Moldova has not been included in the new US trade surcharge regime introduced under Section 301 of US trade law, following the expiration of a temporary 10% tariff imposed on imports for 150 days, according to the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR).
The White House introduced a general 10% surcharge on certain imports on February 24, 2026, for a period of 150 days. The presidential proclamation provided that the measure would remain in effect until July 24, 2026, unless extended by Congress.
At the same time, USTR launched Section 301 investigations into 60 economies over the lack of effective bans on imports of goods produced using forced labor.
On July 23, USTR announced the final measures, setting additional tariffs of either 10% or 12.5%, depending on the economy concerned and the category of goods.
The US trade authority said the 10% rate applies to partners that have adopted or committed to adopting restrictions on imports of goods produced using forced labor, while other economies face a 12.5% rate.
Moldova is not among the 60 economies targeted by the investigation and, as a result, is not subject to the additional surcharge.
This does not mean that all Moldovan products enter the US duty-free. Depending on the product category, the standard US customs duties set out in the US tariff schedule continue to apply. Moldova’s advantage is that the new Section 301 surcharge is not added on top of those existing duties.
Washington is also conducting a separate set of trade investigations into structural overcapacity in production. According to USTR, the investigations cover 16 economies: China, the European Union, Singapore, Switzerland, Norway, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Mexico, Japan and India. Moldova is not included in this list either.
Chisinau’s favorable position comes as Moldova has also taken an important step in its trade relationship with the United States.
According to KPMG US, Moldova’s Parliament adopted Law No. 69, which eliminated customs duties on most goods originating in the United States as of July 1, 2026.
The measure applies upon presentation of a certificate of origin but excludes certain sensitive agricultural categories, including some types of meat, dairy products and sugar.
As a result, Moldova has removed tariffs on most US imports, while the United States has not included Moldova in the new trade surcharge regime applied to dozens of economies under investigation.
However, publicly available US documents do not indicate that Moldova’s exclusion from the Section 301 regime was explicitly granted in exchange for the removal of tariffs on US products. US official sources confirm the two developments separately but do not publicly establish a direct causal link between them.