Tatyana Gracheva

They expect the implementation of the Draft Law on the National Single Counter System, which envisages the establishment of a centralized digital portal for the import, export and transit of goods to begin on 1 January 2027.

It means that the functioning of the system that will consolidate all procedures related to customs operations and decisions of the competent authorities, with the aim, as stated, of speeding up trade flows and reducing administrative barriers, will be regulated by this law.

Particularly, external users – companies, small businesses, individuals and state administration bodies – will be able to electronically submit applications, supplements to applications and other documents via the system. From the other side, the portal will receive and process submitted applications from internal users, namely competent authorities, manage their documentation exchange with other internal users and issue decisions in electronic form. The system will automatically record every decision, application or accompanying data, with a unique reference number for case identification.

The Customs Administration under the Ministry of Finance will operate the system, while all authorities involved in issuing decisions will have to align their information systems and ensure connectivity with the central portal.

According to the draft, there will be specific agreements concluded between the operator and internal users, as well as strict security measures, ranging from data storage in the state data center to mandatory backups and protection against cyber threats.

Also, the system will store documents, applications and decisions for ten years, and give the users the chance to pay fees and charges electronically, as well as receive certificates and notifications about the status of their cases automatically.

There are monetary fines previewed in the draft law for both internal and external users who fail to comply with obligations related to system connectivity, archiving or document exchange.

Legal entities will have to pay fines between 200,000 and 2,000,000 dinars, while responsible individuals – between 50,000 and 150,000 dinars.

As the explanatory notes claim, the National Single Window System will help increase efficiency and transparency, reduce business costs and ensure the smooth functioning of international trade in line with European and global standards.

NH Logistics SER has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Serbia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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The EU-Georgia Business Council (EUGBC) and the Georgian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce co-organized in Tbilisi a roundtable meeting between Georgian and Romanian business representatives. Opportunities for stronger cooperation in trade, investment, transport and energy were among discussed topics.
According to Romania’s Ambassador to Georgia, Razvan Rotundu, the shared culture and mentality, the position as Black Sea neighbors create the great potential for expanding bilateral ties.
As the ambassador also emphasized, the ferry link between the port of Poti and Constanța which has been operational for two years but remains underutilized, is significant. Also, a joint initiative of Georgia, Romania, Azerbaijan and Hungary which is expected to enhance energy security and establish a regional energy hub, as well as Romania’s support for the Black Sea submarine cable project, are important.
According to economic data, trade between Georgia and Romania is getting successful, demonstrating the growth of bilateral trade turnover from $134.9 million in January–July 2024 to $188.7 million in the same period this year.
Most of the trade is accounted for imports from Romania ($166.8 million in the first seven months of 2025). Romania is the second-largest oil supplier to Georgia after Russia with petroleum and petroleum products imports worth $132.6 million. Then follow manufactured tobacco ($6.1M), rubber tires ($3.6M), medicines ($2.2M), and cars ($1.9M).
There was a slight downfall of exports to Romania from $24.5 million in 2024 to $21.9 million this year. The leading export category was fertilizers ($16.8 million), then followed ferroalloys ($3M), amusement goods and games ($477K) and smaller shipments of machinery, brushes, detergents and mineral water.
Consistent volumes are shown by annual trade figures: $246.9 million in 2024, $244.2 million in 2023 and $314.7 million in 2022.
Nevertheless, Romania still doesn’t invest much in Georgia. In 2024, investments stood at $520,000, in 2023 a little more than $450,000 and just $143,000 in the first quarter of 2025.
However, tourism revenue is growing, though is still modest. There was a 6.7% year-on-year increase in the first half of 2025, when 3,860 Romanian tourists visited Georgia. The annual total grew up from 6,545 in 2023 and attained 8,246 travelers in 2024.
Both sides recognize actual opportunities to deepen economic relations, with strategic energy projects in talks and transport links like the Poti-Constanța ferry yet to reach their full potential. According to the results of today’s meeting, business-to-business relations expansion can broaden the cooperation, despite modest investment and tourism figures.
NH Logistics GEO has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Georgia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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Russian and Ukrainian grain shipments demonstrated a sharp downfall year-on-year between January and August 2025.
According to Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analysis Manager at BIMCO, Russian and Ukrainian grain shipments have decreased by 49% combined year-on-year between January and August 2025. The decrease of grain harvests by 12% and 6% respectively in the second half of 2024 caused a smaller export surplus of both countries. As a result, the combined production from both countries fell by 10%.
Consequently, Russian wheat export quota has been cut by 63% between February and June 2025.
Ukraine has maintained its seaborne shipments, but wheat and maize are now excluded from the the revised deal after the expiration of the EU’s tariff-free trade agreement for Ukrainian agricultural exports in June.
Last year, Russian and Ukrainian grain exports took the fourth and fifth places in the world. Russia was the leader in wheat exports, while Ukraine had the fourth place in maize and fifth in wheat exports. Nevertheless, Ukrainian wheat and maize yields dropped by 33% compared to the last harvest. Opposingly, there was a 9% increase of Russian wheat yields.
Gouveia says that an estimated 6% decline in global grain shipments between January and August 2025 happened because of weakened shipments out of Russia and Ukraine. However, shipments from the US, Canada, Australia, Argentina and Romania increased and have partially offset the weaker cargoes from Russia and Ukraine. Generally, demand for panamax, supramax and handysize ships has been negatively affected by this.
Ports in the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the Middle East have been the destination of 70% of grain shipments from Russia and Ukraine this year. This shows a 13 percentage points raise compared to the previous year, opposite to a 62% drop year-on-year of shipments to East Africa and to South, Southeast and East Asia.
According to Gouveia, they expect a partial recovery in Russian and Ukrainian grain shipments over the next twelve months. The USDA also anticipates a 19% surge in Ukrainian maize yields. Nevertheless, an expected 2% increase in Russian yields wheat and an 8% decline in Ukraine may make shipments remain stable. In general, they expect grain production of the both countries to fall by 6% compared to pre-war levels.
NH Logistics UKR has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Ukraine and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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