European Commission says Moldova making steady progress on EU accession path

Moldova has continued to steadily progress on its EU accession path, despite significant challenges arising from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and hybrid actions against Moldova, the European Commission said today with the adoption of its annual Enlargement Package.

The Commission said the opening of accession negotiations in December 2023 had been an important recognition of Moldova’s determination to pursue reforms on the path of EU accession despite facing continuous Russian interference. 

“Following the first intergovernmental conference in June 2024, the analytical examination of the acquis (the screening) is progressing smoothly. Subject to Moldova meeting all the conditions, the Commission is looking forward to the opening of negotiations on clusters, starting with the fundamentals, as soon as possible in 2025,” the EC said.

The Commission and Moldova have together developed a Growth Plan that will boost support to relevant reform and investment priorities and extend certain benefits of participation in the single market, the EC says in its 2024 Communication on EU Enlargement Policy.

The Communication noted that, voting on 20 October 2024 in a referendum on EU accession, the Moldovan people had supported by 50.38% the proposal to enshrine EU accession in the Constitution.

The Commission said Moldova had further improved its alignment with EU common foreign and security policy; it continued implementing a comprehensive justice reform and deoligarchisation efforts, and had launched investigations and prosecution of illegal financial flows and voter bribery. 

Moving forward will require consolidating reforms focusing on the efficient functioning of institutions within their designated roles and competencies as well as enforcing transparent and standardised appointment and dismissal procedures, the report said, adding that continued reforms would be needed to increase convergence with the EU and integration into the Single Market.

Find out more

Press release

Moldova Report 2024

Moldova 2024 Enlargement Package Factsheet

EU accession process step by step