Central Union of Consumer Co-operatives of the Republic of Moldova (MOLDCOOP)

The Central Union of Consumer Co-operatives of the Republic of Moldova (Uniunea Centrală a Cooperativelor de Consum, MOLDCOOP) is the national apex organisation of Moldova's consumer cooperative movement. Moldova's consumer cooperative system can be traced back to the first Consumer Cooperative Congress in 1948; the present-day MOLDCOOP was registered in April 1992, inheriting and representing consumer cooperative organisations at all levels nationwide. In September 1993, MOLDCOOP joined the Geneva-headquartered International Co-operative Alliance (ICA), and in the same year founded the University of Cooperative and Commercial Studies. The union represents the interests of Moldovan consumer cooperatives at home and abroad and is the core institution of the country's cooperative movement.