floarea soareluistemă naţională a Moldoveifloarea soarelui
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RM—EU Relations

The relations between the Republic of Moldova and European Union were formally launched on 28 November 1994 when the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) was signed and which entered into force on 1st July 1998 for an initial period of 10 years with the possibility of prolongation. The document establishes the legal framework of the current EU-Moldova political, economical, legal, cultural and scientific relations. The key goal of the Agreement is to support Moldova on the way to: strengthening democracy and rule of law, ensuring the respect of human rights as well as the minorities rights by developing the relevant framework for a political dialogue; sustainable economy and finalization of the transition process towards a market economy, providing a good investment climate and harmonized economic relations.

According to the PCA provisions the institutional dialogue between the Republic of Moldova and EU is done within the following cooperation structures:

Political level:

  • The Cooperation Council Moldova – EU, meets once a year at the high officials level (Prime Minister (President)/Commissioner for External Relations and ENP, High Representative for the CFSP, Secretary General of the Council of the EU/EU presidency). The goal of the meeting is to set up the strategic development directions of the Moldova – EU relations;
  • The Cooperation Committee Moldova – EU, meets at senior civil servants level in order to discuss the tendencies of the sectorial Moldova- UE cooperation;
  • The Parliamentary Co-operation Committee between the European Parliament and the Moldovan Parliament - meets at the level of the Heads of Moldovan and European Parliaments.

Working level: Sub-Committees are sectorial meetings at experts’ level which are organized once a year and these are:

  • Sub-Committee on Trade and Investment
  • Sub-Committee on Financial, Economic and Statistical issues
  • Sub-Committee on Customs and Cross-border Cooperation, and Justice, Freedom and Security
  • Sub-Committee on Energy, environment, networks, science and technology, training, education

At the same time, the dialogue between Moldova and EU is ensured through regular meetings in the format of EU – Moldova Political Dialogues (COEST, COPS, Political Directors), where are discussed the Moldovan reform agenda, EU-Moldova relations and Foreign and Security Policy issues of common interest. Mutual visits, meetings and consultations on all levels are taking place as well.

In May 2004 Moldova was included in the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) of the EU. The EU – Moldova Action Plan was signed on 22 February 2005. Since 7th May, 2009 Republic of Moldova is participating in the Eastern Partnership initiative as an active contributor to both multilateral and bilateral dimensions. 

European integration remains the irreversible objective of the internal and external agenda of the Republic of Moldova. Currently the EU and the Republic of Moldova are negotiating an Association Agreement to succeed the PCA. This Association Agreement will significantly deepen Moldova’s political association and economic integration with the EU, aiming at getting Moldova closer to the EU.

A Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) will start to be negotiated during 2011, when relevant conditions are met.

EU-Republic of Moldova Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements entered into force in January 2008 and a wider Mobility Partnership was signed in June 2008. On 15th June 2010 a Visa Liberalization Dialogue was launched. In January 2011 Moldova received the Action Plan on visa liberalization that includes two-tiered benchmarks, that once implemented will lead to a visa free travel regime between EU and the Republic of Moldova.

Since 2010, the Republic of Moldova is a full member of the Energy Community Treaty. In 2011 negotiations on the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the Common European Aviation Area are expected to start. On 30 September 2010 was signed the Protocol on the general principles for the participation of the Republic of Moldova in European Union programmes, which shall enter into force on 1 May 2011. The first community programme towards which RM plans to accede is the FP7.