Moldova to be ready to join EU by 2030

The Republic of Moldova is advancing in the accession to the European Union on a merit-based foundation, President Maia Sandu said. The head of state said that the authorities aim to prepare the country for EU membership by 2030, following the agenda set within the negotiation process.


“We believe in a merit-based process; the agenda we announced is based on the usual procedure, not on shortcuts. Through this merit-based process, we will manage to prepare the country for accession by 2030,” declared Maia Sandu.


In the context of the shared European path of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, Maia Sandu explained why the two countries are advancing together in the EU accession process, even though each has its own pace of preparation.


“There was a discussion about the fact that if both countries are technically ready to open negotiations on the first cluster, on the first group of chapters, this must happen for both countries. And this is what happened, because Cluster 1, or the negotiations on Cluster 1, was opened. Further on, obviously, if both countries are ready for the other clusters, this can also take place together. There are areas where things are simpler for the Republic of Moldova, and areas where it is easier for Ukraine to move faster than the Republic of Moldova. So, each with its own pace,” the president noted.


Maia Sandu specified that the authorities aim to fulfill all the necessary conditions by 2028 so that the Republic of Moldova can continue the negotiations at the same speed.


“By 2028 we must meet all the conditions. This is the program we are following, this is the program our colleagues in Brussels are also following. Now we will see how we manage, but I am confident that we will continue at the same pace, and the Commission says every time that the Republic of Moldova is the country moving at the highest speed on this path, only that we started much later and we have ground to recover,” Maia Sandu noted.


The Republic of Moldova opened accession negotiations with the EU for the first cluster, “Fundamental Values,” on 15 June 2026, during the second EU–Republic of Moldova Intergovernmental Conference held in Luxembourg. A month later, on 14 July 2026, the country opened negotiations for Cluster 6, “External Relations,” which covers the chapters on external relations, as well as foreign, security and defence policy.