The Republic of Moldova Accelerates European Reforms: The Pace of Integration Attracts Additional Resources from the European Commission

The Republic of Moldova Accelerates European Reforms as the European Commission Adapts Its Resources

The Republic of Moldova is advancing at a sustained pace on its path towards European integration, and the progress made in implementing the reforms required by the European Union is prompting the European Commission to adapt its resources in order to keep pace with developments in Chișinău. According to EU officials cited by Euronews, the department responsible for enlargement has been forced to reallocate resources towards candidate countries that are making the fastest progress.

The acceleration of the reform process reflects the efforts made by the authorities in Chișinău in recent years, particularly since 2020. The reforms cover several key areas essential for bringing the country closer to European standards and advancing the accession negotiations.

The European Commission Adapts Its Assessment Capacity

The European Commission’s Directorate-General responsible for enlargement is managing the progress of several candidate countries simultaneously, placing pressure on available resources. In the case of the Republic of Moldova, the pace of reforms has required the additional mobilisation of European expertise to assess and verify the implementation of the country’s commitments.

The European Commission is responsible for assessing whether reforms are being effectively implemented and aligned with EU standards. Consequently, the capacity of European institutions to conduct assessments must adapt to the pace that each candidate country is realistically able to sustain.

A Reform Pace Described as “Unprecedented”

Cristina Gherasimov, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova for European Integration, stressed that the reforms implemented over the past five years represent an unprecedented effort for the country. According to her, these results are underpinned by political will and the determination of society to make the most of the opportunity currently offered by the European Union’s enlargement process.

At the same time, the authorities in Chișinău are seeking to maintain the pace of reform, which is considered essential for rapidly advancing the accession negotiations and achieving the country’s European integration objectives.

Moldova’s Technical Progress Contrasts with Political Obstacles

While the Republic of Moldova is making rapid progress on the technical side of the accession process, the political dimension of EU enlargement continues to pose challenges. The European path of the Republic of Moldova remains politically linked to that of Ukraine, while the pace of Kyiv’s negotiations has been affected by disagreements with Hungary.

Ukraine continues to implement the reforms required for accession, but the war, pressure on the state budget and political disputes between Kyiv and Budapest are influencing the progress of its negotiations. Against this backdrop, the Republic of Moldova’s rapid technical progress stands in contrast to the more difficult pace of the European political process.

Why Moldova and Ukraine’s European Paths Are Linked

The link between the two accession processes is known as “coupling” and represents an informal political practice whereby the European paths of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine are treated together. The two countries officially began their accession processes in 2022, in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while accession negotiations with both countries were opened simultaneously by EU leaders in December 2023.

Maintaining this connection has a strong geopolitical dimension. For Ukraine, the prospect of EU membership represents a strategic anchor in the European space, while for the Republic of Moldova, closer ties with the European Union are closely linked to the country’s security and stability, including in the context of the Russian military presence in the Transnistrian region.

Hungary’s Veto and Its Impact on the Enlargement Process

Ukraine’s accession process was affected for approximately two years by Hungary’s opposition, against the backdrop of bilateral disputes concerning the rights of the Hungarian minority in the Transcarpathian region. Although these disagreements are bilateral in nature, the political link between the two accession processes has meant that developments concerning Ukraine have also had consequences for the Republic of Moldova.

Since the beginning of this year, Ukraine’s accession process has registered some progress, including the lifting of the veto on the first negotiating cluster and the opening of the second of the six negotiating clusters. Nevertheless, the pace remains vulnerable to political developments and relations between Kyiv and Budapest.

A Technical Process That Can Advance Independently of Political Obstacles

Despite the political link between the two countries, European officials emphasise that the implementation of reforms should not be conditioned by the pace of political negotiations. The Republic of Moldova can continue to fulfil its technical commitments, implement reforms and prepare the ground for the next stages of the accession process.

According to European assessments, the political coupling between Moldova and Ukraine could remain in place until all the remaining negotiating clusters have been opened. Subsequently, if the Republic of Moldova maintains its current pace of reforms, its accession process could enter a phase of accelerated progress.

Chișinău Aims to Complete Accession Negotiations by 2028

The Republic of Moldova has set an ambitious objective regarding European integration. Cristina Gherasimov stated that the authorities aim to have the country ready to conclude accession negotiations with the European Union by the beginning of 2028.

Achieving this objective will depend on maintaining the current pace of reforms, the institutional capacity to implement the EU acquis and political developments within the European Union. Nevertheless, the progress achieved so far places the Republic of Moldova among the candidate countries advancing rapidly in the European integration process.