Strengthening accession negotiations: The European Parliament and the Republic of Moldova launch joint groups on European integration clusters

MEP Siegfried Mureșan, Chair of the European Parliament Delegation for relations with the Republic of Moldova, has announced a new initiative aimed at accelerating the European integration process of the Republic of Moldova.

During the program “At 360 Degrees” on Radio Moldova, he explained that the European Parliament and the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova will create joint working groups, organized according to the six thematic clusters of the accession negotiations.

Legislative support and transfer of expertise

These structures will function similarly to the European Union’s official negotiation mechanism and will aim to support the legislative work required for accession. The main objective is to accelerate reforms by analyzing and adopting the necessary laws within each negotiation cluster. At the same time, the expertise of Members of the European Parliament will be made available to MPs in Chișinău in order to facilitate a faster and more efficient process of alignment with European standards.

Pressure to open political negotiations

Beyond the technical dimension, the initiative also pursues an important political objective. Siegfried Mureșan and the committee’s co-chair, Marcel Spatari, will propose the adoption of a joint declaration calling for the official opening of political negotiations for at least one cluster by the end of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Objectives for 2026

According to the MEP, technical negotiations are progressing favorably, but it is essential that at least one cluster be politically opened by the end of June. Subsequently, the goal is for all other clusters to be launched at the political level by the end of 2026, which would consolidate the pace of the Republic of Moldova’s accession to the European Union.

Active presence on the European stage

Siegfried Mureșan also highlighted the active involvement of Moldovan leaders in European dialogue. The participation of President Maia Sandu in the European Political Community Summit in Armenia and the visit of the Speaker of Parliament, Igor Grosu, to Denmark for the Conference of Speakers of Parliaments demonstrate the strengthening position of the Republic of Moldova in relation to EU member states.

Strengthening the European path

The new framework of parliamentary cooperation is seen as an important tool for boosting negotiations between the European Commission and the authorities in Chișinău. Through this direct collaboration, the accession process becomes better coordinated, while political support for the European integration of the Republic of Moldova remains strong and consistent.