRS expert from the Georgia Revenue Service. Over the course of a five-day workshop, important TRS implementation phases were covered, such as scoping and planning, business process mapping, data collection and analysis, report compilation, and monitoring and evaluation. The Workshop also took the opportunity to visit the Leuseni Border Control Post (BCP) with Romania and the Industriala Inland Customs Post (ICP) in order to get a better understanding of border crossings and the clearance process. Based on these field visits, two working groups, with the assistance of the experts, were tasked with formulating the business processes and the questionnaire with indications on the sources and methods of obtaining the necessary data for conducting a TRS. In addition, one of the main outcomes of the Workshop was being able to develop a draft action plan for implementing the TRS in Moldova.

The participants were also briefed on the relevance of the TRS in the context of the implementation of the WCO instruments and tools and the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).

The workshop was attended by more than 25 participants from the Customs Service and stakeholders from the Republic of Moldova. The Border Police, National Food Safety Agency, National Road Transport Agency, International Association of Road Carriers of Moldova, and Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Moldova all participated as stakeholders.

For more information on TRS, please contact the WCO Secretariat at TRS@wcoomd.org.