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Moldova - EU Relations

On 21 June 2024, the Council of the European Union approved the negotiation framework for Ukraine and Moldova. “The EU Council adopted the general EU positions, including negotiating frameworks, for accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. This opens the way for launching the negotiations on Tuesday 25 June in Luxembourg,” the announcement reads. This decision means that an intergovernmental conference will be held on 25 June to then officially launch negotiations on both states’ accession to the EU.

On 08 Novemer 2023 the European Commission adopted the 2023 Enlargement Package, providing a detailed assessment of the state of play and the for the first time progress made by Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia on their respective paths towards accession to the European Union. In particular, the report focuses on the progress in the implementation of fundamental reforms, as well as on providing clear guidance on the reform priorities ahead.

In light of the results achieved by Ukraine and Moldova, and of the ongoing reform efforts, the EU Commission recommended that the Council opens accession negotiations with both countries. Furthermore, the Commission recommended that Council adopts the negotiating frameworks once Ukraine and Moldova have adopted certain key measures. The Commission stood ready to report to Council by March 2024 on the progress relating to these measures.

Moldova had made important progress on meeting the 9 steps set out in the Commission Opinion on Moldova's EU membership application. It launched a comprehensive justice reform following the Venice Commission recommendations, including by evaluating prominent judges and prosecutors. The country reformed its anti-corruption bodies and increased the number of investigations and convictions in corruption cases. Moldova adopted a deoligarchisation action plan, which it implements following set timelines. New legislation to set up a confiscation mechanism helps fight organised crime. The country adopted a public administration strategy and follows the reform at all levels. It worked to reform its public finance management and adopted legislation to reform public procurement. Moldova enhanced the participation of civil society in the decision-making process and has strengthened the protection of human rights.

Two former Soviet republics, Georgia and Moldova, formally applied for European Union membership 03 March 2022, after their ambitions were accelerated in the shadow of Russia's full-scale invasion of nearby Ukraine. The newfound initiative in the two countries -- where Russian troops are positioned in defiance of local and international opposition -- follows Ukraine's decision to press its demands for EU membership since tens of thousands of Russian troops crossed its borders from the east, south, and via Belarus from the north. The EU accession process usually takes years and requires meeting strict criteria that takes into account such factors as economic stability, the level of corruption, and respect for human rights. Unanimity among the 27-nation bloc is required to allow new members in.

The EU was developing an increasingly close relationship with Moldova, going beyond co-operation, to gradual economic integration and a deepening of political co-operation. Moldova is a partner country within the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). A joint EU-Moldova ENP Action Plan lays out the strategic objectives based on commitments to shared values and effective implementation of political, economic and institutional reforms. The EU-Moldova ENP Action Plan is based on the Partnership & Cooperation Agreement (PCA) and encourages and supports Moldova’s objective of further integration into European economic and social structures.

The EU and the Republic of Moldova are negotiating an Association Agreement to succeed the PCA. This Association Agreement will significantly deepen Moldova’s political association and economic integration with the EU. The objective is to start negotiations on a deep and comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), a core element of the Association Agreement, as soon as Moldova is deemed to be ready to sustain the impact of far-reaching liberalisation of its trade with the EU. EU-Republic of Moldova visa facilitation and readmission agreements entered into force in January 2008 and a wider Mobility Partnership was signed in June 2008. In June 2010 a visa dialogue opened, examining conditions for visa-free travel of Moldovan citizens to the EU as a long-term goal. Since 2010, the Republic of Moldova is a full member of the Energy Community Treaty.

The Association Agreement is a concrete way to exploit the very positive dynamics in EU-Moldova relations, focusing on support to core reforms, on economic recovery, governance, sector co-operation and far-reaching liberalisation of Moldova’s trade with the EU. The Association Agreement can also be seen as a reform agenda for Moldova, based around a comprehensive programme of regulatory approximation, around which Moldova’s assistance partners can align themselves and focus their assistance. Negotiations on the Association Agreement, as the successor agreement to the Partnership & Cooperation Agreement (PCA), were launched in Chisinau on 12 January 2010. In February 2012 the negotiations on a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) as a core element of the Association Agreement were launched.

Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, Štefan Füle, met with Prime Minister of Moldova Iurie Leanca in Strasbourg 23 October 2013. On the external pressure on Moldova Commissioner Füle recalled that the pressure was incompatible with EU principles. The EU has demonstrated its solidarity already and will continue to stand by Moldova. Before the end of this year there will be no more quotas on imports of Moldovan wines to the EU and other similar measures are being discussed for making possible the export to the EU of products of animal origin. Commissioner Füle also stressed that the root causes of political instability in the country remain to be addressed and at the same time Moldova needs to focus on political and institutional reforms. Constitutional reform, deep judicial reform, the fight against corruption and improvement of the business climate are of the essence and cannot wait any longer.

Due to the fact Ukraine failed to be the poster child of the Eastern Partnership, Moldova took its role. The EU and the Republic of Moldova finalised negotiations for an Association Agreement to succeed the PCA. The Association Agreement was initialled by both sides on 29 November 2013 on the occasion of the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius. The Association Agreement will significantly deepen Moldova’s political association and economic integration with the EU and includes the gradual implementation of a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. On January 24, 2014 the European Union's enlargement commissioner praised reforms made so far by Moldova but says further efforts must be made if Chisinau is to sign an Association Agreement with the bloc later in 2014. "The integrity and independence of the state institutions needs to be fully restored and guaranteed, all the more after the political crisis of last year. Constitutional reform, deep judicial reform, the fight against corruption and improvement of the business climate are essential. I have seen encouraging progress over the last months on some of these key issues; but much remains to be done."

Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine signed free trade agreements 26 June 2014 with the European Union. The three will enjoy lucrative free trade with all 28 EU members as long as their goods and services meet EU standards. The agreement also deepens political cooperation with the EU and bars the former Soviet states from entering into similar deals with Moscow. Russia warned of serious consequences for what it called "economic aggression."

The Moldovan parliament on 02 July 2014 ratified the European Association Agreement. Moldovan parliament members were individually called to the podium to cast their vote to ratify the agreement. Fifty-nine members voted in favor. As a sign of protest against the association agreement, the Party of Communists marched out of the parliament session.