On 6 February 2026, the Competition Council hosted a working meeting with representatives of the Foreign Investors Association of Moldova (FIA Moldova), organised in the context of the launch of the FIA White Book 2025 – a strategic document setting out reform proposals aimed at improving the investment climate in the Republic of Moldova.

The meeting was attended by the President of the Competition Council, Mr. Alexei Gherțescu, the Executive Director of FIA Moldova, Ms. Ana Groza, as well as experts and representatives of both institutions.

The discussions focused on the recommendations put forward by FIA members under Chapter IV – The Competition Framework of the White Paper, which aim to strengthen a functional and predictable competitive environment aligned with European standards, through the uniform and transparent application of competition legislation, enhanced institutional cooperation, and the promotion of fair competition rules.

The recommendations put forward by FIA were the subject of an open and constructive exchange of views and will be further examined in light of their scope and potential implications. Ms Ana Groza presented the rationale underlying these recommendations, highlighting the practical impact of the predictability of the competition authority’s decisions on investment planning and the functioning of markets. In turn, Ms Carolina Pîrcălab, representative of the Foreign Investors Association of Moldova (FIA Moldova), outlined a number of proposals submitted by FIA members, which served as topics for discussion.

The meeting also addressed the decision-making practice of the Competition Council, including the way in which it may influence potential deregulation processes in certain markets where prices or other trading conditions are currently subject to state regulation.

Alexei Gherțescu highlighted the importance of a structured and continuous technical dialogue with the business community, particularly in the context of the Republic of Moldova’s alignment with the European Union acquis. In this regard, several proposals put forward by the Foreign Investors Association were identified as potentially supportable by the competition authority. At the same time, the parties exchanged views on certain provisions of the current national legislation for which a common position has not yet been reached.

Representatives of the Competition Council and the Foreign Investors Association agreed that, in order to ensure a favorable investment climate, it is essential for competition rules, as well as their enforcement practice, to be predictable and transparent. In this context, the parties expressed their readiness to continue an open and constructive dialogue in the future. The meeting represented a first step toward a detailed examination of recommendations relevant to the competition field and the identification of concrete avenues for cooperation between the Competition Council and the business community, with a view to supporting a fair, functional, and predictable competitive environment in the Republic of Moldova.