VIDEO // Republic of Moldova marks four years since submitting application for European Union membership

The Republic of Moldova marks today four years since submitting its application for accession to the European Union. President Maia Sandu signed the document on March 3, 2022. Three months later, in June 2022, the European Council granted the Republic of Moldova candidate-country status, strengthening EU support through funding, assistance for reforms, and deeper integration into the European single market.

Official accession negotiations between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union were launched in June 2024.

“The Republic of Moldova is taking determined steps toward the European Union. This cooperation helps Moldova modernize its institutions, move closer to the European standard, and advance on the path to accession. The European Union stands firmly by the Republic of Moldova,” underlined the EU Delegation to Chisinau.

The year 2025 was marked by an accelerated process of the country’s accession to the European Union. On May 9, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos and former Prime Minister Dorin Recean signed in Chisinau the Growth Plan for Moldova, worth 1.9 billion euros, which represents the largest financial support ever received by our country.

Another significant event took place at the end of May, when the Government adopted the National Programme for EU Accession. This represents the roadmap toward the European Union. Thus, over 3,000 EU legal acts will be transposed into national legislation.

On July 4, Chisinau hosted the first Moldova–European Union Summit, under the auspices of President Maia Sandu. The event was attended by the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. The event marked the moment when relations with the EU entered a new political stage.

On Independence Day, the Republic of Moldova had important guests: President of France Emmanuel Macron, Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz and Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk. Their message was clear: Moldova’s future is in the European Union.

On September 22, in Brussels, the Republic of Moldova completed the bilateral screening stage. In a record time of just 15 months, during sessions organized in Chisinau, Luxembourg, and Brussels, more than one hundred thousand pages of national legislation were examined in relation to EU law.

At the parliamentary elections on September 28, the citizens of the Republic of Moldova chose to continue the European path. The new Parliament in Chisinau created a Committee for European Integration, headed by MP Marcel Spatari. On November 7, 2025, the European Parliament Office for the Eastern Partnership states was inaugurated in Chisinau.

On December 15, 2025, the Republic of Moldova received the green light from the 27 EU member states to begin technical discussions on the first chapters of the accession negotiations. The decision of the EU Council marked Chisinau’s transition to a new stage in the European integration process, after the completion of the screening phase – the analysis of the compatibility of national legislation with the EU acquis.

The new Government led by Alexandru Munteanu has set 10 key priorities on the path to EU accession, focusing on economic reforms, justice sector reforms, and the harmonization of national legislation with that of the EU. Chisinau authorities emphasize that these stages mark crucial moments in the EU accession negotiations, which will underpin future progress in integrating the Republic of Moldova into the European Union.