European Commission announces major new support package for Moldova

On 28 June, the European Commission announced a support package for the Republic of Moldova to address the impact of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine on Moldova and to bring the country closer to the European Union.

The support package for Moldova has five priorities:

• Facilitating economic development and connectivity with focus on support to SMEs, trade, energy efficiency, human capital development as well as connectivity. The EU will provide funding to projects tackling bottlenecks at key border crossing points between Moldova, Ukraine and the EU, with the aim of addressing challenges faced by cross-border communities. The EU is also working on a long-term roaming arrangement building on the recent achievement to reduce roaming prices.
• Supporting Moldova’s reforms through strengthening administrative capacity, offering advisory services focusing on challenges arising on the enlargement path, dedicated training and support programmes, as well as increasing the participation of Moldova in EU programmes like Horizon Europe, Fiscalis, Customs, LIFE, and EU4Health.
• Ensuring Moldova’s energy security by increasing domestic electricity production, participating in the EU common gas purchasing mechanism, boosting renewables, and focusing on energy efficiency.
• Enhancing Moldova’s security through targeted investments, provision of equipment, and cooperation within the High Level Political and Security Dialogue;  expanding cooperation through the newly-launched EU Partnership Mission to Moldova, the EU-Moldova Support Hub for Internal Security and Border Management, the EU Border Assistance Mission, as well as with European agencies, notably Frontex, Europol, Eurojust and CEPOL; strengthening Moldova’s defence sector through the European Peace Facility.
• Countering foreign information manipulation and interference, including disinformation, and enhancing strategic communication through technical support to the Moldovan government and capacity building of independent media, civil society, and youth.

“With today’s package, the EU shows we stand by Moldova and we will work to accelerate your European integration and reforms. Moldova’s future lies in the EU,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

According to a press release by the European Commission, around €600 million under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) could be redeployed for 2024-2027 programmes to increase support for other neighbourhood countries, including Moldova.

Find out more

Press release