Authorized Economic Operator (AEO)

The AEO (Authorized Economic Operator) program is based on the partnership between the customs authority and the economic operators who voluntarily comply with customs regulations, ensure the security of goods in the international traffic, cooperate with the customs authority and therefore benefit from customs facilities and simplifications.

The AEO program aims to enhance international supply chain security and to facilitate legitimate trade and is open to all the participants in the international trade.

There are two types of AEO authorizations:

AEOC – customs simplifications;
AEOS – security and safety.

Note: Both types of authorizations could be held concurrently, through issuing of a combined authorization.

I. Benefits of AEO

Fewer physical and document-based controls, compared to other economic operators;
Priority treatment if selected for customs control;
Possibility to request a specific place for customs controls;
Easier admittance to customs simplifications – this benefit is provided under AEOC;
Prior notification if the transport is selected for customs control. Notification is made before the goods are presented at customs, but shall not be made where such notification might compromise the control results;
Extension of the payment term for import duties (exception: duty for customs procedures) by up to 30 calendar days;
Crossing the border as a matter of priority – with no queueing and via a specially dedicated AEO lane (where allowed by the infrastructure of the customs posts).

The AEO authorization also provides other indirect benefits with positive impact on the company image. Thus, the AEO status gives the company the recognition of reliable partner, both in the relations with the customs and with the business partners, which further enhances customer loyalty. In addition, AEO means a better planning system, minimized risk of theft and loss, as well as of delays in transport due to consolidated security and communication between the partners involved in the supply chain.

The companies can apply for the AEO logo, according to the approved template, on commercial documents or otherwise, for the purpose of informing the partners and customers about holding this status of trust.

AEO Logo

The logo shall be issued upon request, by lodging an application of declaration (.docx, .pdf) at the Customs Service.

Note: In the future, this list of facilities will be supplemented with AEO recognition in other states, which will provide customs clearance benefits not only in the Republic of Moldova, but also in the countries with which the Republic of Moldova conclude AEO mutual recognition agreements.

II. Obtaining the status of AEO

Any economic operator established in the Republic of Moldova who is part of international economic transactions (importer, exporter, carrier, customs broker, holder of customs warehouses, manufacture) may apply for the AEO status. List of companies that hold the status of AEO and that accepted to be included in the AEO list.

AEO status may de requested by all large, small or medium-sized enterprises. At the same time, this status is also accessible to the newly created companies, as no criteria of minimum duration of activity in international trade apply on AEO applicants.

CONDITIONS AND CRITERIA	AEOC	AEOS
Resident economic agent	X	X
Registered as participant in foreign economic activity	X	X
Lack of debts to the national public budget	X	X
Disposal of assets with high solvency rate	X	X
Lack of repeated violations of the customs and tax legislation, including absence of economic offenses related to the business activity of the applicant over the last 3 years	X	X
Operation of a system for managing the record-keeping of commercial operations	X	X
Practical standards of competence or professional qualifications	X
Security and safety standards		X

a) Preparatory stage

In the preparatory stage, the economic agent shall complete a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (.docx, .pdf).

The questionnaire shall be submitted to the Central Office of the Customs Service together with a standard application (.docx, .pdf), accompanied by documents confirming the following information:

Name, surname of the main owners / shareholders, of the members of the Board, as well as the addresses of those parties;
Name, surname of the person in charge for the customs field within the applicant company;
Description of the economic activities of the applicant;
Details of the business premises of the applicant and a brief description of the activities at each site. Details on the way the applicant and each location operate in the supply chain: in own name and on own behalf, or in the name and on behalf of another person;
Clarifications of all links between the applicant and the companies from which the applicant buys or supplies products;
Description of the internal organization of the applicant’s enterprise. Any documents on the tasks / competencies of each department shall be attached.
Total number of employees in each department;
Names of the main managers (general manager, heads of departments, administrators of accounting services, officers for communication with customs). Description of the internal procedures applied when a competent employee is absent, whether temporary or permanently.
Names and functions of the officers with specific competences in the customs field within the applicant's enterprise. Evaluation of the level of knowledge of these officers in terms of IT tools in the customs field and on general trade issues;
Accepting or refusing to publish the information included in the AEO authorization in the list of authorized economic agents.

The Customs Service shall, within a maximum of 10 calendar days, verify the information submitted and inform the economic agent on the acceptance of the request. Where found that the application does not include all the necessary information, the Customs Service shall request the applicant to provide the relevant information within a time limit not exceeding 30 calendar days from the date of receipt of the application.

The application and the attached documents shall be examined within 60 calendar days from the date of acceptance thereof. In well-founded and documented cases, the given term may be extended by a maximum of 30 calendar days, providing due notification of the applicant thereon.

The AEO authorization is issued for an unlimited period.

In the event that the authorization requirements are not complied with, the authorization may be suspended or withdrawn.

The AEO authorization shall be suspended where:

non-compliance with certain conditions for granting the status is found;
the holder of the authorization requests such suspension on grounds of temporary incapacity to fulfill the requirements provided in the authorization or to comply with the obligations assumed under the authorization;
there are sufficient reasons to consider that the AEO has committed a breach of customs legislation. In this case, the AEO status is suspended for the entire duration of the contravention process, in accordance with the provisions of the Customs Code of the Republic of Moldova and the Contravention Code of the Republic of Moldova, or for the entire duration of the criminal process, according to the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Moldova;
unauthorized use of the AEO logo.

The AEO authorization shall be withdrawn where:

the AEO with suspended authorization has failed to undertake the necessary measures and to remove the identified shortcomings in order to comply with the set requirements before the expiry of the established suspension term;
AEO committed a violation of customs legislation, and the sanction applied in this respect became irrevocable according to a legal procedure;
at the request of the AEO;
the AEO uses the logo during the suspension of the AEO authorization.