AmCham is actively involved as member of the following Organizations & Governmental Working Groups:
Economic Council to the Prime Minister
The Economic Council to the Prime Minister was established as an advisory body with the mission to facilitate the dialogue between the representatives of the business environment, donors’ community and policy makers to develop a favorable social-economic climate and non-discriminatory, transparent business environment, which would be attractive for investment.
For a more efficient performance, permanent thematic working groups and temporary (ad-hoc) working groups were created within the Council since 2016.
“Guillotine” Working Group
National Working Group on Regulation of Entrepreneurial Activity (otherwise called “Guillotine” Working Group) is intended to monitor and revise new regulations (draft norms elaborated by central state authorities) affecting entrepreneurial activity. Working Group acts on a permanent weekly basis and analyses on average 5-6 normative acts per sitting. The work is based on the principle of impartiality and compliance with the basic principles on regulation of entrepreneurial activity (e.g. regulatory impact assessment, etc.).
National Confederation of Employers in RM
As a member of the National Confederation of Employers in Moldova (NCE), AmCham is involved in many of its activities aimed to foster policy change and establishment of a better business environment.
AmCham - Member of the Council of Dispute Resolution in the Main State Tax Inspectorate, and within the Customs Service
The Dispute Resolution Board within the Main Tax Inspectorate and Customs Service is composed of representatives from authorities and business associations, including AmCham.
The Council acts in the form of meetings, which are organized depending on the appeals filed; in the council administrative acts are contested, which have established a fiscal / customs obligation in the amount of over 500,000 lei - for juridical persons and over 250,000 lei - for individuals. The members of the Council will share solutions on the examined subject at the meeting, with proposals which are recommendations in character.
The Advisory Committee under Customs Service
AmCham performs the Secretary of the Advisory Committee, ensuring the continuity of the dialogue mechanism between the Customs Service and the business community.
Advisory Committee under Customs Service is a trade facilitation body, consisting of representatives of the Customs Service and representatives of associations involved in external trade.
Committee’s B2G Dialogue Partners:
Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection
Parliamentary Committee on social protection, health and family
Economic Council under the Prime Minister
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STAYING INVOLVED: - Regularly meet AmCham team members - Establish your own lobbying priorities - Identify your allies on your lobbying priorities - Encourage your team members to get involved
Committee’s B2G Dialogue Partners: - Ministry of Finance & State Tax Service -Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure -Ministry of Justice -Competition Council -National Center for Personal Data Protection -State Agency on Intellectual Property -Bureau for Migration and Asylum -Parliamentary Legal Committee for appointments and immunities -Parliamentary Committee for economy, budget and finance -Parliamentary Committee for national security, defense and public order -Economic Council under the Prime-minister -Working Group of the State Commission for Regulation of Entrepreneurial Activity -Dispute Resolution Board within the Main Tax Inspectorate
1.Committee’s main CROSS - SECTORIAL advocacy areas in 2019: -Tax Policy & Administration -Civil legislation -Competition -Personal Data Protection -Intellectual Property Protection -Work Migration & Foreigners’ Regime in RM -Business Ethics & Compliance 2.Committee’s main SECTORIAL advocacy areas in 2019:-IT & Telecommunications -Distribution & Retail -Energy & Renewable Energy & Oil -Tobacco -Meals Tickets
Solved regulatory issues in 2019: -Capped amount of compensatory remuneration excluded -Goods accompanying notice introduced -Regulation on the calculation of depreciation for tax purposes approved -Regulation on confirmation of the status of eligible producer and a series of other normative acts in the field of renewable energy approved
Committee’s B2G Dialogue Partners:
Customs Service
Ministry of Economy & Infrastructure
Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment
National Agency for Food Safety
Committee`s Dialogue Agencies:
EU Delegation, EU High Level Advisors, EPPO, GIZ
Solved regulatory issues -Challenging the initiative to significantly increase that packaging tax; -Approval of several amendments to the Regulation on the requirements for collection, treatment, and discharge of wastewater in sewage systems for urban and rural localities; -Clarification of several aspects on notification of SIS RM procedure when importing IT hardware; -Improvement of the Regulation on import of goods subject to food safety control; -Approval on new tariffs when importing goods subject to food safety control; -Approval of several amendments to the Regulation on electronic customs clearance of goods; -Exemption from penalties in case of self-declaration regarding the admission of violations of customs legislation; -Simplification of the procedure governing the export in postal consignment;
Ongoing advocacy efforts -New Customs Code. Being a ”work in progress”, the Committee is actively involved in the consultation process of the new Customs Code, thus keeping an equilibrium between trade facilitation measures and the country’s commitment to implement the EU Customs Code. -Advancing on exporting goods of animal origin; -Advancing on implementation of extended producer responsibility principle for packaging -Advancing on improvement of the postponement of payment of customs duties mechanism; -Advancing on amending Law 279/2017 regarding indicating the information on date of minimum durability; -Debating the necessity of some amendments to the postal communications law; -Diminishing the import duty at some goods;
Committee’s B2G Dialogue Partners:
Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection
Medicines and Medical Devices Agency
National Health Insurance Company
Parliamentary Committee on social protection, health and family
Economic Council under the Prime Minister
Committee’s B2G Dialogue Partners:
National Commission for Financial Markets
National Bank of Moldova
Ministry of Economy & Infrastructure
Ministry of Finance
Ministry of Justice
Committee`s Dialogue Agencies:
IFC/World Bank, EU Delegation, GIZ
Solved regulatory issues -Tax deductibility of interest rate related expenses when loans are provided by domestic or international financial organizations; -Improving the draft Regulation on classification of assets by non-bank lending organizations; -Providing recommendations to the draft code of conduct on the processing of personal data in the financial-banking sector; -Providing commentaries to the Government Decision on independent consultation of the potential consumer trustee; -Contribution to the Regulation on the lending activity of payment service providers; -Improvement of the Regulation on on-site inspections to the payment services providers; -Providing comments to the Regulation regarding the activity of payment service providers; -Debating the necessity of imposing ceilings to the merchant service fees.
Ongoing advocacy efforts -Developing a national strategy on cashless economy; -Commenting the draft law on sanctions regarding the violation of the law in the field of the prevention of money laundering and terrorism; -Elimination of regulatory and software deficiencies to the Register of Real Guarantees; -Development of a digital register of notarial authenticated powers of attorney; -Initiative on modification of the Law on Nonbank Credit Organizations and other normative acts; -Initiative on regulation of crowdfunding activity; -Elimination of the provisions regarding the obligation of establishing the commission of censors within the insurance companies; -Modification of tax treatment on the sales and lease-back operations; -Initiative on ceiling the interchange fees on a series of cross-border transactions when using the credit/debit cards; -Initiative on revision of the Law on Industrial Safety of Industrial Dangerous Assets by implementing a risk-based methodology to the calculation of insurance premiums; -Initiative on facilitating the regime of granting consent of the subject of credit history; -Initiative on digitalizing the processes of notification, authorization and reporting of external commitments -Developing a centralized list of information on politically exposed persons by the competent public authorities.
