EU Commissioner after opening negotiations on Cluster 6: Moldova - best performing student in my class

A safer Europe includes the Republic of Moldova. For this reason, the European integration of the Republic of Moldova also represents a strategic interest of the European Union. These statements were made this evening by the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, at the end of the third Intergovernmental Conference between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union, during which negotiations were opened for Cluster 6, “External Relations.” Marta Kos emphasized that the Republic of Moldova “is the best performing student in its class” and advocated for opening all negotiation clusters “as soon as possible.

In a joint press conference held together with acting Prime Minister Eugeniu Osmochescu and Irish Minister for European Affairs and Defence Thomas Byrne, European Commissioner Marta Kos stressed that today is “truly a super Tuesday for the enlargement of the European Union, and the Republic of Moldova is part of this process.”

The European official welcomed the opening of Cluster 6, which relates to external relations as well as security and defence policies. Marta Kos noted that “Moldova is already part of the security architecture of the European continent.”

“We opened Cluster 1 only a month ago, which focused on fundamental values related to reforms of an independent judiciary, countering corruption and organized crime. This is the most demanding cluster for any candidate country. And now today we are opening Cluster 6, which concerns external relations as well as security and defence policies. This is an area in which the Republic of Moldova already brings a strong contribution to the European Union. The Republic of Moldova is part of the security architecture of our continent. Efforts to improve convergence are important contributions to European stability in many areas,” said Marta Kos.

The European official pointed out that “the Republic of Moldova has become one of the countries in Europe with the greatest experience in countering hybrid threats,” and that “the lessons learned by the Republic of Moldova are now helping to protect elections throughout the European Union.”

“Over the past years, Russia has tried several times to undermine the European choice of the Republic of Moldova and has failed every time. The lessons learned by the Republic of Moldova are now helping us to protect elections across the European Union and to support partners in our neighbourhood,” the Commissioner said.

According to her, the policy area covered by Cluster 6 is, in fact, the core for building an independent, stable Europe, capable of facing current challenges.

“This cluster is very important because it determines how we, the European Union, are prepared to stand together. It is, in fact, about our external action, about defending our interests and values in order to strengthen our collective security. But most importantly, it is about a message that we deliver with a single European voice. This cluster essentially reflects the very essence of being a member of the European Union. It speaks about the role we assume when we become a member of the European Union. A safer Europe includes the Republic of Moldova. For this reason, the integration of the Republic of Moldova also represents a strategic interest of the European Union,” the official explained.

Marta Kos called for opening negotiations on all clusters “as soon as possible.”

“At the next step, we should continue to open the following negotiation clusters as quickly as possible. All of them, from a technical point of view, are ready,” the Commissioner stressed.

The Republic of Moldova has taken another step forward in advancing the process of European integration by officially opening negotiations for Cluster 6, “External Relations,” during the third Intergovernmental Conference between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union, which took place this evening in Brussels. 

Cluster 6 External Relations is part of the structure of accession negotiations with the European Union and consists of two negotiation chapters: Chapter 30, concerning the EU’s common commercial policy, and Chapter 31, which concerns foreign, security and defence policy.

The Republic of Moldova opened the first accession negotiation cluster with the European Union – Cluster 1, “Fundamental Values” – on 15 June 2026, during the second EU–Republic of Moldova Intergovernmental Conference, held in Luxembourg.