Customs Authorities of Moldova and Romania Discuss Coordination of Border Controls

The customs authorities of the Republic of Moldova and Romania have agreed to strengthen cooperation in order to optimize cross-border traffic and enhance the security of their shared border. The main focus will be on introducing coordinated control at border crossing points and adapting the New Computerized Transit System (NCTS) to the new conditions applicable to the Republic of Moldova.

These issues were discussed during the working visit of the Head of the Moldovan Customs Service, Radu Vrăbie, to Bucharest on March 3–4, where he held talks with the President of the Romanian Customs Authority, Mihai Savin. The parties examined opportunities to deepen institutional cooperation and streamline customs procedures in line with European standards.

The NCTS (New Computerized Transit System) is a pan-European digital platform for data exchange between customs administrations that enables real-time tracking of goods in transit. The system replaces paper procedures with electronic declarations, facilitating faster customs clearance, increasing transparency of transit operations and reducing logistics costs for the movement of goods between EU countries, EFTA states and parties to the Common Transit Convention.

During the meetings, the officials also discussed infrastructure projects financed under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) mechanism, the activities of the RO–UA–MD joint working group, and the strengthening of risk analysis through information exchange, as well as the organization of joint seminars and professional training for customs officials.

As part of the working program, the delegations visited the headquarters of the Southeast European Law Enforcement Center (SELEC), where they met with the organization’s Director General, Oguz Serkant Akin. The discussions focused on strengthening operational cooperation, including intensifying information exchange, coordinating joint investigations, and using SELEC regional mechanisms to combat cross-border crime.

The officials reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining active dialogue and strengthening regional cooperation in order to ensure border security and develop coordinated responses to emerging risks.

Comment by the Danube Research Institute.
Experts of the Danube Research Institute note that deeper customs coordination between Romania and Moldova is an important element in shaping an integrated transport and logistics space in the Danube–Black Sea region. The implementation of NCTS and the development of coordinated border control are expected to accelerate cargo transit, increase the transparency of customs procedures and further integrate the region into the European system of logistics and trade management.

For Ukraine, such initiatives are strategically important, as stronger cooperation in the Romania–Moldova–Ukraine format creates additional opportunities for the development of cross-border infrastructure, improves the efficiency of border crossing points and contributes to the formation of more resilient logistics corridors toward the European Union.