PM says Europe becomes 'Home' for Moldovan payments too, by joining SEPA, MIA

Moldova is gradually integrating into the European financial architecture, with significant steps undertaken in 2025, such as joining the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) and developing the MIA instant payment system. This year's achievements and priorities for the future have been discussed at a conference organized by the National Bank of Moldova, titled, Momentum European: A Year of Progress and Integration, attended by Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu.

"2025 is the year Europe became 'Home' for Moldovan payments as well. European integration is no longer just an abstract concept; it has become an everyday utility for the citizen through significant achievements — joining SEPA and the MIA instant payments," said PM Alexandru Munteanu.

The prime minister noted that Moldova's joining the SEPA as of October 6, 2025, was more than just a technical achievement: "Today, an entrepreneur from Chisinau can transfer funds to partners in Berlin or Paris with the same ease, speed, and reduced costs as in the country."

For these achievements, the prime minister thanked for the efforts of the teams from the National Bank of Moldova (BNM) and the Department for Preventing and Combating Money Laundering, implementation partners, such as the National Bank of Romania, the Bank of the Netherlands and the Bank of Lithuania, as well as the Twinning project supported by the European Commission, which assisted in preparing the application for joining the Single Euro Payments Area.

Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu emphasized that the continued modernization of financial infrastructure focused on three fundamental pillars: aligning with European security standards, ensuring transparency and efficiency through digital payments, and enhancing competitiveness by eliminating tariff barriers in cross-border transactions.

"Moldova is no longer just an observer on the periphery of the European financial system, but an active participant implementing state-of-the-art solutions. Moldova's future is European and the foundation of this future is a solid and digitized financial system," concluded the prime minister.

The event organized by the National Bank of Moldova brought together representatives of national and European authorities, financial institutions, economic experts and international partners, offering a platform for dialogue on modernizing financial infrastructure and its direct impact on the economy and society.