Accession of Moldova to the European Union | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Status | Candidate negotiating | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Earliest possible entry | 2030 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The accession of Moldova to the European Union (EU) is on the current agenda for future enlargement of the EU.
Following an application by Moldova in March 2022, Moldova was officially granted candidate status by the EU on 22 June 2022.
Moldova set a target date of 2030 for EU Accession. [6]
On 14 December 2023, the European Council decided to open accession negotiations with Moldova. [7] It is one of nine current EU candidate countries, together with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine. Accession negotiations officially began on 25 June 2024, simultaneously with those with Ukraine. [8] [9]
The European Parliament passed a resolution in 2014 stating that "in accordance with Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, as well as any other European country, have a European perspective and can apply for EU membership in compliance with the principles of democracy, respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights, minority rights and ensuring the rule of rights". [10]
After the outbreak of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, President of Moldova Maia Sandu signed the application for EU membership on 3 March 2022, together with Igor Grosu, President of the Moldovan Parliament; and Natalia Gavrilița, Prime Minister of Moldova. [11]
On 11 April 2022, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova Nicu Popescu received a questionnaire from the European Commission (EC) following a meeting with the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi as a result of Moldova's application for candidacy. [12] The response to the first part of the questionnaire was submitted back to the EC through the Delegation of the European Union to Moldova's head Janis Mazeiks by the Prime Minister of Moldova Natalia Gavrilița on 22 April, [13] while the responses to the second part were submitted on 12 May 2022. [14]
On 17 June 2022, the European Commission formally recommended that the European Council grant the Republic of Moldova the perspective to become a member of the European Union and candidate status for accession, with a number of conditions for the opening of accession negotiations.[ citation needed ]
On 23 June 2022, Moldova received the status of candidate together with Ukraine. Both countries received candidate status under the commitment of structural reforms. Moldova's structural reforms include:
On 22 June 2023, EU Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi provided an oral update on Moldova's progress toward the reforms. [15]
On 13 September 2023, during the State of the European Union Address, President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen stated that the future of Moldova is "in our Union". [16]
On 20 October 2024, Moldova narrowly voted to amend its constitution to include the aim of becoming a European Union member state in the 2024 Moldovan European Union membership referendum.
The 2023 enlargement package report was released by the European Commission on 8 November 2023, including updates on Moldova's acquis alignment and a recommendation for the Council to open accession negotiations. [17] [18]
On 14 December 2023, the European Council decided to open accession negotiations with Moldova. [7] On 21 June 2024, the European Union agreed to start membership negotiations with Ukraine. [8] [19] Accession negotiations officially opened on 25 June 2024, at the same time as those with Ukraine. [8] [9] Accession negotiations on the first cluster, Fundamentals, is expected to be officially opened in April 2025. [20]
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Acquis chapter [21] | Screening started | Screening completed | Chapter opened | Chapter closed | ||||||||||||||
Overview | 23 out of 33 | 12 out of 33 | 0 out of 33 | 0 out of 33 | ||||||||||||||
1. Free Movement of Goods | 2025-02-18 [22] | |||||||||||||||||
2. Freedom of Movement For Workers | 2024-12-03 [23] | 2024-12-03 [24] | ||||||||||||||||
3. Right of Establishment & Freedom To Provide Services | 2024-12-05 [25] [26] | 2024-12-06 [27] | ||||||||||||||||
4. Free Movement of Capital | 2024-12-16 [28] | 2024-12-16 [29] | ||||||||||||||||
5. Public Procurement | 2024-07-09 [30] | 2024-07-11 [31] | ||||||||||||||||
6. Company Law | 2025-03-20 [32] | |||||||||||||||||
7. Intellectual Property Law | 2024-12-17 [33] | 2024-12-18 [34] [35] | ||||||||||||||||
8. Competition Policy | 2025-01-20 [36] | 2025-01-22 [37] | ||||||||||||||||
9. Financial Services | 2025-02-03 [38] [39] | 2025-02-04 [40] | ||||||||||||||||
10. Information Society & Media | 2025-03-27 [41] | |||||||||||||||||
11. Agriculture & Rural Development | 2025-09 [42] | |||||||||||||||||
12. Food Safety, Veterinary & Phytosanitary Policy | ||||||||||||||||||
13. Fisheries | ||||||||||||||||||
14. Transport Policy | 2025-06 [43] | |||||||||||||||||
15. Energy | ||||||||||||||||||
16. Taxation | ||||||||||||||||||
17. Economic & Monetary Policy | ||||||||||||||||||
18. Statistics | 2024-11-13 [44] | 2024-11-14 [45] | ||||||||||||||||
19. Social Policy & Employment | ||||||||||||||||||
20. Enterprise & Industrial Policy | ||||||||||||||||||
21. Trans-European Networks | 2025-06 [43] | |||||||||||||||||
22. Regional Policy & Coordination of Structural Instruments | ||||||||||||||||||
23. Judiciary & Fundamental Rights | 2024-10-15 [46] | 2024-10-17 [47] | ||||||||||||||||
24. Justice, Freedom & Security | 2024-09-23 [48] | 2024-09-26 [49] | ||||||||||||||||
25. Science & Research | 2025-05-12 [50] | |||||||||||||||||
26. Education & Culture | 2025-05-13 [51] [52] | |||||||||||||||||
27. Environment & Climate Change | 2025-06 [53] | |||||||||||||||||
28. Consumer & Health Protection | 2025-03-17 [54] | |||||||||||||||||
29. Customs Union | ||||||||||||||||||
30. External Relations | 2025-02-05 [55] | 2025-02-05 [56] | ||||||||||||||||
31. Foreign, Security & Defence Policy | 2025-03 [57] | |||||||||||||||||
32. Financial Control | 2024-10-14 [58] | 2024-10-14 | ||||||||||||||||
33. Financial & Budgetary Provisions | ||||||||||||||||||
34. Institutions | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||||||||||||||
35. Other Issues | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||||||||||||||
Clusters | Acquis Chapter | February 2023 Report [59] | November 2023 Report [60] | October 2024 Report [61] |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. Fundamentals | Public administration reform | - | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation |
23. Judiciary & Fundamental Rights | - | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | |
24. Justice, Freedom & Security | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | |
Economic criteria | - | Early stage / Some | Early stage / Some | |
5. Public Procurement | Early stage | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | |
18. Statistics | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | |
32. Financial Control | Early stage | Early stage | Early stage | |
2. Internal Market | 1. Free Movement of Goods | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation |
2. Freedom of Movement For Workers | Early stage | Early stage | Early stage | |
3. Right of Establishment & Freedom To Provide Services | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | |
4. Free Movement of Capital | Some level of preparation | Some / Moderate | Some / Moderate | |
6. Company Law | Early stage | Early stage / Some | Early stage / Some | |
7. Intellectual Property Law | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | |
8. Competition Policy | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | |
9. Financial Services | Early stage | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | |
28. Consumer & Health Protection | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | |
3. Competitiveness and inclusive growth | 10. Digital transformation & Media | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation |
16. Taxation | Early stage | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | |
17. Economic & Monetary Policy | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | |
19. Social Policy & Employment | Early stage | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | |
20. Enterprise & Industrial Policy | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | |
25. Science & Research | Moderately prepared | Moderately prepared | Moderately prepared | |
26. Education & Culture | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | Some / Moderate | |
29. Customs Union | Some level of preparation | Some / Moderate | Moderately prepared | |
4. Green agenda and sustainable connectivity | 14. Transport | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation |
15. Energy | Some level of preparation | Some / Moderate | Moderately prepared | |
21. Trans-European Networks | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | |
27. Environment & Climate Change | Early stage | Early stage | Early stage / Some | |
5. Resources, agriculture and cohesion | 11. Agriculture & Rural Development | Early stage | Early stage | Early stage |
12. Food Safety, Veterinary & Phytosanitary Policy | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | Some level of preparation | |
13. Fisheries | Early stage | Early stage | Early stage | |
22. Regional Policy & Coordination of Structural Instruments | Early stage | Early stage | Some level of preparation | |
33. Financial & Budgetary Provisions | Early stage | Early stage | Early stage | |
6. External relations | 30. External Relations | Moderately prepared | Moderately prepared | Moderately prepared |
31. Foreign, Security & Defence Policy | Moderately prepared | Moderate / Good | Moderate / Good | |
34. Institutions | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
35. Other Issues | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Legend: Well advanced Good / Well advanced Good level of preparation Moderate / Good Moderately prepared Some / Moderate Some level of preparation Early stage / Some Early stage |
According to Octavian Calmîc, who served as Moldova's Minister of Economy from 2016 to 2017, the accession of Moldova to the EU presents potential benefits but also risks. These include the loss of agricultural productivity due to the concentration of land ownership and business operations in multinational corporations, similar to what has occurred in other EU countries. Calmîc has said that the loss of agricultural productivity could lead to a reduction in domestic food production and job losses in rural areas. Additionally, Moldova's local industries face challenges, particularly the risk of decreased competitiveness in both domestic and international markets, which could result in plant closures and unemployment. Furthermore, the energy sector is vulnerable, as Moldova may face high energy prices and a lack of investment in energy infrastructure, according to Calmîc. [62]
The EU Association Agreement (AA) was initialed on 29 November 2013 in Brussels. [63] It was signed on 27 June 2014 and was being provisionally applied (in particular the DCFTA) starting 1 September 2014.
On 1 July 2016, the Association Agreement (AA) between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova fully came into force, following ratification by all 31 signatories. [64]
The parties committed to co-operate and converge economic policy, legislation, and regulation across a broad range of areas, including equal rights for workers, the exchange of information and staff in the area of justice, the modernisation of Moldova's energy infrastructure, and access to the European Investment Bank. The parties committed to regular summit meetings, and meetings among ministers, other officials, and experts.[ citation needed ]
The Association Agreement commits Moldova to economic, judicial and financial reforms to converge its policies and legislation to those of the European Union.[ citation needed ]
The 30 parties are Moldova, the EU and Euratom and the 27 EU members.[ citation needed ]
Signatory | Date | Institution | ![]() | ![]() | AB | Deposited [65] | Reference |
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![]() | 8 July 2015 | National Council | Approved | 28 August 2015 | [66] | ||
23 July 2015 | Federal Council | Approved | [66] | ||||
Presidential Assent | Granted | ||||||
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23 April 2015 | Chamber of Representatives | 102 | 17 | 18 | 1 February 2016 | [67] [68] | |
Royal Assent (federal law) | |||||||
1 July 2015 |
| 63 | 2 | 4 | [69] | ||
61 | 2 | 4 | [69] | ||||
22 June 2015 | German-speaking Community | 16 | 2 | 1 | [70] | ||
24 June 2015 | French Community | 71 | 0 | 8 | [71] | ||
20 November 2015 | Brussels Regional Parliament | 69 | 3 | 3 | [72] [73] | ||
20 November 2015 |
| 53 | 3 | 1 | [75] [76] | ||
14 | 0 | 2 | [75] [76] | ||||
17 June 2015 |
| 83 | 18 | [77] | |||
88 | 19 | [77] | |||||
24 June 2015 | COCOF Assembly | 71 | 0 | 8 | [78] [79] | ||
![]() | 24 July 2014 | National Assembly | 91 | 0 | 0 | 9 September 2014 | [80] |
28 July 2014 | Presidential Assent | Granted | [81] | ||||
![]() | 12 December 2014 | Parliament | 119 | 0 | 0 | 24 March 2015 | [82] |
18 December 2014 | Presidential Assent | Granted | [83] | ||||
![]() | 7 May 2015 | House of Representatives | Approved | 18 August 2015 | [84] | ||
22 May 2015 | Presidential Assent | Granted | [85] | ||||
![]() | 18 March 2015 | Senate | 53 | 0 | 10 | 12 June 2015 | [86] |
9 April 2015 | Chamber of Deputies | 122 | 0 | 6 | [86] | ||
19 May 2015 | Presidential Assent | Granted | [87] | ||||
![]() | 18 December 2014 | Parliament | 101 | 8 | 0 | 18 February 2015 | [88] |
![]() | 4 November 2014 | Assembly | 62 | 0 | 0 | 12 January 2015 | [89] [90] |
13 November 2014 | Presidential Assent | Granted | [91] | ||||
![]() | 13 November 2014 | European Parliament | 535 | 94 | 44 | 19 April 2016 (EAEC) 23 May 2016 (EU) | [92] |
Council of the European Union | |||||||
![]() | 10 March 2015 | Parliament | Approved | 6 May 2015 | [93] | ||
24 April 2015 | Presidential Assent | Granted | [94] | ||||
![]() | 3 March 2015 | Senate | Approved | 3 July 2015 | [95] | ||
16 April 2015 | National Assembly | Approved | [95] | ||||
27 April 2015 | Presidential Assent | Granted | [95] | ||||
![]() | 8 May 2015 | Bundesrat | Approved | 22 July 2015 | [96] | ||
26 March 2015 | Federal Diet | Approved | [97] | ||||
27 May 2015 | Presidential Assent | Granted | [98] | ||||
![]() | 18 November 2015 | Parliament | Approved | 6 January 2016 | [99] | ||
24 November 2015 | Presidential Promulgation | Granted | [100] | ||||
![]() | 25 November 2014 | National Assembly | 133 | 0 | 6 | 7 April 2015 | [101] |
5 December 2014 | Presidential Assent | Granted | [101] | ||||
![]() | 27 January 2015 | Dáil Éireann | 58 | 19 | 0 | 17 April 2015 | [102] |
![]() | 26 November 2015 | Senate | 151 | 35 | 11 | 3 February 2016 | [103] |
29 July 2015 | Chamber of Deputies | 314 | 88 | 36 | [103] | ||
7 December 2015 | Presidential Assent | Granted | [104] | ||||
![]() | 14 July 2014 | Parliament | 79 | 0 | 0 | 2 October 2014 | [105] |
18 July 2014 | Presidential Assent | Granted | [106] | ||||
![]() | 8 July 2014 | Parliament | 84 | 0 | 1 | 29 July 2014 | [107] |
11 July 2014 | Presidential Assent | Granted | [108] | ||||
![]() | 18 March 2015 | Chamber of Deputies | 55 | 2 | 0 | 12 May 2015 | [109] |
12 April 2015 | Grand Ducal Promulgation | Granted | [110] | ||||
![]() | 21 August 2014 | House of Representatives | Approved | 29 August 2014 | [111] [112] [113] | ||
![]() | 2 July 2014 | Parliament | 59 | 4 | 0 | 23 July 2014 | [114] |
8 July 2014 | Presidential Assent | Granted | [115] | ||||
![]() | 7 July 2015 | Senate | Adopted | 21 September 2015 | [116] | ||
7 April 2015 | House of Representatives | Adopted | [117] | ||||
28 July 2015 | Royal Promulgation | Granted | [116] | ||||
![]() | 18 December 2014 | Senate | 79 | 0 | 0 | 24 March 2015 | [118] |
5 December 2014 | House of Representatives | 420 | 0 | 0 | [119] [120] | ||
29 December 2014 | Presidential Assent | Granted | [121] | ||||
![]() | 20 March 2015 | National Assembly | Approved | 13 May 2015 | [122] | ||
22 April 2015 | Presidential Assent | Granted | [123] | ||||
![]() | 2 July 2014 | Chamber of Deputies | 284 | 1 | 1 | 14 July 2014 | [124] |
3 July 2014 | Senate | 122 | 0 | 0 | [125] | ||
9 July 2014 | Presidential Assent | Granted | [126] | ||||
![]() | 23 September 2014 | National Council | 117 | 0 | 0 | 21 October 2014 | [127] |
16 October 2014 | Presidential Assent | Granted | [128] | ||||
![]() | 13 May 2015 | National Assembly | 70 | 3 | 0 | 27 July 2015 | [129] [130] |
21 May 2015 | Presidential Assent | Granted | [131] | ||||
![]() | 27 May 2015 | Senate | Approved | 28 July 2015 | [132] | ||
30 April 2015 | Congress of Deputies | 303 | 0 | 1 | [133] | ||
Royal Assent | Granted | ||||||
![]() | 26 November 2014 | Parliament | 249 | 44 | 0 | 9 January 2015 | [134] |
![]() | 9 March 2015 | House of Lords | Approved | 8 April 2015 | [135] | ||
23 February 2015 | House of Commons | Approved | [136] | ||||
19 March 2015 | Royal Assent | Order Made | [137] |
The ratification was performed in accordance with article 4(2)(b) of the Maltese European Union Act, [111] which reads that:
"Provided that with regard to treaties and international conventions which Malta may accede to as Member State of the European Union, and treaties and international conventions which Malta is bound to ratify in its own name or on behalf of the European Community by virtue of its membership within the European Union, these shall come into force one month following their being submitted in order to be discussed by the Standing Committee on Foreign and European Affairs." [112]
As the treaty was submitted to the Standing Committee on Foreign and European Affairs on 21 July 2014, [113] the treaty came into force as part of the Maltese legislation on 21 August 2014.[ citation needed ]
The ratification was based on The European Union (Definition of Treaties) (Association Agreement) (Moldova) Order 2015, made in accordance with section 1(3) of the European Communities Act 1972, after having been approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.
The agreement applied to the United Kingdom as an EU-member state until Brexit on 31 January 2020. During the transition period that followed Brexit, the agreement until 31 December 2020, the agreement still applied to the UK. The UK and Moldova announced on 8 October 2020 an agreement replacing the EU-Moldova Association Agreement between them, [138] which was provisionally applied from 1 January 2021. [139]
The agreement established a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) between the EU and Moldova, including "the removal of import duties for most goods traded between the EU and Moldova" and "broad mutual access to trade in services for both partners". [140]
A poll in June 2018 found that 46% preferred that Moldova join the EU versus 36% that preferred to join the Eurasian Economic Union. [141] A March 2022 survey conducted by Magenta Consulting found that, after president Maia Sandu announced that her government had officially submitted an application for membership of the European Union, 61% of Moldovans (40% 'totally', 21% 'rather') were in favour of EU membership, up from 52% before the start of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. [142]
Date | Question | Totally support | Rather support | Rather don't support | Don't support at all | Don't know/No answer |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
March 2022 [143] | EU membership | 40% | 21% | 10% | 21% | 8% |
In May 2022, a poll in Moldova found that 56.1% supported EU membership. [144]
Two July 2023 polls in Moldova showed respectively 63% support [145] and 59% support [146] for Moldova joining the EU.
A referendum on joining the EU took place in autumn 2024. There were no voting stations in Transnistria; however, residents there were free to travel to other areas of Moldova to vote. [147] A small majority supported the referendum on joining the EU. [148] [149] [150]
On 2 February 2014, the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia held two referendums on European integration. In one, 98.4% voted in favour of joining the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia, while in the second 97.2% opposed further integration with the EU. 98.9% also supported the proposition that Gagauzia could declare independence if Moldova unified with Romania. [151] There is concern in Gagauzia that Moldova's integration with the EU could lead to such a unification with EU member Romania, which is unpopular in the autonomous region. [152]
Moldova citizens have been able to travel to the Schengen area from 28 April 2014 without a visa. However, beginning in 2025, Moldovans will need to comply with the EU's ETIAS system before entering any of the EU/Schengen member countries. [153]
There is some support for the unification of Moldova and Romania, which would incorporate the current territory of Moldova into Romania and thus into the EU. [154] About 44% of the Moldovans that were polled in 2021 supported such a scenario. [155]
Member countries | Population [156] | Area (km2) | GDP (US$) [157] | GDP per capita (US$) | Languages |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | 2,512,758 | 30,334 | 16 billion | 6,410 | Romanian |
EU27 | 447,007,596 | 4,233,262 | 17.046 trillion | 38,134 | 24 |
EU27+1 | 449,520,896 (+0.56%) | 4,263,113 (+0.71%) | 17.062 trillion (+0.09%) | 37,825 (−0.81%) | 24 |
[ Figures don't add ] |