{"id":2899,"date":"2026-11-06T16:26:30","date_gmt":"2026-11-06T16:26:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hscodematch.com\/news\/moldova-requires-new-health-certificates-for-fish-imports-from-13\/"},"modified":"2026-11-06T16:26:32","modified_gmt":"2026-11-06T16:26:32","slug":"moldova-requires-new-health-certificates-for-fish-imports-from-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hscodematch.com\/news\/moldova-requires-new-health-certificates-for-fish-imports-from-13\/","title":{"rendered":"Moldova Requires New Health Certificates for Fish Imports from 13 November 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Moldova has issued two Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures<\/strong> notifications affecting animals and products of animal origin<\/strong>, with both measures documented in official WTO communications.<\/p>\n

Moldova’s National Food Safety Agency told the World Trade Organization (WTO) of new health certificates for imported fish, seafood and live animals.<\/p>\n

The agency sent the notices to the Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, the body that tracks food-safety and animal- and plant-health rules, on Oct. 15, 20261<\/a><\/sup>. The rules for fish and seafood start on Nov. 13, 2026<\/strong>2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n

In short, a shipment of fish, shellfish or live animals entering Moldova must travel with a health certificate on a set model. A government vet in the exporting country must fill in and sign that certificate, and Moldova’s border staff will check it.<\/p>\n

What did Moldova notify to the WTO on Oct. 15?<\/h2>\n

Moldova sent several food-safety and animal-health notices to the WTO on the same day1<\/a><\/sup>. Two of them set the papers that shipments of animals and animal products must carry into the country.<\/p>\n

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The two certificate orders side by side<\/h4>\n
\n \n \n
Question<\/th>Order No. 64<\/th>Order No. 42<\/th><\/tr>\n <\/thead>\n
Goods<\/th>Fish, shellfish, aquatic animals<\/td>Land animals, breeding material<\/td><\/tr>\n
EU model<\/th>Regulation 2020\/2236<\/td>Regulation 2021\/403<\/td><\/tr>\n
Start<\/th>Nov. 13, 2026<\/td>When Law No. 82\/2024 takes effect<\/td><\/tr>\n <\/tbody>\n <\/table><\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

The first is notice G\/SPS\/N\/MDA\/41, the aquatic notice. It covers fish, shellfish and other aquatic animals<\/strong> and the products made from them2<\/a><\/sup>. It reports Order No. 64 of Feb. 2, 2026, issued by the National Food Safety Agency (ANSA)2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n

The second covers land animals and their breeding material. It rests on ANSA Order No. 42, which approves model certificates for the entry of certain land animals and their "germinal products"3<\/a><\/sup>. Germinal products are the material used to breed animals: semen, egg cells (oocytes) and embryos3<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n

Both measures copy European Union (EU) rules into Moldovan law2<\/a><\/sup>. Order No. 64 follows the EU’s Commission Implementing Regulation 2020\/2236 for aquatic animals2<\/a><\/sup>. Order No. 42 follows the EU’s Commission Implementing Regulation 2021\/403 for land animals3<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n

Which fish and seafood products need the new certificates?<\/h2>\n

The aquatic notice lists the goods by their Harmonized System (HS) codes, the numbers customs use to classify goods. It covers HS headings 0301 to 0309<\/strong>, nine headings in all2<\/a><\/sup>. Together they take in aquatic animals and the products derived from them2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n

Order No. 64 sets "the forms of animal health certificates" for these goods when they enter Moldova2<\/a><\/sup>. The full order runs to 45 pages and is written in Romanian2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n

The notice says the measure applies to all trading partners<\/strong>2<\/a><\/sup>. No country is singled out. A seller in Asia, the EU or South America uses the same certificate model.<\/p>\n

Why did Moldova’s food safety agency act?<\/h2>\n

The agency gives two reasons in the aquatic notice: food safety and animal health<\/strong>2<\/a><\/sup>. Imported fish and seafood can carry diseases that spread to farmed or wild stocks. A standard certificate shows that a government vet has checked the shipment before it leaves.<\/p>\n

The notice names an international standard behind the rules. It points to Chapter 5.1 of the code of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)2<\/a><\/sup>. Moldova says its order matches that standard2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n

Moldova also marked the aquatic order as a trade facilitating measure<\/strong>2<\/a><\/sup>. That label means the country sees the rule as making trade easier, not harder. Using the EU’s certificate models means exporters who already ship to the EU will know the format.<\/p>\n

When do the fish and seafood rules start?<\/h2>\n

ANSA adopted and published Order No. 64 on Feb. 2, 2026<\/strong>2<\/a><\/sup>. The WTO notice gives Nov. 13, 2026<\/strong> as the date it enters into force2<\/a><\/sup>. That leaves about one week between today and the start date.<\/p>\n

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Dates for the fish and seafood order<\/h4>\n
\n Feb. 2, 2026<\/span>\n Order No. 64 adopted and published<\/span>\n <\/div>\n
\n Oct. 15, 2026<\/span>\n WTO notified<\/span>\n <\/div>\n
\n Nov. 13, 2026<\/span>\n Rules enter into force<\/span>\n HS headings 0301 to 0309<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

The WTO notice says there is no deadline for comments2<\/a><\/sup>. The order is already adopted, so the WTO notice informs trading partners rather than asking for their views.<\/p>\n

From the start date, fish and seafood entering Moldova will be judged against the new certificate models. A shipment carrying an older form risks being held at the border.<\/p>\n

How must a vet fill in the land animal certificates?<\/h2>\n

Order No. 42 sets detailed rules for how an official vet completes a certificate3<\/a><\/sup>. These rules show how Moldova will judge whether a paper is valid at the border.<\/p>\n

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Rules for a valid certificate under Order No. 42<\/h4>\n
\n \n \n
Requirement<\/th>Standard \/ Details<\/th><\/tr>\n <\/thead>\n
Signature and stamp<\/th>Official vet signs and stamps, in a different colour from the text<\/td><\/tr>\n
Unused statements<\/th>Struck out, initialled and stamped, or removed<\/td><\/tr>\n
Pages<\/th>One sheet, joined sheets, or numbered pages in a set<\/td><\/tr>\n
Code on each page<\/th>Unique code, signature and stamp on every page<\/td><\/tr>\n
Timing<\/th>Issued before the shipment leaves the issuing authority’s control<\/td><\/tr>\n
Language<\/th>Official language or an internationally used language<\/td><\/tr>\n <\/tbody>\n <\/table><\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

The certificate must meet these rules3<\/a><\/sup>:<\/p>\n