Parliament has approved in the first reading a draft law providing for the introduction of a temporary licensing mechanism for imports of grain and oilseed crops. The licensing regime will apply until October 31, 2026, with no possibility of extension, reports TRIBUNA.

The legislative initiative was put forward by Serghei Ivanov, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Food Industry. According to the explanatory note, the temporary licensing regime is intended to protect domestic agricultural producers from the impact of large-scale imports of grain and oilseeds from neighboring countries.

The document notes that the current domestic price of wheat is 1.5 lei lower than the price at the Port of Constanța.

Under the draft law, applications for import licenses submitted by individuals and legal entities will be reviewed by a commission comprising representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization, and the National Food Safety Agency.

Import licenses will be issued free of charge. The legislation specifies that licenses may be requested by individuals or legal entities engaged in livestock farming, the production of oils and fats, flour milling, or the production of feed for farm animals.

Holders of an import license will not be allowed to sell and/or export the imported goods.

A similar licensing regime was previously applied in Moldova in 2024–2025.

The draft law will enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.