Speaker after opening of negotiations with EU: Step by step, Moldova becoming member state of European Union

The Republic of Moldova has taken a new step in the process of European integration, with the official opening of accession negotiations with the European Union for the first cluster of chapters. Speaker Igor Grosu made the statement.

The Speaker stressed that this stage is the result of reforms and efforts made in recent years by the authorities, together with European partners and Moldovan society.


"The Republic of Moldova has taken another important step towards the European Union. We have officially opened accession negotiations for the first cluster – the result of work, reforms, and joint efforts made in recent years," Grosu said.


At the same time, he thanked state institutions, European partners, civil society, the business community, and citizens for their contribution to advancing the accession process.


"I thank all those who contributed to this progress: state institutions, our European partners, civil society, the business community, and citizens who believe in the European future of our country," he stated.


According to Grosu, the authorities will continue to implement reforms and strengthen state institutions in order to bring the Republic of Moldova closer to the goal of joining the European Union.


"Moldova is delivering results and we will continue to build a stronger state, more efficient institutions, and a European future for every citizen. Step by step, Moldova is becoming a member state of the European Union," the Speaker said.


 

Yesterday's Intergovernmental Conference in Luxembourg marked the official launch of the Republic of Moldova's accession negotiations for Cluster 1 – Fundamental Values, which includes key chapters on the rule of law, the functioning of democratic institutions, justice reform, fundamental rights, and the fight against corruption.

Accession negotiations cover 33 chapters, organized into six thematic groups (clusters). The Fundamental Values group is the first to be opened and the last to be closed, being considered the backbone of the entire process.

Chapters 23 and 24 play a central role in this group, as they are dedicated to the rule of law – the functioning of the judiciary, the fight against corruption, fundamental rights, and state security. These are considered the core of the accession negotiations. For these chapters, the European Union sets intermediate benchmarks, which are the basic conditions that the Republic of Moldova must meet. The pace of the entire process depends on the fulfillment of these criteria, since the provisional closure of any chapter cannot take place before these conditions are achieved.

The official opening of negotiations on a group of chapters takes place within intergovernmental conferences, and a chapter is provisionally closed only after the agreed conditions have been met. All chapters must be closed before the completion of the accession process.

In September 2025, the Republic of Moldova completed the bilateral screening with the EU – a stage that assesses the compatibility of national legislation with the European acquis. In mid-December 2025, the country began technical discussions on the first negotiation chapters.

The Republic of Moldova submitted its application for membership of the European Union on 3 March 2022, and on 23 June 2022 it obtained candidate country status, with a recommendation to continue reforms. In November 2023, European assessments confirmed Moldova's progress and recommended the opening of accession negotiations, a decision approved by EU leaders in December 2023. On 25 June 2024, accession negotiations officially began.