The investments in Free Economic Zones (FEZes) in 2016 came to US$55.2 million, an increase of 24% on a year before. Some 68% of the foreign direct investment attracted to the Free Economic Zones went to FEZ Balti, while 18% to FEZ Expo-Business-Chisinau, IPN reports.
According to the Ministry of Economy, the share of industrial activity in the FEZes increased last year and became the main kind of activity. The volume of goods produced and services provided in the Zones totaled about 6 billion lei. The industrial production accounted for 74.5% of this sum. About 81.4% of the production manufactured in the FEZes was exported.
The taxes and other mandatory payments collected from the Zones in 2016 came to 216 million lei.
On January 1, 2017, the seven Free Economic Zones had 181 resident companies that employed 8,024 persons, by 23.4% more than in the corresponding period last year.
Since the FEZes were created in 1996, the investments in these have totaled US$285.3 million, US$141 million of which during the last five years.
