Expert says Moldova's accession to EU achievable in 2029, if country maintains pace

The expansion of the European Union is no longer merely a bureaucratic process, but a matter of security, claims Andrei Curararu, an expert from the WatchDog.MD community, in an analysis of Moldova's prospects of joining the EU by 2029. According to him, the pace of reforms and political will can make this objective a realistic goal, not just a slogan.

‘Since 2022, the EU’s enlargement has also become a security issue. When the stakes rise, steps are taken in parallel, not sequentially. Therefore, 2029 can be an achievable timeline for Moldova, if we maintain the pace,’’ said Curararu.

The expert emphasizes that European integration no longer means waiting for the ‘’day of truth,’’ but a gradual process, already visible in the economy and daily life.

‘The EU has started to provide benefits even before accession. Moldova already benefits from financial support packages, simplified euro payments through the European system and upcoming domestic-like roaming,’’ the analyst specified.

He reminds that other countries have quickly made their way to the Union when there was political will. Austria, Finland and Sweden completed negotiations in about 14 months and joined on January 1, 1995, and in other cases, such as Croatia or the 2004 enlargement, the period between treaty’s signing and accession was only one to one and a half years.

After the recent EU–Moldova summit, the political message is ‘’clear,’’ Curararu believes: our country is part of the EU’s strategic enlargement package. ‘’Integration can advance in stages and market benefits are already visible. The next step is to defuse political blockages within the EU, such as Hungary’s current position. This can change through elections, negotiations, or moving to a majority voting mechanism, without veto power,’’ the expert noted.

Even if the accession process is prolonged, Moldova has the opportunity to gradually access European benefits:

Gradual integration – participation in European programmes and sectoral markets as conditions are met.

Two-step accession – signing the treaty earlier, with partial activation of rights.

Temporary economic partnership – almost full access to the single market, similar to the European Economic Area.

‘All these options bring visible progress, even if European policy keeps its foot on the brake for a while in other matters,’’ Curararu specified.

The expert warns that success largely depends on the actions of the Moldovan authorities:

‘Our part is about results, not just laws. We need cases completed in justice, clear indicators and alignment packages that pass coherently through parliament. We must make the most of already available benefits, in order to show that integration brings benefits now, not just after accession.’’

In conclusion, Curararu rejects the idea that the year 2029 is a ‘’nice tale’’:

‘When someone says that 2029 is a dream, the answer is simple: it’s not a tale, it’s an extra shield for Europe. It’s already visible in pocket – European projects, money coming more easily and we no longer pay for phone calls like we used to. Moldova is already on the threshold. If we push the cart, 2029 is not a dream, it’s the only right path.’’