Bureaucracy in dealing with state institutions and regulations for entrepreneurs are among the main problems for economic operators in the transition to the green economy. This is the preliminary data of the survey “Barriers in the implementation of fair transition actions to the green economy of Moldovan companies” conducted in June-August 2023 by Valeriu Prohnițchi, Executive Director of POLISISTEM, with the support of the Economic Council under the Prime Minister of Moldova for the National Confederation of Employers of Moldova, in partnership with the International Labour Organization.

The results of the survey were discussed on the Economic Council’s platform.According to the same survey, another barrier faced by entrepreneurs who want to take steps in the transition to the green economy is the high cost of commercial credit, the relevance of support programmes and the access and transparency of state support programmes. Another barrier to the transition to the green economy is Moldova’s business culture, a market unfamiliar with a different demand, public investment policy and waste management infrastructure.

The survey found a number of recommendations that could help promote the fair transition to the green economy. These include tax incentives for green practices, subsidies and the creation of a special fund to finance the green transition. Natalia Iachimov, Project Coordinator at the International Labour Organisation, presented the project “Stimulating the Green Economy in the Republic of Moldova”, saying that in the context of the Republic of Moldova being granted EU candidate status, it is necessary to accelerate reforms in order to effectively meet the accession criteria, one of which is ensuring a just transition to a green economy.

“Through the Boosting the Green Economy in the Republic of Moldova project, the International Labour Organization aims to support the creation of new and decent jobs by strengthening an enabling environment for increased productivity, innovation and sustainability of enterprises,” added Natalia Iachimov.

Representatives of the business community present at the meeting stressed the importance of the authorities’ support for actions and reforms to promote a just transition to a green economy for businesses. Both subsidies, tax facilities and the improvement of the labour market in Moldova are, in the view of the business community, key tools in promoting the green economy in Moldova.

The Secretariat of the Economic Council to the Prime Minister is supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, funded by the UK Government’s Good Governance Fund, and the International Finance Corporation’s Investment Climate Reform Project funded by the Government of Sweden’s International Development Agency.

The Secretariat of the Economic Council to the Prime Minister is supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, funded by the UK Government’s Good Governance Fund.