COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Republic of Moldova 2023 Report Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions 2023 Communication on EU Enlargement policy
Date: 2023-11-08
Institutions: Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, European Commission
Subjects: Moldova, accession criteria, accession negotiations, pre-accession strategy, regional cooperation

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 8.11.2023  SWD(2023) 698 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Republic of Moldova 2023 Report Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions 2023 Communication on EU Enlargement policy                       {COM(2023) 690 final} - {SWD(2023) 690 final} - {SWD(2023) 691 final} - {SWD(2023) 692 final} - {SWD(2023) 693 final} - {SWD(2023) 694 final} - {SWD(2023) 695 final} - {SWD(2023) 696 final} - {SWD(2023) 697 final} - {SWD(2023) 699 final}  
 
 
Table of Contents 

1. 

INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................3 

CONTEXT ........................................................................................................................................ 3 
SUMMARY OF THE REPORT ................................................................................................................. 3 
ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NINE STEPS SPECIFIED IN THE 

1.1. 
1.2. 
1.3. 
COMMISSION'S OPINION ............................................................................................................................ 8 

2.  CLUSTER 1: THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE ACCESSION PROCESS ........................... 11 

FUNCTIONING OF DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFORM ............................................ 11 
2.1.1 Democracy ................................................................................................................................. 11 
2.1.2. Public administration reform ................................................................................................... 17 
2.2. RULE OF LAW AND FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS ..................................................................................... 21 
2.2.1. Chapter 23: Judiciary and fundamental rights ......................................................................... 21 
2.2.2. Chapter 24: Justice, freedom and security ............................................................................... 44 
2.3. ECONOMIC CRITERIA ............................................................................................................................. 56 
2.3.1. The existence of a functioning market economy ...................................................................... 56 
2.3.2. The capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union ............ 63 
2.4. PUBLIC PROCUREMENT, STATISTICS, FINANCIAL CONTROL ............................................................................ 66 
Chapter 5: Public procurement ........................................................................................................... 66 
Chapter 18: Statistics .......................................................................................................................... 68 
Chapter 32: Financial control ............................................................................................................. 69 

3.  GOOD NEIGHBOURLY RELATIONS AND REGIONAL COOPERATION ....................... 71 

4.  ABILITY TO ASSUME THE OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERSHIP ......................................................... 73 

CLUSTER 2: INTERNAL MARKET ...................................................................................................................... 73 
Chapter 1: Free movement of goods .................................................................................................. 73 
Chapter 2: Freedom of movement for workers .................................................................................. 75 
Chapter 3: Right of establishment and freedom to provide services ................................................. 76 
Chapter 4: Free movement of capital ................................................................................................. 77 
Chapter 6: Company law .................................................................................................................... 78 
Chapter 7: Intellectual property law .................................................................................................. 78 
Chapter 8: Competition policy ............................................................................................................ 79 
Chapter 9: Financial services .............................................................................................................. 81 
Chapter 28: Consumer and health protection .................................................................................... 82 
CLUSTER 3: COMPETITIVENESS AND INCLUSIVE GROWTH .................................................................................... 85 
Chapter 10: Digital transformation and media .................................................................................. 85 
Chapter 16: Taxation .......................................................................................................................... 87 
Chapter 17: Economic and monetary policy ....................................................................................... 89 
Chapter 19: Social policy and employment ........................................................................................ 90 
Chapter 20: Enterprise and industrial policy ...................................................................................... 92 
Chapter 25: Science and research ...................................................................................................... 94 
Chapter 26: Education and culture ..................................................................................................... 95 
Chapter 29: Customs union ................................................................................................................ 97 
CLUSTER 4: GREEN AGENDA AND SUSTAINABLE CONNECTIVITY ............................................................................ 98 
Chapter 14: Transport policy .............................................................................................................. 98 
Chapter 15: Energy ........................................................................................................................... 100 
Chapter 21: Trans-European networks............................................................................................. 103 
Chapter 27: Environment and climate change ................................................................................. 104 
CLUSTER 5: RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE AND COHESION ................................................................................... 107 
Chapter 11: Agriculture and rural development .............................................................................. 107 

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Chapter 12: Food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy ........................................................ 108 
Chapter 13: Fisheries ........................................................................................................................ 109 
Chapter 22: Regional policy and coordination of structural instruments ........................................ 110 
Chapter 33: Financial and budgetary provisions .............................................................................. 112 
CLUSTER 6: EXTERNAL RELATIONS ................................................................................................................ 113 
Chapter 30: External relations .......................................................................................................... 113 
Chapter 31: Foreign, security and defence policy ............................................................................ 114 
ANNEX I – RELATIONS BETWEEN THE EU AND MOLDOVA ................................................................................ 117 

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1. 

INTRODUCTION 

1.1.  CONTEXT 

Following  the  application  of  the  Republic  of  Moldova  for  EU  membership  in  March  2022, 
the Commission identified nine steps for Moldova to proceed on its accession process in its 
opinion on the membership application.1 These steps relate to the EU’s values and standards, 
in  particular  democracy  and  the  rule  of  law,  including  justice  reform  and  public 
administration  reform,  as  well  as  fundamental  rights.  In  June  2022,  the  European  Council 
granted  candidate  status  to  Moldova  and  invited  the  Commission  to  report  on  the 
implementation  of  the  nine  steps.2  To  complement  the  opinion,  in  February  2023,  the 
Commission published the analytical reports on the country’s alignment with the EU acquis.3 

Since  the  start  of  Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine,  Moldova  has  been  tackling 
unprecedented challenges, including large numbers of refugees, inflation, threats to its energy 
supplies, violations of its airspace, and many hybrid actions such as foreign interference and 
information and manipulations and cyberattacks. In addressing these challenges, Moldova has 
shown  its  resilience  and  commitment  to  progress  its  EU  agenda  while  taking  measures  to 
mitigate the impact of Russia’s war of aggression. Moldova continues to implement the EU-
Moldova  Association  Agreement,  including  its  Deep  and  Comprehensive  Free  Trade  Area. 
Over the past year, Moldova has also taken decisive action on the nine steps. The executive 
and legislative branches of power have worked together on the country’s reform agenda with 
the support of the Moldovan people. The granting of candidate status for EU membership in 
June 2022 has accelerated reform efforts. 

Moldova  has  welcomed  the  highest  number  of  displaced  persons  fleeing  Russia’s  war  of 
aggression against Ukraine per capita in Europe. By doing so, the country has demonstrated 
once  more  that  it  is  a  reliable  partner.  In  2023,  Moldova  hosted  the  European  Political 
Community, underlining its readiness to stand together with its European Union partners to 
address the current challenges. 

The  EU  remains  fully  committed  to  support  a  comprehensive,  peaceful  and  sustainable 
settlement  of  the  Transnistrian  conflict.  This  should  be  based  on  the  sovereignty  and 
territorial integrity of Moldova in its internationally recognised borders, with a special status 
for the Transnistrian region. The DCFTA applies to the entire territory of Moldova. 

1.2.  SUMMARY OF THE REPORT4 

On the political criteria, Moldova has continued reform efforts to strengthen democracy and 
the  rule  of  law  despite  multiple  challenges  linked  to  Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against 
Ukraine.  Good  progress  was  made  on  electoral  legislation  over  the  reporting  period  in 

1 COM(2022) 406 final 
2 EUCO 24/22 
3 SWD(2023) 32 final 
4  This  report  covers  the  period  from  June  2022  to  June  2023.  It  is  based  on  input  from  a  variety  of  sources, 
including  contributions  from  the  government  of  the  Republic  of  Moldova,  the  EU  Member  States,  European 
Parliament  reports  and  information  from  various  international  and  non-governmental  organisations.  It  also 
includes the results of comparative assessments and indices produced by other stakeholders, in particular in the 
area of rule of law. 
The  report  uses  the  following  assessment  scale  to  describe  the  state  of  play:  early  stage,  some  level  of 
preparation,  moderately  prepared,  good  level  of  preparation  and  well  advanced.  To  describe  progress  made 
during  the  reporting  period,  it  uses  the  following  scale:  backsliding,  no  progress,  limited  progress,  some 
progress, good progress and very good progress. Where appropriate, interim steps have also been used. 

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addressing and implementing the remaining recommendations made by the Organisation for 
Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights 
(ODIHR)  and  the  Venice  Commission,  in  their  opinions  issued  in  December  2021  and 
October  2022.  The  electoral  legislation  has  been  comprehensively  amended  to  address 
inconsistencies,  and  a  new  Electoral  Code  was  adopted  in  December  2022.  Further 
amendments  to  the  Electoral  Code  were  adopted  in  October  2023,  which  provided  for  the 
possibility to ban from running for elected office members of political parties that have been 
declared  unconstitutional  by  the  Constitutional  Court.  These  amendments  still  need  to  be 
consulted with the Venice Commission, to ensure alignment with European standards. 

In  addition,  the  authorities  need  to  implement  the  electoral  legislation  by  strengthening  the 
Central  Election  Commission  with  sufficient  authority,  resources  and  technical  expertise  to 
carry  out  its  work  effectively.  Moldova  needs  to  ensure  the  transparency  of  political  party 
funding  and  the  accountability  of  campaign  finance.  To  further  reduce  the  risk  of  malign 
interference,  the  country  needs  to  regulate  the  involvement  of  third  parties  in  election 
campaigns,  in  line  with  the  Group  of  States  against  Corruption  (GRECO)  and  ODIHR 
recommendations. 

Over  the  reporting  period,  Parliament  played  a  major  role  in  the  EU  accession  process, 
supporting the government’s reform efforts. Distrust and an occasional lack of transparency 
resulted  in  a  low  engagement  of  the  opposition  in  the  law-making  process.  Further  efforts 
should be made to improve transparency by planning oversight activities and public hearings, 
publishing  the  parliamentary  calendar  sufficiently  early,  and  increasing  the  level  of 
accountability  of  parliamentarians.  The  process  of  amending  Parliament’s  Rules  of 
Procedures should be accelerated and ensure a broader involvement of civil society. A strong 
parliamentary  majority  supported  the  reforms  initiated  by  President  Maia  Sandu  and  the 
government. A government reshuffle took place in February 2023, and the new government 
has remained focused on Moldova’s reform agenda. The government worked actively on the 
EU  reform  agenda  and  on  dealing  with  the  consequences  of  Russia’s  war  of  aggression 
against Ukraine. It took steps to improve the transparency of decision-making and democratic 
accountability mechanisms. It also ensured a good level of coordination and policy planning. 
Decisive efforts are needed to ensure that adopted legislation is implemented effectively, and 
all parts of regulatory policy are applied at all levels of government. 

An  enabling  environment  exists  for  civil  society  organisations  (CSOs),  with  legal  and 
financial  frameworks  in  place.  The  legislative  framework  is  in  line  with  international 
standards.  Moldova  has  involved  civil  society  in  decision-making.  Further  efforts  should 
focus  on  adopting  the  national  strategy  on  civil  society  development  and  improving  the 
quality  of  public  consultation  processes  to    improve  transparency  and  get  CSOs  more 
involved in policy dialogue, especially in parliamentary debates and at local level. 

Moldova  has  some  level  of  preparation  in  the  area  of  public  administration  reform,  and 
some progress has been made. In particular, the new public administration reform strategy for 
2023-2030  was  adopted  in  March  2023,  and  its  implementation  programme  for  2023-2026 
was  adopted  in  June  2023.  Due  to  a  complex  salary  grid  and  the  many  different  job 
classifications,  civil  servants’  pay  varies  and  is  inconsistent  across  the  administration. 
Moldova started addressing this issue by adopting a new law on salaries. Moldova needs to 
continue    increasing  its capacity  to  implement  the  reforms  and  provide  good  quality  public 
services at all levels. 

Moldova has some level of preparation in the area of the judiciary. The country made good 
progress  in  the  reform  of  the  justice  sector.  Candidates  for  the  Superior  Council  of 
Magistracy  (SCM)  and  the  Superior  Council  of  Prosecutors  (SCP)  had  to  undergo  a  pre-
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vetting  based  on  the  corresponding  law  adopted  in  line  with  Venice  Commission 
recommendations. Parliament also adopted a law on Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) reform 
and  the  vetting  of  its  candidates  and  of  its  sitting  judges  has  started,  in  line  with  Venice 
Commission  recommendations.  On  31  July  2023,  Parliament  adopted  a  law  on  the  further 
vetting  of  judges  and  prosecutors  in  high  level  positions,  which  was  consulted  with  the 
European  Commission  and  broadly  aligned  with  Venice  Commission  recommendations. 
However, the President then returned the law to  Parliament with  additional changes, which 
Parliament  adopted  on  22  August  2023.  The  additional  revisions  were  sent  to  the  Venice 
Commission for review. 

The  length  of  proceedings,  low  clearance  rates  and  the  large  backlog  of  cases  negatively 
affect the judicial system’s efficiency. There was no significant progress in the prosecution of 
high-profile  corruption  cases  and  long-standing  criminal  cases.  One  verdict  was  passed  on 
two fugitive oligarchs.  Due to  the lack of  a quorum in  the SCM, no new judges have been 
appointed  in  the  past  3  years.  However,  following  the  appointments  of  three  non-judge 
members  and  four  judge  members  to  the  SCM  in  March  and  April  2023  respectively,  the 
SCM restored its quorum and made new appointments across the judiciary, including to new 
ranks. The new judicial map, which should reform the court system, needs to be finalised.  

Moldova has some level of preparation in the  fight against corruption. Some progress has 
been made and needs to be sustained to remove the many remaining blockages that hinder the 
reform processes. The legislation was amended by the Parliament  in July 2023 to clarify the 
mandates of the National Anticorruption Centre and the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office. 
New legislation for trials in absentia that entered into force in July 2022 was used to finalise 
a  judgment  in  the  case  against  two  well-known  oligarchs.  The  track  record  of  high-level 
corruption  convictions  increased  slightly.  Amendments  to  the  law  on  whistle-blowers  were 
adopted by Parliament in June 2023. 

Moldova has some level of preparation in implementing the EU acquis on the fight against 
organised  crime.  Some  progress  was  made  including  the  fight  against  financial  crime  and 
the  recovery  of  assets.  Assets  belonging  to  three  prominent  oligarchs  were  seized.  The 
national  asset  recovery  programme  for  2023-2027  and  its  action  plan  were  adopted  in 
December  2022  and  are  now  being  implemented.  The  good  progress  on  seizure  and 
confiscation  of  assets  linked  to  organised  crime  should  be  sustained.  Cooperation  with  EU 
Members States, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), Europol  and the 
EU Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) has been expanded with steer provided 
by the EU Moldova Support Hub for Internal Security and Border Management. Moldova has 
signed a Status Agreement with Frontex.  Moldova has made repeated commitments to and 
progress in the fight against arms trafficking, drugs, trafficking in human beings and migrant 
smuggling.  It  adopted  a  new  sectoral  development  strategy  on  the  prevention  and  fight 
against organised crime for 2022-2025 in December 2022 to support the implementation of 
the integrated home affairs strategy (2022-2030), which was adopted in September 2022, and 
appointed a national firearms focal point. In March 2023 the country also revised its Law on 
the regime of arms and ammunition for civilian use, aiming to align it with the EU acquis. 

Moldova’s anti-terrorism legislation is generally aligned with the EU acquis and applicable 
international  law.  The  national  programme  for  the  consolidation  and  realisation  of  anti-
terrorist protection measures for the critical  infrastructure objectives  for  2022-2026 and the 
action  plan  for  its  implementation  were  adopted  in  October  2022.  The  country  adopted 
legislation to prevent and combat the financing of terrorism in April 2023. 

The  legislative  and  institutional  framework  on  fundamental  rights  is  largely  in  place,  and 
the government has made a clear commitment to meet its international obligations on human 
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rights.  Several  steps  were  taken  to  implement  the  Council  of  Europe  Convention  on 
Preventing  and  Combating  Violence  against  Women  and  Domestic  Violence.  In  particular, 
the  Government  strengthened  the  mandates  of  the  Equality  Council  and  the  People’s 
Advocate  and  adopted  programmes  on  strengthening  gender  equality  and  support  to  the 
Roma5.  Persons  belonging  to  minorities,  persons  with  disabilities,  lesbian,  gay,  bisexual, 
transgender,  intersex  and  queer  (LGBTIQ)  persons  and  the  Roma  in  particular  continue  to 
face  discrimination,  including  in  the  labour  market.  Detention  conditions  in  prisons  exceed 
their intended capacity and need to be improved. Issues of overcrowding, inadequate access 
to  medical  treatment  and  lack  of  reporting  or  investigations  of  potential  ill  treatment  and 
violence remain largely unaddressed. 

issue  of  ownership  concentration.  Legislation  contains  provisions 

Moldova has a pluralistic media environment and has some level of preparation in freedom 
of expression. The country made some progress during the reporting period, in particular on 
the 
to  prevent 
concentration  of  media  and  ensure  transparency  of  media  ownership.  The  Audiovisual 
Council  needs  to  boost  efforts  to  implement  these  rules.  To  ensure  compliance  with  the 
European Media Freedom Act, the Audiovisual Media Services Code must address political 
bias in state media. The government is taking steps to address disinformation in media, which 
remains a challenge, especially disinformation spread online. In an attempt to limit Russian 
disinformation,  in  December  2022,  the  Commission  for  Exceptional  Situations  ordered  the 
suspension  of  six  TV  stations  that  rebroadcast  content  from  Russia;  the  decision  was 
challenged  in  court.  Several  attempts  of  intimidation  and  harassment  of  journalists  were 
reported in 2022, primarily in Găgăuzia. 

On  good  neighbourly  relation  and  regional  cooperation,  Moldova  maintains  good 
dialogue  and  actively  participates  in  various  regional  cooperation  platforms.  These  include 
the  Central  European  Initiative  (CEI),  the  Black  Sea  Economic  Cooperation  Organization 
(BSEC),  the  Organization  for  Democracy  and  Economic  Development  (GUAM),  the 
Southeast  European  Cooperation  Process  (SEECP)  and  the  Regional  Cooperation  Council 
(RCC).  The  country  also  contributes  to  implementing  the  Central  European  Free  Trade 
Agreement (CEFTA). Moldova chaired the GUAM in 2022 and the BSEC in the second half 
of 2022 and assumed the Presidency of the CEI in January 2023. 

On  the  economic  criteria,  Moldova  is  in  between  an  early  stage  and  some  level  of 
preparation  in  establishing  a  functioning  market  economy.  The  authorities  have  remained 
committed  to  pursuing  macroeconomic  stability  and  economic  reforms  in  a  difficult 
economic  and  social  environment  caused  by  Russia’s  full-scale  invasion  of  neighbouring 
Ukraine. During the last decade, Moldova has been able to sustain economic growth of about 
3.1% per year on average amid the pandemic and other economic headwinds. Public finances 
have been stable with a low deficit (at about 1.5% of GDP on average over 2014-2019)) and a 
comparatively low debt level. The National Bank of Moldova had been generally successful 
in  keeping  inflation  within  the  target  range  set  at  5%  (+/−1.5  percentage  points). After  a 
strong  rebound  from  the  COVID-19  crisis,  growth  contracted  sharply  in  2022  due  to  the 
energy crisis and a severe drought that caused output in agriculture and related industries to 
plummet.  High  inflation,  caused  by  soaring  energy  and  food  prices,  depressed  households’ 
disposable  incomes  and  consumption,  while  war-related  uncertainty  contributed  to  weaker 
investment.  On  the  external  side,  the  already  high  current  account  deficit  widened  further, 
reflecting the weak export base and low productivity. As a result of the deep recession and 

5  In  line  with  the  terminology  of  European  institutions  the  umbrella  term  ‘Roma’  is  used  here  to  refer  to  a 

number of different groups, without denying the specificities of these groups. 

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the increase in social spending to alleviate the energy price shock, the budget deficit widened 
in 2022, and it is set to remain at a comparable level in 2023. Public debt remains low and is 
largely extended on concessional terms. 

influence  on  key  economic  sectors, 

including 
The  state  still  has  a  considerable 
telecommunications,  energy,  and  transport,  as  well  as  in  price-setting.  The  authorities  are 
carrying out a comprehensive screening of state-owned enterprises, some of which are loss-
making,  in  order  to  restructure  and  privatise  them.  At  the  same  time,  they  are  working  to 
improve  corporate  governance  and  accountability  in  the  sector.  Despite  the  economic 
recession, the financial sector remains  stable, reflecting the impact  of previous reforms  and 
prompt regulatory action to curb the rapid increase in household lending. The labour market 
recovered from the pandemic and was relatively robust in 2022. However, it continues to be 
characterised  by  a  very  low  participation  rate,  which  is  linked  to  the  high  share  of  people 
working abroad or only willing to work abroad. 

Moldova is in between an early stage  and some level of preparation in terms of its capacity 
to cope with competitive pressure and market forces in the EU. Despite large investments in 
education,  outcomes  remain  well  below  those  in  the  EU.  This  contributes  to  the  persistent 
mismatch between the skill level of the workforce and what employers require, which is one 
of the key business environment obstacles for firms. Investment in research and development 
remains low and has been falling despite the government’s strategy to increase it. Moldova’s 
physical  infrastructure  remains  underdeveloped  in  part  due  to  the  lack  of  government 
investment. The stock of foreign direct investment is also low, reflecting weaknesses in the 
business environment and continuing problems with corruption and the protection of property 
rights.  Digitalisation is  lagging behind: just over two thirds of households are connected to 
the internet and about 40% of government services for businesses are available online. The 
Moldovan  economy  remains  heavily  reliant  on  the  agricultural  sector,  and  there  is  a  large 
productivity gap compared with the EU. Moldova is a relatively open economy and is closely 
integrated with that of the EU.  

On its ability to assume the obligations of EU membership, the country continues its work on 
alignment with  the EU  acquis  in  many areas.  Moldova is  in  the early stages  of preparation 
regarding  the  freedom  of  movement  for  workers  in  cluster  2  on  the  internal  market.  On 
company law Moldova is in between early stage to some level of preparation. There has been 
some  level  of  preparation  in  the  other  areas  under  this  cluster:  right  of  establishment  and 
freedom  to  provide  services,  free  movement  of  goods,  intellectual  property  law,  financial 
services,  competition  policy and consumer and health protection. There has been limited to 
some progress during the reporting period in these areas, good progress was made in financial 
services, and some progress was made in the free movement of capital. 

Moldova  has  some  to  moderate  level  of  preparation  in  areas  linked  to  cluster  3  on 
competitiveness  and  inclusive  growth.  It  made  some  progress  in  economic  and  monetary 
policy, enterprise and industrial policy, science and research and education and culture. It has 
achieved  some  level  of  preparation  in  digital  transformation,  media  and  taxation,  where  it 
also  made  good  progress.  Moldova  has  some  level  of  preparation  in  social  policy  and 
employment, where some progress has been made.  On customs union Moldova is in between 
some and moderate level of preparation while achieving some progress during the reporting 
period. 

On cluster 4 on the Green Agenda and sustainable connectivity,  Moldova is  at  an  early 
stage  of  preparation  in  the  environment  and  climate  change.  It  has  made  some  progress 
during  the  reporting  period  by  passing  cross-cutting  environmental  legislation  and 
implementing laws on nature protection and industrial emissions. Moldova has some level of 
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preparation in the areas of transport and trans-European networks, including the association 
to  the Connecting Europe Facility and the observer status  in  the Transport  Community. On 
energy,  Moldova  made  good  progress:  it  had  the  highest  progress  performance  rate  among 
contracting parties in the Energy Community Annual Implementation Report 2022. 

Moldova is mainly at an early stage of preparation for all chapters of cluster 5 on resources, 
agriculture and cohesion, except  food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy where it 
has achieved some level of preparation. Overall, during the reporting period, there was good 
progress  on  food  safety,  veterinary  and  phytosanitary  policy.  The  remaining  chapters 
achieved some or limited progress. Further efforts are needed in all these areas. 

On cluster 6 on external relations, Moldova is moderately prepared in the area of external 
relations where it made  some progress  during the reporting period.  In the area of  common, 
foreign,  security  and  defence  policy,  the  country  is  in  between  moderate  and  good  level  of 
preparation.  In  the  latter,  good  progress  was  made  during  the  reporting  period.  Moldova’s 
alignment  with  declarations  by  the  High  Representative  on  behalf  of  the  EU  and  Council 
decisions under the EU’s common foreign and security policy (CFSP) was 54% in 2022 and 
has  considerably  increased  to  78%  in  2023.  Following  Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against 
Ukraine,  Moldova  aligned  with  EU  positions  in  international  fora,  including  in  the  UN 
General  Assembly  (UNGA),  the  Human  Rights  Council,  and  the  Council  of  Europe.  On 
migration,  since  the  outbreak  of  Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine,  Moldova  has 
faced  unprecedented  inflows  of  refugees  (the  highest  number  of  refugees  per  capita  in 
Europe). As of 31 July 2023 and since the Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine, out of the 
792 605  individuals  that  entered  Moldova  across  Ukrainian  borders,  86 363  Ukrainian 
citizens and 7 624 third-country nationals remained on its territory. Since 1 March 2023, the 
government  has  implemented  a  decree  granting  temporary  protection  to  displaced  persons 
from Ukraine, enabling its beneficiaries to obtain an identity document issued free of charge 
for  1  year.  Following  the  unprecedented  influx  of  people  fleeing  Ukraine,  which  put 
Moldova’s already limited capacity under pressure, the country’s authorities maintained their 
efforts and mobilised resources to  provide immediate humanitarian  assistance  as prescribed 
in the state of emergency. 

1.3.  ASSESSMENT  OF  THE  IMPLEMENTATION  OF  THE  NINE  STEPS  SPECIFIED  IN  THE 

COMMISSION'S OPINION 

Step  1  –  Complete  essential  steps  of  the  recently  launched  comprehensive  justice  system 
reform  across  all  institutions  in  the  justice  and  prosecution  chains,  to  ensure  their 
independence,  integrity,  efficiency,  accountability  and  transparency,  including  through 
efficient use of asset verification and effective democratic oversight; in particular, fill all the 
remaining vacancies of the Supreme Council of Magistracy and in its specialised bodies. 

Moldova has reformed its judicial framework and consulted the Venice Commission on the 
most  important  laws  including  on:  reforming  the  Supreme  Court  of  Justice,  external 
evaluation of judges and candidates to the Supreme Court of Justice, the Prosecutor’s Office, 
the  disciplinary  liability  of  judges  and  the  external  evaluation  of  judges  and  prosecutors. 
Moldova  initiated  the  vetting  of  candidates  to  the  Supreme  Council  of  Magistrates,  the 
Supreme  Council  of  Prosecutors  as  well  as  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  Justice.  The  Supreme 
Council of Magistrates is now fully operational with 8 out of 12 new members appointed. At 
the  end  of  October,  a  competition  for  the  Prosecutor  General  position  was  also  launched. 
Judges  and  prosecutors  in  training  now  need  to  declare  their  assets  when  enrolling  in  the 
National Judicial Institute. 

8 

 
 
 
Moldova should ensure  a transparent  and merit-based process  for  appointments to the main 
judicial  and  prosecutorial  governance  bodies,  including  for  the  appointment  of  a  new 
Prosecutor General .   

Step  2  -  Across  all  these  areas,  address  shortcomings  identified  by  OSCE/ODIHR  and  the 
Council of Europe/the Venice Commission. 

Moldova  adopted  the  electoral  code  in  2022  that  was  drafted  in  cooperation  with 
OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission. Other nine laws were submitted for review and 
recommendations are being addressed. This step is completed. 

Step 3 – Deliver on the commitment to fight corruption at all levels by taking decisive steps 
towards  proactive  and  efficient  investigations,  and  a  credible  track  record  of  prosecutions 
and convictions; substantially increase the take  up of  the recommendations of  the National 
Anticorruption Centre. 

Moldova has adopted legislation to reform special investigation activities, to protect whistle-
blowers and to delineate the competencies of the anti-corruption institutions. New legislation 
facilitating  investigations  in  absentia  was  applied  in  more  than  20  corruption  cases.  The 
number of investigations, convictions and prison sentences for corruption cases increased in 
2022.  Additional  amendments  to  the  Code  of  Criminal  Procedure  have  streamlined  court 
proceedings  and  will  reduce  their  duration.  The  General  Prosecutor’s  Office  and  the 
European Public Prosecutor’s Office signed a working arrangement, resulting in joint training 
and  an  exchange  of  information.  New  heads  of  the  National  Integrity  Authority  and  the 
National Anti-Corruption Centre were appointed.  

Moldova  should  ensure  that  anti-corruption  institutions  are  functioning  within  a  clear 
organisational structure and with adequate resources. 

Step  4  –  Implement  the  commitment  to  “de-oligarchisation”  by  eliminating  the  excessive 
influence of vested interests in economic, political, and public life. 

Moldova has adopted an action plan, pursuing a strategic approach to  de-oligarchisation  by 
setting  up  an  inclusive  and  robust  mechanism  for  coordinating  and  monitoring,  and 
demonstrating implementation with clear timelines and planning of sectoral interventions. It 
has addressed the supervision and control of political party financing through amendments to 
the electoral and criminal codes. It has strengthened the Audiovisual Media Services Code to 
prevent dominant players on the media market, and it adopted amendments to the competition 
law.  Parliament  also  adopted  amendments  to  the  Law  on  public-private  partnership.  The 
mechanism  for  conviction  in  absentia  was  used  to  convict  a  well-known  oligarch  and  in 
ongoing  proceedings  against  a  second  oligarch.  Both  cases  are  accompanied  by  substantial 
asset seizures and measures to combat the electoral influence of the said individuals.  

Moldova  should  continue  updating  and  implementing  the  de-oligarchisation  action  plan, 
including through relevant regulations such as on cash payments and on financial flows. The 
existing coordination should allow for timely review and to complement the plan whenever 
needed. 

Step 5 - Strengthen the fight against organised crime, based on detailed threat assessments, 
increased cooperation with regional, EU and international partners and better coordination 
of  law  enforcement  agencies;  in  particular,  put  in  place  a  legislative  package  on  asset 
recovery  and  a  comprehensive  framework  for  the  fight  against  financial  crime  and  money 
laundering,  ensuring  that  anti-money  laundering  legislation  is  in  compliance  with  the 
standards of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). 

9 

 
 
In December 2022, Moldova adopted a new sectoral development strategy on the prevention 
and  fight  against  organised  crime  for  2022-2025  to  support  the  implementation  of  the 
integrated  home  affairs  strategy  (2022-2030),  which  was  adopted  in  September  2022.  The 
country  adopted  a  mechanism  for  extended  confiscation,  amendments  to  the  law  on 
combating money laundering and approved a national asset recovery programme. As a result 
of  these  regulations,  it  is  possible  to  confiscate  assets  that  have  been  transferred  by  those 
convicted  to  third  parties  as  well  as  to  confiscate  assets  in  the  absence  of  the  convicted 
person.  Thanks  to  these  regulations  and  its  enforcement,  assets  belonging  to  prominent 
oligarchs  were  seized.  Moldova  works  closely  with  international  partners  through  the  EU 
Support  Hub  for  Internal  Security  and  Border  Management.  International  cooperation  has 
developed  significantly  at  investigative  and  operational  levels  with  effective  use  of  joint 
investigation teams. Moldova has also signed a Status Agreement with Frontex. This step is 
completed.  

Step  6  -  Increase  the  capacity  to  deliver  on  reforms  and  provide  quality  public  services 
including  through  stepping  up  implementation  of  public  administration  reform;  assess  and 
update the public administration reform strategy. 

In  March,  Moldova  adopted  a  new  Public  Administration  Reform  Strategy  for  2023-2030. 
After functional review of the ministries, a significant number of new positions were created 
to  strengthen  the  capacity  of  institutions  to  work  on  EU  accession.  Moldova  has  adopted  a 
law on increasing salaries for certain categories of public servants. The country adopted and 
started  implementation  of  a  law  on  the  voluntary  amalgamation  of  local  authorities.  It 
continued  improving  the  accessibility  of  public  services  through  digital  platforms. 
Cooperation with OECD has been stepped up notably with the Support for Improvement in 
Governance  and  Management  (SIGMA)  initiative  and  Moldova  has  undergone  a  structural 
review  of  its  public  administration.  In  this  context,  Moldova  established  an  action  plan  to 
implement the ensuing recommendations. This step is completed.  

Step  7  -  Complete  the  reform  of  Public  Financial  Management  including  improving  public 
procurement at all levels of government. 

The government adopted a Strategy for the Development of the Public Finance Management 
for  the  years  2023  –  2030.  Moldova  has  adopted  legislation  addressing  public  capital 
investment projects and low value public procurements together with a National Programme 
for the Public Procurement System Development. The country has thus established a unified 
set of rules for public investment projects financed from the state budget. To implement its 
Public  Finance  Management  Development  Strategy  Moldova  is  putting  in  place  an 
implementation  action  plan  and  shared  its  core  elements  this  October.  This  step  is 
completed. 

Step 8 - Enhance the involvement of civil society in decision-making processes at all levels. 

Moldova  established  a  Platform  for  dialogue  and  civic  participation  in  the  Parliament's 
decision-making process. The country adopted a new programme for the development of the 
civil society organisations and a law on access to information of public interest. It amended 
its  regulation  on the grant  financing  mechanism to  strengthen the financial  sustainability  of 
civil society. It will be important to continue systemic involvement of civil society actors in 
public  consultations,  maintain  transparent  and  timely  agenda  setting  of  Parliament  and 
finalise Parliament’s rules of procedure. This step is completed. 

10 

 
 
Step  9  -  Strengthen  the  protection  of  human  rights,  particularly  of  vulnerable  groups,  and 
sustain its commitments to enhance gender equality and fight violence against women. 

Moldova  has  transposed  the  Istanbul  Convention  into  the  national  legislation,  strengthened 
the Equality Council and improved the institutional capacity of the Ombudsman. The country 
adopted programmes to promote and ensure gender equality to support the Roma population 
and to implement strategy for strengthening inter-ethnic relations. This step is completed. 

2.  CLUSTER 1: THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE ACCESSION PROCESS 

FUNCTIONING OF DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFORM 

2.1.1 Democracy 

The  reporting  period  was  marked  by  the  government’s  stability  amid  polarisation  of  the 
political scene. A strong parliamentary majority supported the reforms initiated by President 
Maia  Sandu  and  the  government.  A  government  reshuffle,  which  took  place  in  February 
2023,  did  not  affect  the  political  stability  or  the  political  drive  to  continue  pro-European 
reforms.  Following  the  nine  steps  of  the  Commission  Opinion,  Moldova  adopted  a  new 
Electoral Code in December 2022 and took steps to reduce the influence of vested interests in 
political life. The government organised comprehensive working groups aiming to align the 
country’s legislation with the EU acquis. 

Elections 

Good  progress  has  been  made  over  the  reporting  period  in  addressing  and  implementing  the 
outstanding  recommendations  on  electoral  legislation  made  by  the  Organisation  for  Security 
and Co-operation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) 
and the Venice Commission, in their opinions issued in December 2021 and October 2022. The 
electoral legislation has been comprehensively amended to address inconsistencies, and a new 
Electoral Code was adopted. Moldova needs to consult with the Venice Commission the latest 
changes to the Electoral Code, to ensure alignment of the provisions related to the electoral ban 
with European standards. In addition, the authorities need to implement the electoral legislation 
by  strengthening  the  Central  Election  Commission  with  sufficient  authority,  resources  and 
technical expertise to carry out its work effectively. The focus should be placed on ensuring the 
transparency of  political  party funding and the accountability  of campaign finance. To reduce 
the risk of malign interference, further options could be explored to regulate the involvement of 
third parties in election campaigns, in line with GRECO and ODIHR recommendations.  

Candidate  lists  for  parliamentary  and  local  elections  are  drawn  up  in  compliance  with  the 
40% minimum representation quota for men and women.  The latest round of parliamentary 
elections  in  July  2021,  according  to  the  ODIHR,  were  well  run  and  competitive,  and 
fundamental freedoms were largely upheld.  

The new Electoral Code was adopted by Parliament in December 2022 and entered into force 
on  1 January  2023.  The  new  version  addressed  key  recommendations  by  international  and 
local  expert  organisations,  including  from  the  ODIHR  July  2021  Election  Observation 
Mission report and Venice Commission Opinions, issued up until the end of October 2022. 
Measures have been taken to: (i) strengthen laws on financing initiative groups and electoral 
campaigns; (ii) clarify the rules on voting abroad; (iii) improve the impartiality of the Central 
Election Commission (CEC) and (iv) address undue influence on public officials and voters, 
political bias of news outlets and possible vote-buying.  

11 

 
 
 
The CEC’s capacity was strengthened by creating a special unit to oversee the financing of 
political  parties  and  electoral  campaigns.  The  CEC  has  initiated  contravention  proceedings 
for  late  or  a  lack  of  reporting  against  seven  political  parties  and  initiated  investigation 
procedures  against 12 political parties for unjustified use of public funds allocated to them. 
There was also progress in establishing interoperability with and a data exchange through the 
governmental  MConnect  platform,  which  enabled  the  CEC  to  carry  out  checks  on  political 
party financing more effectively. 

The first round of elections of the Bashkan (Governor) in the autonomous region of Gagauzia 
was held on 30 April 2023. Anti-corruption prosecutors raided the offices of the Şor political 
party on 7 and 16 May and started an investigation into vote-buying. The second round of the 
elections was held on 14 May 2023, and it was won by Evghenia Guțul, a candidate from the 
Șor  party.  No  international  observation  mission  or  official  local  observation  mission  was 
deployed;  75  international  observers  were  registered.  The  elections  were  validated  by  the 
Appeal Court in Comrat on 22 May 2023. 

The  new  Electoral  Code  will  only  apply  to  the  territory  of  Gagauzia  as  of  1 January  2024. 
Further  efforts  are  needed  to  ensure  that  the  Gagauzian  electoral  legislation  and  the 
Moldovan  Electoral  Code  are  consistent  and  to  apply  the  legislation  across  the  country 
equally in line with international principles and standards. 

In  June  2023,  the  Constitutional  Court,  in  response  to  a  notification  from  the  government, 
delivered  a  judgement  which  declared  unconstitutional  the  Şor  Party.  The  Şor  Party  was 
subsequently  dissolved.  In  July  2023,  the  Electoral  Code  was  amended  introducing  the 
possibility  to  ban  certain  individuals  from  running  for  elected  office  on  the  basis  of  their 
membership in political parties that have been declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional 
Court.  

After  the  constitutionality  of  these  amendments  was  successfully  challenged  before  the 
Constitutional  Court, new legislative  amendments to  the Electoral Code  were adopted on 4 
October 2023. The new amendments, which revise the criteria for banning individuals from 
running for elected office, still have to be consulted with the Venice Commission, to ensure 
alignment with European standards.  

Parliament 

Over  the  reporting  period,  Parliament  played  a  major  role  in  the  EU  accession  process, 
supporting  the  government’s  reform  efforts.  Distrust  and  an  occasional  lack  of  transparency 
resulted  in  a  low  engagement  of  the  opposition  in  the  law-making  process.  Further  efforts 
should be made to improve transparency by planning oversight activities and public hearings, 
publishing  the  parliamentary  calendar  sufficiently  early,  and  increasing  the  level  of 
accountability of parliamentarians. The process of amending Parliament’s Rules of Procedures 
should be accelerated and ensure a broader involvement of civil society.  

The  Parliament  of  the  11th  legislature,  elected  in  the  early  elections  of  11 July  2021,  has  a 
record number of women Members of Parliament in the history of the Moldovan Parliament: 
41  out  of  101  MPs  (40.6%).  A  major  contribution  to  this  development  is  the  40%  gender 
quota  for  cabinet  and  party  lists,  which  was introduced  in  2016.  There  are  no  female  party 
leaders. Nevertheless, many women hold other leadership positions in political parties and are 
chairs of parliamentary committees. 

Key legislative initiatives on European integration, such as the national development strategy 
‘‘European  Moldova  2030’’,  were  voted  through  by  the  parliamentary  majority.  Parliament 
adopted new legislation and amendments to  existing legislation to address the nine steps of 
12 

 
 
the Commission Opinion in line with European standards and the EU acquis. In this process, 
Moldovan 
the  Venice  Commission  and  broadly 
implemented its recommendations before final adoption of this legislation.  

lawmakers  requested  opinions  of 

Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine  and  its  aftereffects  on  Moldova  has  further 
divided  political  and  societal  attitudes  over  the  foreign  policy  course  of  the  country.  There 
was limited inter-party dialogue to address reconciliation and key matters of national interest. 
The  opposition  does  not  have  a  clear  position  on  the  strategic  choice  of  the  country’s 
leadership  to  join  the  EU.  Distrust  among  the  political  forces  remains  prevalent  and 
incentives  to  constructively  engage  in  a  political  dialogue  and  consensus  building  remain 
weak. Out of 362 legal drafts adopted in 2022, only 13 were submitted by the opposition or 
together  with  the  opposition.  It  is  important  that  Parliament  follows  up  the  European 
Parliament’s proposal to support dialogue between the majority and the opposition, including 
by organising a preparatory mission for the first round of the Jean Monnet Dialogue in 2023. 

The new Electoral Code strengthens the supervision of party financing. This is an area that 
has been seen as a source of high-level corruption and attempts to capture state institutions. 
Investigations were launched into the Şor Party’s alleged illegal financing, both in terms of 
expenses for public events and the financing of party staff6. Leaders of major political parties 
have left the country to avoid corruption trials. 

The fugitive oligarch and leader of the Şor Party was found guilty in the ‘‘bank fraud’ case 
and sentenced to 15 years in prison. He has also been sanctioned by the EU, as well as the US 
and  UK,  for  carrying  out  actions  that  undermine  or  threaten  the  sovereignty  and 
independence  of  Moldova;  several  people  affiliated  with  the  party  have  been  arrested  on 
suspicion of illicit financing and preparing mass unrest. On 19 June 2023, the Constitutional 
Court admitted a notification by the government on the unconstitutionality of the Şor Party, 
based on an article of the Constitution that states that ‘‘parties that oppose political pluralism, 
the  principles  of  rule  of  law,  sovereignty  and  independence  and  the  territorial  integrity  of 
Moldova  are  unconstitutional’.  The  Şor  Party  was  dissolved  with  immediate  effect  and 
excluded from the political party register. 

Parliament’s  oversight  role,  control  of  the  government  and  scrutiny  of  legislative 
developments are in place. Annual reports by public institutions are submitted on time, and 
Parliament is making efforts to organise hearings on the reports during the plenary. However, 
implementation of some methods and instruments of parliamentary control, including expost 
impact assessments, should be improved, especially for legislation related to EU integration. 
The  working  methods  of  special  investigative  parliamentary  committees  should  be 
strengthened as they have so far failed to deliver tangible results. 

CSO  monitoring  in  2022  highlighted  several  gaps  hindering  the  transparency  of  decision-
making  and  public  participation  in  Parliament.  In  2022,  71  draft  normative  acts  were 
approved by Parliament under the priority or the urgent procedure (around 20% of the total). 
A total of 65 draft laws were voted in two readings at the same plenary in 2022, and 124 draft 
laws were adopted in  two readings within 30 days  (34% of the total) from  the moment  the 
draft was registered. 

Laws  adopted  in  shortened  procedures  or  within  the  minimum  timeframes  reduced  the 
opportunity  for  inclusive  legislative  processes  and  meaningful  debates,  thus  affecting  the 

6  The Şor Party is suspected of illegal financing, both in terms of expenses for public events and the financing of party staff:  the party spent 
EUR 600 000 but reported only 2% of this amount (EUR 12 000); (ii) the monthly salaries paid to party staff amounted to EUR 100 000; 
and  (iii)  expenses  for  transporting  protest  participants  amounted  to  about  EUR 182 000  (MDL 3.5  million).  More  than  97  locations 
associated with the Şor Party were searched. 

13 

 
 
 
quality of legislation. 

There  were  44  announcements  of  public  consultations  in  2022.  Parliament  created  in  June 
2023 a Platform for dialogue and civic participation in the decision-making processes of the 
Parliament, to facilitate participation, improve involvement, and encourage civic initiatives in 
the future.  

Governance 

The government worked actively on the EU reform agenda and addressing the consequences 
of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. It took steps to improve  the transparency of 
decision-making and democratic accountability mechanisms. It also ensured a good level of 
coordination  and  policy  planning.  Decisive  efforts  are  needed  to  ensure  that  adopted 
legislation  is  implemented  effectively,  and  all  parts  of  regulatory  policy  are  applied  at  all 
levels of government. 

The  government  should  adopt  a  mechanism  for  the  effective  parliamentary  scrutiny  of 
decisions  issued  by  the  Commission  for  Emergency  Situations,  in  line  with  the  Siracusa 
Principles7. 

The government should pursue local government reforms, including creating incentives for 
local authorities to amalgamate. 

The  current  government  has  publicly  declared  its  commitment  to  accelerating  the  reform 
process  and  strengthening  good  governance.  This  follows  a  long  period  of  effective  state 
capture,  with  vested  political  interests  exerting  control  over  key  parts  of  Moldova’s 
government. 

On 10 February 2023, the Prime Minister, Natalia Gavrilița, announced her resignation after 
18 months in office. The new Prime Minister, Dorin Recean, was appointed by the President 
with  Parliament’s  support,  and  the  new  government  was  sworn  into  office  on  16 February 
2023.  The  change  of  government  did  not  affect  the  country’s  political  stability.  The  main 
priorities  of  the  new  government  programme  are  economic  development,  state  security, 
discipline in state institutions and order in the country. European integration features as one 
of  the  key  objectives,  including  fully  implementing  the  nine  steps  and  aligning  national 
legislation with  the EU  acquis.  In July  2023, the government  underwent a reshuffle, which 
resulted  in  the  resignation  of  three  ministers  (Internal  Affairs,  Infrastructure  and  Regional 
Development as well as Education and Research). Women’s representation is lower at local 
level  where  they  hold  22.2%  of  mayoral  positions  and  38.8%  of  seats  in  local,  district  and 
municipal councils. 

The  government  set  out  its  long-term  priorities  in  the  national  development  strategy.  The 
national  development  plan  for  2023-2025  was  adopted  in  February  2023  to  implement  the 
measures  of  a  long-term  strategic  plan  as  well  as  to  integrate  requirements  related  to  the 
country’s candidate status into the national reform agenda. In February 2023, the government 
also  adopted  the  action  plan  for  2023,  which  contains  specific  commitments  to  harmonise 
national legislation with the EU acquis. Sectoral strategies have been adopted to implement 
the national development plan in several areas, such as education and youth.  

In  December  2022,  the  government  set  up  a  coordination  mechanism  for  European 
integration.  This  brings political  and  government  representatives  together  and  is  chaired  by 

7  Siracusa  Principles  on  the  Limitation  and  Derogation  Provisions  in  the  International  Covenant  on  Civil  and 

Political Rights.  

14 

 
 
 
the  President  of  the  Republic.  The  National  Commission  for  European  Integration  adopted 
the action plan to implement the nine steps, the action plan to align national legislation with 
the EU acquis and a separate action plan on de-oligarchisation. 

The  government  adopted  several  strategies,  including  the  strategy  for  public  administration 
reform  for  2023-2030  in  March  2023  and  the  strategy  of  public  finance  management 
development  for  2023-2030  in  February  2023.  Amendments  to  the  Law  on  the  People’s 
Advocate  were  also  adopted  by  Parliament  in  February  2023,  which  helped  strengthen  the 
independence  of  the  institution  and  reinforced  democratic  accountability  mechanisms  in 
Moldova. 

The transparency of legislative decision-making improved over the reporting period. A new 
Law on free access to public information entered into force in April 2023. The law is in line 
with  the  Council  of  Europe’s  Trømso  Convention  and  the  recommendations  of  the  OECD 
and the World Bank. Around 80% of draft decisions and laws initiated by ministries during 
2022 were opened for public consultation. However, draft legislative acts lack accompanying 
information and explanatory documents and do not provide a full overview of the decision-
making cycle. 

The legal framework for regulatory impact assessments is in place and is in line with the best 
international  practices  suggested  by  the  OECD.  The  Guidelines  on  Ex  ante  Analysis  For 
Policy and the Handbook for Assessment of Economic Costs Of Public Policy were amended 
and adjusted in 2022 with the help of EU donors. 

Independent  and  regulatory  agencies  in  Moldova  are  still  prone  to  influence  by  private 
interests and by the bodies or industries they are charged with regulating. Additional efforts 
are  needed  to  shield  regulatory  agencies  from  third-party  influence,  including  by 
strengthening  accountability  and  introducing  measures  to  promote  integrity.  The  senior 
management  of  regulatory  enforcement  structures  should  be  appointed  in  a  transparent 
manner,  following  clear  procedures  and  based  on  professional  skills.  The  government 
introduced  a  state  of  emergency,  approved  by  Parliament,  on  24 February  2022,  which  is 
extended every 60 days. This enabled the government to adopt measures to handle the energy 
crisis and attempts at external destabilisation. The use of extraordinary tools, in the form of 
decisions by the Commission for Emergency Situations, has been limited overall and related 
to  the  need  to  react  quickly  to  crisis  situations.  A  mechanism  for  effective  parliamentary 
scrutiny of the decisions issued by the Commission  for Emergency Situations is  needed,  in 
line with the Siracusa Principles. The adoption of a related law should be accelerated. 

A persistent problem is the limited capacity of Moldova’s public administration and a chronic 
shortage  of  qualified  human  resources.  This  affects  the  government’s  ability  to  implement 
strategies and reforms. To increase the efficiency of existing  staff, Moldova needs to set up 
better  regulation  at  all  levels  of  government,  improve  coordination  and  avoid  overlapping 
responsibilities among regulatory authorities and levels of government. Limited fiscal space 
impedes further possibilities to increase government wage expenditure. From 1 January 2023, 
the salaries of public sector employees were raised by a fixed sum of MLD 1 300 (EUR 260). 
The  government  also  took  targeted  measures  to  increase  salaries  for  some  categories  of 
public  employees,  such  as  those  working  on  priority  tasks  on  EU  accession,  as  of  January 
2023.  However,  salary  reform  remains  a  crucial  issue  to  be  addressed  to  ensure  a  uniform 
approach and make working in the public service more attractive. 

Moldova needs  to  advance with  reforms  of local government  to  make it  more efficient and 
accountable.  Voluntary  amalgamation,  the  first  stage  of  the  local  public  administration 
reform,  should  be  followed  by  further  measures.  Upcoming  local  elections  in  autumn  2023 

15 

 
 
have  led  to  the  local  administrative  reforms  becoming  highly  politicised.  The  overall 
reorganisation  of  competencies  between  central  and  subnational  levels  is  needed  to  secure 
additional financial resources for municipalities and strengthen public finance management at 
local level. 

Civil society 

An enabling environment exists for CSOs, with legal and financial frameworks in place. The 
legislative  framework  is  in  line  with  international  standards.  Moldova  has  involved  civil 
society more in decision-making. 

 Further efforts should focus on adopting: the national strategy on civil society development 
and  improving  the  quality  of  public  consultation  processes  to    improve  transparency  and  get 
CSOs more involved in policy dialogue, especially in parliamentary debates and at local level. 

Moldovan  public  institutions  recognise  that  an  empowered  civil  society  is  a  crucial 
component  of  democracy.  Civil  society  has  played  an  essential  role  by  monitoring 
government  policies,  such  as  the  progress  on  the  nine  steps  of  the  Commission  Opinion. 
CSOs provided essential support to refugees and public institutions during the massive inflow 
of displaced persons in 2022 resulting from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The overall legal 
and  regulatory  framework  governing  the  establishment  and  functioning  of  CSOs  is  in  line 
with international standards. 

The registration procedure for CSOs is free of charge and takes a maximum of 15 days. Since 
June 2022, registration forms can be submitted electronically, signed by a qualified electronic 
signature. Registration is carried out based on a list of documents set out in legislation. The 
declaration  on  the  beneficial  owner  of  the  legal  entity,  which  is  required  under  anti-money 
laundering  and  counter-terrorism  financing  rules,  has  been  criticised  by  civil  society  as 
restricting  the  right  to  associate.  In  2022,  there  were  no  cases  of  involuntary  suspension  or 
liquidation  of  CSOs.  In  February  2023,  Parliament  adopted  the  Law  on  associations  for 
intercommunity development, recognising the important role of CSOs in local development. 
State  funding  can  be  provided  to  CSOs  through  different  mechanisms.  These  include  non-
reimbursable financing, contracting works and services or special purpose financing, such as 
social order, percentage designation, and direct subsidies. In a positive development, in July 
2022,  Parliament  adopted  amendments  improving  the  legislation  on  philanthropy  and 
sponsorship.  This  clarifies rules on donations  and ensures the transparency of philanthropic 
activity  and  sponsorship.  In  September  2022,  the  government  adopted  the  Framework 
Regulation  on  the  non-reimbursable  financing  mechanism  for  projects  of  non-commercial 
organisations.  The  government  Decision  created  a  uniform  and  stable  framework  for 
financing CSOs from the public budget through cooperation between central and local public 
administrations and non-commercial organisations. 

A concept for a new strategy for civil society development opened for public consultation in 
May 2023. One of the successful actions of the NGO council on advocacy was to reactivate 
the  Certification  Commission  for  public  benefit  status,  which  allowed  CSOs  to  continue 
having  this  status.  The  new  concept  for  the  development  of  civil  society  and  the 
establishment of a permanent platform for dialogue and civic participation in the legislative 
decision-making process needs to be accelerated. 

The mechanism for public consultations  with  civil  society clearly sets  out  stages,  deadlines 
and  conditions  for  conducting  public  consultations  in  the  decision-making  process.  Draft 
decisions  and  calls  for  consultation  by  the  public  authorities,  except  Parliament  and  local 
administration  who  publish  announcements,  are  uploaded  to  the  online  platform.  The 

16 

 
 
platform does not always provide the necessary documents, information or changes made toto 
the proposed drafts (such as the divergences table, which includes suggestions from CSOs), 
and authorities do not give public feedback on CSOs’ proposals. 

Civilian oversight of the security and intelligence sector 

Parliament’s National Security, Defence and Public Order Committee and its subcommittee, 
which  was  set  up  within  this  Committee  specifically  for  parliamentary  control  over  the 
activity  of  the  Security  and  Intelligence  Service,  regularly  monitor  the  security  and 
intelligence sector. The Committee monitored the following areas: national security; data, IT 
and  cybersecurity;  national  defence;  public  order;  anti-corruption  and  integrity.  Over  the 
reporting  period,  the  Committee  held  regular  weekly  sessions  and  carried  out  monitoring 
based  on  the  action  plan  of  parliamentary  control  by  the  Committee  for  2022.  A  similar 
action plan for 2023 was adopted in March 2023. The Committee’s oversight work included 
hearings  on  activities  of  relevant  security  and  intelligence  institutions,  reports  on  the 
implementation of laws under the responsibility of the Committee, as well as inspection visits 
to state agencies of the security sector. 

2.1.2. Public administration reform  

Moldova  has  some  level  of  preparation  in  the  area  of  public  administration  reform,  and 
some progress has been made. In particular, the new public administration reform strategy 
for 2023-2030 was approved in March 2023 and its implementation program 2023-2026 was 
approved  in  June  2023.  Due  to  a  complex  salary  grid  and  the  many  different  job 
classifications,  civil  servants’  pay  varies  and  is  inconsistent  across  the  administration. 
Moldova started addressing this issue by adopting a new law on salaries. 

Moldova also adopted a new strategy for the development of public finance management for 
2023-2030.  

In the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  implement  and  monitor  the  public  administration  reform  strategy  effectively,  including 
by adopting the complete regulatory framework for territorial reform through voluntary 
amalgamation, namely the law and the government decision on the methodology for the 
voluntary amalgamation; 

→  finalise the salary reform plans and start its implementation; 

→  implement  the  new  public  finance  management  strategy,  including  by  strengthening 

inter-institutional coordination.  

Strategic framework on public administration reform 

A new strategic framework for public administration reform for 2023-2030 was adopted by 
the government on 15 March 2023 and the implementation program of the strategic framework for 
the period 2023-2026 was approved on 7th of June 2023. This followed an extensive consultation 
process with key stakeholders, including local public administrations, the Congress of Local 
Authorities from Moldova, civil society, development partners and Members of Parliament. 
Their input has been taken into consideration and is reflected in the final approved version of 
the  strategy.  The  strategy  and  the  implementation  program  were  made  available  on  the 
platform  of  the  Joint  Commission  for  Decentralisation  to  increase  transparency.  The  public 
administration reform strategy targets five major areas: (i) management of the civil service; 
(ii) the institutional framework of the central public administration; (iii) the strategic planning 
system  and  development  of  public  policies;  (iv)  the  simplification  and  development  of  e-

17 

 
 
services; and (v) local public administration reform, mainly a territorial reform by voluntary 
amalgamation.  In  addition,  the  strategy  provides  a  three-level  monitoring  framework  to 
coordinate  the  implementation  and  monitoring  process.  A  set  of  performance  indicators 
measuring  the  achievement  of  policy  objectives  have  been  identified,  and  their  baseline  or 
target  values  are  set  by  the  implementation  program  2023-2026.  A  functional  review  was 
published  in  October  and  an  action  plan  was  established  to  implement  the  ensuing 
recommendations. 

In  line  with  the  strategy,  authorities  need  to  adopt  the  law  on  voluntary  amalgamation  to 
improve the capacity of local government to provide quality public services for citizens and 
to  approve 
law  on  voluntary 
amalgamation  has  been  adopted  in  July  2023.  Amalgamation  of  local  governments  should 
reduce  excessive  fragmentation,  improve  the  viability  and  capacity  of  local  administrations 
and ultimately improve service delivery for local communities. 

the  methodology  for  voluntary  amalgamation.  The 

The  strategy’s  financial  sustainability  is  partially  ensured  by  the  medium-term  budgetary 
framework and by international donors’ technical assistance programmes. 

Commitment to the effective implementation of the reform is ensured at the highest level, but 
it  is  less  clear  at  the  lowest  level  of  political  parties  and  local  government  associations, 
notably with regards to local government reforms and in the area of professionalisation of the 
civil service. 

Policy development and coordination 

The regulatory and institutional framework of the policymaking system is coherent and well-
designed, but it is not effectively implemented. Analytical capacities and sectoral expertise in 
the  line  ministries,  including  policy  coordination  units,  are  relatively  modest,  especially  in 
areas  such  as  data  analysis  and  modelling,  quantitative  methods  of  policy  analysis  and 
quantitative policy impact assessment. The government adopted several measures to increase 
the institutional  capacity to  carry out  reforms  and improve the policy  coordination process, 
such  restructuring  departments  dealing  with  policy  analysis,  monitoring  and  evaluation.  A 
special  position  of  deputy  secretary  general  was  created  to  streamline  the  internal 
coordination  work  on  EU  accession  in  a  number  of  ministries.  The  government  adopted  a 
regulation  allowing  a  monthly  financial  incentive  of  up  to  50%  of  the  base  salary  for  staff 
involved  in  policy  design,  evaluation  and  monitoring  related  to  the  European  integration 
process. 

Inter-ministerial  and  public  coordination  and  consultation  procedures  and  mechanism  are 
formalised and function relatively well, even if the early policy preparation process remains 
fragmented and isolated at the level of central public initiator. For instance, during the period 
June  2022  –  March  2023,  over  90%  of  policy  and  legal  proposals  were  included  in  public 
consultation and coordination with the major stakeholders, including business organisations, 
NGOs. 

Despite a suitable regulatory framework, important problems remain. These problems, mostly 
caused  by  the  low  administrative  capacity  in  central  public  institutions,  are:  (i)  an  isolated 
approach  to  policy  design  and  a  lack  of  consultation,  transfer  of  information  and  dialogue 
across  the  central  public  administration  from  the  early  stages  of  policymaking;  (ii)  a  very 
limited use of ex-ante and ex-post evaluations and no overall effective use of evidence-based 
policy  instruments;  (iii)  limited  use  of  cost  estimations  or  linking  financial  resources 
requests  in  policy  documents  with  the  medium-term  expenditure  framework;  (iv)  a 
fragmented  approach  to  monitoring  and  no  systematic  collection  of  the  relevant  data;  (v) 
limited  use  of  consultation  platforms  and  transparency  during  the  process;  and  (vi)  poor 
18 

 
 
cross-cutting  policy coordination,  particularly  among the State Chancellery, the Ministry of 
Finance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration.  

Public financial management 

On 22 February 2023, Moldova adopted a new multiannual  strategy for the development  of 
public finance management for 2023-2030 in line with the national and sub-national public 
expenditure  and  financial  accountability  assessments  published  in  2022  and  2023.  The  ex-
post  evaluation  of  the  2013-2023  public  finance  management  strategy  emphasised 
improvements in the implementation period, notably on the budgetary process at central and 
local  levels.  The  strategy  includes  seven  major  reform  areas  with  medium-  and  long-term 
priorities and expected results.  

Moldova has also applied to participate in the economic reform programme, which will help 
the country with medium-term budget planning and prioritisation of structural reforms. The 
Ministry  of  Finance  continued  its  efforts  to  improve  the  transparency  of  public  finance 
management, which is reflected in the improved Open Budget score.  

Following  the  publication  of  the  public  finance  management  strategy,  the  authorities 
organised  the  first  Public  Finance  Management  Policy  Dialogue  in  Chişinău  in  May  2023 
with  the  participation  of  national  and  international  stakeholders.  The  commitment  of  the 
authorities  to  improve  the  governance  of  public  funds  was  further  confirmed,  including  by 
setting  up  an  independent  and  credible  Fiscal  Council.  The  government  has  adopted  a  new 
regulation on public investment management, its provisions need to be properly implemented 
to  efficiently  support  the  selection  and  channelling  of  domestic  and  external  financing 
resources for infrastructure development.  There  is  also  consensus  that additional efforts are 
necessary to improve public procurement and national public sector accounting standards to 
improve accountability and effective governance of public finances. The implementation of 
the  public  finance  management  strategy  requires  time  to  implement,  resources  and  external 
support, and the Ministry of Finance needs to strengthen its capacity and improve the quality 
of dialogue on the governance of public finances with public and private stakeholders.  

Public service and human resources management 

The State Chancellery is nominally in charge with the management of the civil service. The 
legal  framework  is  in  place  for  a  professional  and  non-politicised  public  service:  the 
legislation  and  regulation  regarding  the  recruitment  procedure  for  the  civil  service  were 
mainly  developed based  on the principles of public administration. Some 70% civil  service 
positions  were  recruited  based  on  competition  and  promotion,  but  the  turnover  rate  was  in 
2021  high:11,24%  and  participation  to  competitions  limited:  1,7  persons  for  a  vacant 
position.  Integrity  of  the  civil  servants  are  well  regulated  through  a  civil  servants’  code  of 
conduct,  legislation  on  the  evaluation  of  institutional  integrity,  and  regarding  wealth  and 
personal  interests'  declaration,  together  with  a  set  of  control  and  endorsement  procedures 
from  National  Integrity  Authority,  National  Anticorruption  Centre.    Despite  this  suitable 
regulatory framework, the implementation is mainly realised through administrative practices 
on  recruitment  and  promotion  procedures,  and  is  still  hindered  by  formalism,  absence  of 
skill assessment, weak evaluation process, and inadequate restrictions on political influence, 
especially in top management positions.  

On gender equality in the administration, there is an imbalance between the high number of 
women in public positions and the low number of women in senior positions. General public 
positions are mostly occupied by women (74% women and 26% men). The share of women 
in senior public positions is 60%, while in public management positions it stands at 70%. In 

19 

 
 
executive  public  roles,  it  reaches  76%.  Public  positions  with  special  status  are  mainly 
occupied by men (80%) are better paid than those with a general status. 

The  civil  service  management  system  is  heavily  fragmented  and  understaffed.  The  national 
information system for managing human resources in the civil service is not functional due to 
the problems of maintenance and up-dating by its private provider. 

A career in the civil service, especially for young professionals, is not attractive. This is due 
to  the  inadequate  remuneration  and  an  unpredictable  career  development  system.  The 
existing  system  for  the  professional  development  of  civil  servants  does  not  sufficiently 
respond to the needs of the public service, especially those in the local public administration. 

Human  resources  in  Moldova’s  public  administration  are  heavily  affected  by  external 
migration and by other specific factors on an already very tight labour market.  

The  public  administration  pay  system  is  of  critical  importance.  The  initial  draft  law  on  a 
unitary pay system corresponded to the principles of public administration. The law that was 
finally adopted by Parliament contained amendments that watered down the original draft and 
the  original concept,  and  other  changes  were  introduced  later  under  special  laws.  Thus,  the 
current  salary  pay  system  in  Moldova’s  budgetary  public  sector  continues  having  systemic 
shortcomings:  the  inequity  of  the  salary  pay  scales,  the  lack  of  a  performance-based 
environment  in  the  system,  and  the  difficulty  to  attract  and  keep  staff,  especially  young 
people. 

Accountability of the administration 

The  legal  framework  on  the  structure  and  accountability  lines  of  public  administration 
establishes  the  mandates  and  the  competences  of  the  central  public  authorities,  subordinate 
administrative  authorities,  and  other  public  institutions.  The  legal  framework  does  not 
sufficiently delineate clear functions for the subordinated institutions, nor rules for ensuring 
their  independence.  More  so,  the  rules  regarding  the  financial  self-management  are  often 
unclear.  The  pay  system  and  the  staffing  schemes  are  not  aligned  and  are  a  source  of  staff 
rotation and understaffing. 

The legal framework regarding services is unclear, especially between commercial and non-
commercial  activities  and  profit  or  non-profit  status.  As  a  result,  in  many  cases  public 
institutions  provide  commercial  services  on  the  side  of  public  services,  while  being 
subsidised by the public budget. 

Generally,  the  government  reporting  allows  public  scrutiny:  evaluation  and  monitoring 
reports  of  major  national  policies  and  of  action  plans  are  published  regularly  on  the 
institution’s  respective  official  web  pages.  The  public 
Government  portal  on 
administration is regularly scrutinised by independent oversight bodies, such as the People’s 
Advocate's  (Ombudsperson)  office  and  the  Court  of  Accounts,  which  are  autonomous  and 
independent  authorities.  The  competences  to  issue  recommendations  and  decisions  for  the 
relevant independent oversight bodies are set out in their normative acts. 

the 

The right to access public information is regulated by the Law on access to information and 
the  Law  on  transparency  in  decision-making.  A  new  law  on  access  to  information  was 
adopted  in  June  2023,  largely  in  line  with  CoE  Trømso  Convention  as  well  as  with 
international organisations recommendations. 

Any  person  who  considers  that  an  administrative  decision  or  action/inaction  of  the  public 
authorities infringes her/his  right or freedom  established by law, has  the right to  resort to  a 
prejudicial dispute resolution procedure or to bring an action in administrative litigation. The 

20 

 
 
right to seek compensation for any administrative prejudice is guaranteed by the Constitution. 
The effectiveness of the judicial review of administrative actions is an area of concern. While 
the  formal  guarantees  of  access  to  administrative  justice  are  in  place,  the  public  are 
increasingly affected by growing backlogs. 

Service delivery to citizens and business  

Public  services  are  delivered  online  and/or  through  a  one-stop  shop.  The  Public  Services 
Portal  (services.gov.md)  is  a  single  point  of  access  for  individuals  and  legal  entities  to 
information on public administrative services. 

Another  initiative  developed  by  the  Electronic  Governance  Agency  is  the  establishment  of 
Unified Public Service  Centres, providing common  access  points to  a  wide range of public 
services  available  in  electronic  format.  One  of  the  main  objectives  of  the  institution  is  to 
simplify the process of providing good quality public services to people from rural areas and 
the  diaspora.  A  total  of  32  public  services  are  now  accessible  via  the  public  e-services 
platform.  Moreover,  another  42  public  services  have  been  integrated  with  the  public 
MDelivery  service,  which  allows  documents  to  be  requested  and  delivered  directly  to  the 
user’s home address.  

2.2. RULE OF LAW AND FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS 

2.2.1. Chapter 23: Judiciary and fundamental rights 

The EU’s founding values include the rule of law and respect for human rights. An effective 
(independent,  high-quality  and  efficient)  judicial  system  and  an  effective  fight  against 
corruption are of paramount importance, as is the respect for fundamental rights in law and 
in practice. 

Moldova has some level of preparation to apply the EU acquis and European standards in 
the area of justice and fundamental rights and, overall, made some progress in these areas.  

Functioning of the judiciary 

Moldova has some level of preparation in the area of the judiciary. The country made good 
progress  in  the  reform  of  the  justice  sector.  Candidates  for  the  Superior  Council  of 
Magistracy  and the Superior Council of Prosecutors SCP had to undergo vetting based on the 
corresponding  law  adopted  in  line  with  Venice  Commission  recommendations.  Parliament 
also adopted a law on Supreme Court of Justice reform and the vetting of its candidates and 
its sitting judges, in line with Venice Commission recommendations, has started. At the end 
of October, Moldova announced a competition for the position of Prosecutor General. In July 
2023, Parliament adopted a law on the further vetting of judges and prosecutors in high level 
positions,  which  was  consulted  with  the  European  Commission  and  broadly  aligned  with 
Venice  Commission  recommendations.  However,  the  President  then  returned  the  law  to 
Parliament  with  additional  changes,  which  Parliament  adopted  in  August  2023.  The  final 
version of the law was sent to the Venice Commission for review. 

The  length  of  proceedings,  low  clearance  rates  and  the  large  backlog  of  cases  negatively 
affect the judicial system’s efficiency. There was no significant progress in the prosecution of 
high-level  corruption  cases  and  long-standing  criminal  cases.  However,  there  was  a  verdict 
on fugitive oligarchs. Due to the lack of a quorum at in the SCM, no new judges have had 
been appointed in the past 3 years. However, following the appointments of three non-judge 
members and four judge members to the SCM in March and April 20232o23 respectively, the 
SCM restored its quorum and made new appointments across the judiciary, including to new 
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ranks. The justice reform strategy and action plan for 2022-2025 were adopted in December 
2021,  with  strong  focus  on  restoring  public  trust  in  the  judiciary.  Moldova  has  been 
implementing  the  justice  sector  reform  strategy  and  action  plan  for  2022-2025,  with  strong 
focus on restoring public trust in the judiciary. The new judicial map, which should reform 
the court system, needs to be finalised. 

In the coming year, the country should in particular: 

→  pursue  implementation  of  the  justice  reform  strategy,  in  particular  the  pre-vetting  and 
vetting processes in line with Venice Commission recommendations and  the subsequent 
appointment of the remaining members of the Superior Council of Magistracy (SCM), the 
Superior  Council  of  Prosecutors  (SCP)  and  the  Supreme  Court  of  Justice    but  also  the 
members of the SCM and SCP colleges and other judges and prosecutors in an objective, 
transparent  and  merit-based  procedure,  in  line  with  European  standards:  demonstrate  a 
clear track record in this regard; 

→  improve  the  functioning  of  the  National  Institute  of  Justice,    develop  human  resource 
strategies  for  the  judiciary  and  prosecution    services  and  finalise  the  new  judicial  map 
following  a  systematic  approach  in  line  with  European  standards  and  based  on  a 
comprehensive analysis of the state of play; 

→  consolidate  the  capacity  of  the  judicial  system  and  its  self-governing  institutions, 
including  improving  the  quality  and  efficiency  of  the  work  of  the  Superior  Council  of 
Magistracy and Superior Council of Prosecutors.   

Strategic documents and budget 

The implementation of the 2022-2025 justice reform strategy and its action plan is ongoing. 
This is coordinated by a monitoring group set up in 2022 at the Ministry of Justice. In 2022, 
the Ministry demonstrated genuine commitment to implement the reforms and took the first 
steps  to  implement  the  strategy.  These  included  the  initiation  of  (subsequently  adopted) 
legislation on the pre-vetting of SCM and SCP candidates, on the reform and vetting of the 
Supreme  Court  of  Justice  and  its  judges  and  candidates  and  on  the  further  vetting  of  other 
high level judges and prosecutors.  

Management bodies 

The  SCM  and  the  SCP  are  the  main  self-government  bodies    of  the  judiciary.  The  two 
institutions  manage  the  judicial  system  and  the  careers  of  judges  and  prosecutors.  All 
members of both the SCM and SCP are appointed for a 4-year term. Their composition and 
appointment procedures are broadly in line with European standards. 

In  April  2022,  Constitutional  amendments  concerning  the  role,  the  composition  and  the 
specialised bodies of the SCM, as well as changes related to the appointment and other career 
aspects  of  judges  entered  into  force.  These  amendments  significantly  improved  the  legal 
framework  concerning  the  independence,  accountability  and  efficiency  of  the  judiciary  and 
judicial administration, in accordance with the recommendations of the Venice Commission 
and GRECO. 

The  SCM  is  made  up  of  6  judge  members  and  6  non-judge  members.  The  SCP  has  13 
members: 5 prosecutors, 4 non-prosecutor members and 4 ex officio members: the Prosecutor 
General,  the  chairperson  of  the  SCM,  the  Minister  of  Justice  and  the  People’s  Advocate 
(Ombudsman).  

The  subordinated  Colleges  of  the  SCM  are  the  College  for  the  Selection  and  Career  of 
Judges, the College for Performance Evaluation of Judges, the Disciplinary College and the 
22 

 
 
Judicial/Prosecutorial  Inspection. The subordinated Colleges of the SCP are the College for 
Selection  and  Career  of  Prosecutors,  the  College  for  Performance  Evaluation,  and  the 
Disciplinary College. 

The Law on the extraordinary evaluation (‘‘pre-vetting’’) of candidates for vacant positions 
in the SCM, the SCP and their Colleges entered into force in March 2022, in line with Venice 
Commission recommendations. It establishes the Pre-Vetting Commission of 3 national and 3 
international  members.  As  regards  the  SCM,  the  Pre-vetting  Commission  finalised  its 
evaluation  in  January  2023.  Only  five  judge  candidates  and  three  non-judge  candidates 
obtained  positive  decisions.  Several  judges  appealed  to  a  special  appeals  body  at  the  SCJ 
against  the  Pre-Vetting  Commission’s  negative  decisions.  The  mandate  of  the  Pre-Vetting 
Commission was extended to ensure the functioning of this body until the end of the appeals 
process. A new call for applications was initiated for the remaining vacant positions for SCM 
non-judge members as well as for the remaining vacant positions reserved for judges from the 
second and third instance. 

Following  several  years  with  an  incomplete  composition,  the  SCM  quorum  was  restored 
when  Parliament  appointed  three  non-judge  members  in  March  2023  and  the  General 
Assembly of Judges appointed four judge members (in addition to one judge member already 
in office) in April 2023, bringing the overall number of members to 8 out of 12. Three non-
judge members and one judge member remain to be appointed. 

The SCM with restored quorum is exercising its mandate, including the appointment of new 
judges, and has issued a decision on the transfer of judges from lower instances to the SCJ to 
replace resigning judges  following the resignation of 20 out of 25 SCJ judges. 

On 9 June, Parliament adopted the amendments to reform the SCM colleges for the selection 
and  performance  evaluation  of  judges.  The  two  colleges  were  merged  into  a  single  body 
comprising 9 members (5 career judges and 4 representatives from civil  society) serving 6-
year terms.  Judges  will  now be evaluated every  5 instead of 3 years, based on professional 
competence, organisational skills, and professional integrity. 

In  July,  the  Parliament  adopted  new  rules  on  the  selection,  promotion  and  disciplinary 
liability  of  prosecutors,  mirroring  the  new  rules  for  judges  and  merging  the  colleges 
responsible  for  selection  and  performance  evaluation  of  prosecutors.  It  also  adjusted  the 
composition of the SCP: From 2026, the Minister of Justice and the SCM President will no 
longer be SCP members. 

In  the  framework  of  the  pre-vetting  process,  the  candidates  for  the  SCM  and  SCP  colleges 
still remain to  be pre-vetted and appointed and a call for applications has been launched in 
this regard. 

Outstanding  issues  regarding  the  functioning  of  both  councils  to  be  addressed  include  the 
filling of remaining vacancies in the SCM and its specialised bodies by the General Assembly 
of Judges (two judge member) and the Parliament (two non-judge members). The evaluation 
of candidates for the SCP is ongoing and SCP vacancies remain to be filled. Plans to appoint 
the first pre-vetted members of the SCP in August 2023 failed after the General Assembly of 
Prosecutors  decided  to  postpone  the  vote  until  all  pending  appeals  against  the  pre-vetting 
results  have  been  resolved.  At  the  end  of  October,  a  competition  for  the  position  of 
Prosecutor General was also launched. 

Independence and impartiality 

Judicial independence is enshrined in the Constitution. The constitutional amendments which 
entered  into  force  in  April  2022  introduced  a  number  of  elements  improving  judicial 

23 

 
 
independence  in  line  with  Venice  Commission  recommendations.  Changes  include 
introducing the appointment of all judges including the SCJ  by the President upon proposal 
of the SCM (with a one-time veto of the President, however, the final decision lies with the 
SCM),  instead  of  the  Parliament,  to  reduce  the  risk  of  politicisation.  In  addition,  the 
amendments removed probationary periods for judges, regulated the functional immunity of 
judges at constitutional level, and changed the composition of the SCM (ensuring that at least 
half of the members are judges elected by their peers). 

In  April  2022,  in  line  with  Article 16  of  the  Constitution,  the  SCM  presented  a  list  of  39 
judges to be reconfirmed in office to the President. President Sandu rejected 25 judges on the 
list based on integrity and reputational criteria. She then issued a decree to appoint the other 
14 shortlisted judges until  their retirement  age. The newly formed SCM  can have a second 
review of the rejected judges and submit their list to the President again. 

Judicial appointments remain a challenge in Moldova. Graduates from the National Institute 
of Justice (NIJ) and non-graduates who have 5 years of experience and have passed the NIJ 
final  examination are  eligible for appointment. The results of the NIJ final  examination are 
just  one  of  the  selection  criteria  (accounting  for  70%  of  the  mark).  Other  criteria  are  the 
length and nature of professional experience and a  letter of recommendation. The Selection 
Committee is not bound to follow the ranking of the NIJ final examination. Candidates with 
the best marks in the exam were often not among those proposed by the SCM for presidential 
appointment. 

The  SCP  has  selected  new  prosecutors  from  the  group  of  NIJ  graduates.  The  SCM,  on  the 
other  hand,  has  mainly  selected  experienced  lawyers  in  the  latest  rounds  of  appointments 
without justifying its decisions on the selection and appointment of new judges. As a result, 
more than 90 NIJ graduates have been placed on waiting lists for judicial appointments. 

On  30 March  2023,  Parliament  adopted  the  Law  on  the  Supreme  Court  of  Justice  (SCJ), 
changing  its  composition  and  powers  in  line  with  recommendations  from  the  Venice 
Commission. The SCJ was reduced from 33 to 20 members, whereby 11 will be chosen from 
among judges and 9 from among lawyers, prosecutors and legal academics. The SCJ’s main 
responsibility is still to ensure the law is consistently applied throughout national jurisdiction.  

In October 2022, Parliament amended the Law on the Prosecution Service, generally in line 
with  the  Venice  Commission  recommendations.  Efforts  are  still  needed  to  consolidate  the 
functional  independence  of  the  Prosecution  Service  and  the  efficiency  of  the  General 
Prosecutors Office. 

Accountability 

Parliament adopted two laws providing the legal  basis for vetting  respectively the Supreme 
Court  judges  (including  candidates)  and  the  other  categories  of  judges  and  prosecutors, 
particularly  those  in  high  level  positions,  comprising  a  third  of  all  judges  and  prosecutors. 
The laws were prepared broadly in line with Venice Commission recommendations.  

First, on 30 March 2023, Parliament adopted the law on the external evaluation of the sitting 
judges  and  candidates  for  the  SCJ.  The  law  provides  for  setting  up  an  Evaluation 
Commission  comprising  three  local  and  three  international  members  tasked  with  assessing 
the  financial  situation  and  the  integrity  of  SCJ  judges  and  candidates.  After  this  reform 
measure  was  announced  in  February  2023,  20  out  of  25  SCJ  judges  submitted  their 
resignation and the SCM decided to transfer  judges to the SCJ from lower courts, to keep the 
SCJ operational. 

Second,  in  July  2023,  Parliament  adopted  a  law  on  the  further  vetting  of  judges  and 

24 

 
 
prosecutors in high level positions, which was consulted with the European Commission and 
broadly aligned with Venice Commission recommendations. However, the President returned 
the  law  to  Parliament  with  additional  changes,  which  Parliament  adopted  in  August  2023. 
These  additional  revisions  have  not  been  consulted  with  the  Venice  Commission.  The  law 
foresees the creation of two evaluation commissions, one for judges and one for prosecutors, 
both  comprising  three  local  and  three  international  members  each.  The  final  version  of  the 
law was sent to the Venice Commission for review in September 2023. 

In February 2023, Parliament adopted amendments to the law on the disciplinary liability of 
judges, which entered into force on 18 April 2023. With these amendments, the composition 
of the disciplinary board has been reduced to seven members, two broad disciplinary offences 
have been deleted, certain aspects of the procedure have been clarified and the right to appeal 
against  SCM  decisions  directly  to  the  SCJ  has  been  restored.  However,  in  accordance  with 
GRECO recommendations of March 2023, the objectivity, efficiency and transparency of the 
disciplinary liability remain to be further strengthened in law and in practice. 

One of the main objectives of the justice reform is to streamline the work of anti-corruption 
and integrity authorities. In particular, the reform addresses the division of responsibilities of 
the  Anti-corruption  Prosecutor’s  Office  (APO)  and  of  the  National  Anticorruption  Center 
(NAC). The relevant legislation was adopted by Parliament in August 2023. 

The  Code  of  Ethics  and  Professional  Conduct  of  Judges  adopted  by  the  SCM  in  2018  is 
generally in line with European standards. A Judicial Ethics Commission was set up in March 
2017 in the SCM to effectively promote the judicial integrity of judges. 

The  Law  on  the  status  of  the  judge  provides  for  an  evaluation  of  the  level  of  judges’ 
professional qualifications and skills. Negative  outcomes of such an evaluation may lead to 
an extraordinary evaluation, including when judicial decisions taken by a judge raise doubts 
about  the  level  of  their  qualifications  and  professional  skills.  This  extraordinary  evaluation 
may result in the SCM dismissing the judge. 

The  system  for  detecting  breaches  of  integrity  rules  needs  to  be  made  more  effective, 
objective, consistent and credible. In addition, all cases that give grounds for disciplinary or 
ethical responsibility must be followed up. There is no legal remedy against decisions of both 
council’s  ethical  commissions,  which  do  not  often  provide  sufficient  justification  for  their 
decisions. 

Professionalism and competence 

An  integrated  file  management  programme  is  now  in  its  fifth  improved  version.  The 
programme  covers  all  of  a  judge’s  procedural  activities,  including  registration,  distribution 
and file transfer. 

General objective criteria for distributing cases across courts include specialisation (cases for 
the  investigating  judge,  civil  cases,  insolvency,  etc.)  and  the  complexity  of  a  case.  This 
allows for equally distributing the workload among judges. 

Improvements  have  been  made  in  recent  years  to  independence  and  objectivity  when 
distributing court cases via the automated distribution system. To avoid manipulation of the 
automated system, there must be rules that oblige the court president to proactively monitor 
the  distribution  of  the  cases  and  provide  clear  reasons  for  each  case  assignment,  including 
any exceptions, and communicate this information publicly. 

Quality of justice 

In  2022,  EUR  23.1  million  was  allocated  to  courts  of  law  and  EUR  19.4  million  to  the 

25 

 
 
prosecutors’  office.  This  shows  an  increase  from  2020  when  21.2  million  was  allocated  to 
courts and EUR 17.4 million to the prosecutors’ office.  

The number of judges (17) per 100 000 inhabitants is lower than the European average (22.2) 
and the number of prosecutors (23) is double the European average (11.8). 

The  National  Institute  of  Justice  (NIJ)  allocated  budget  for  2022  was  MDL  20  945  900 
(approx. EUR 1 047 295) an increase from the allocated budget for 2021 which was MDL 19 
988  600  (approx.  EUR  1  001  839).  NIJ  Board  annually  approves  the  staff  numbers  which 
consists of 73 units  from  which 25 are  filled by the NIJ trainers.  The  Law on the  National 
Institute of Justice inadequately regulates admission and graduation. There have been efforts 
to  increase  the  transparency  of  the  admission  and  graduation  processes,  but  they  have  not 
been  enough  to  reverse  the  negative  perception  held  by  the  public.  In  the  short  term,  the 
country  should  introduce  a  set  of  additional  measures  to  increase  both  the  actual  and 
perceived objectivity of the admission and graduation processes and reduce the subjectivity 
of  the  evaluation.  In  the  long  term,  the  NIJ  should  redesign  the  whole  cycle  of  admission, 
initial  training  and  graduation  based  on  competencies  in  line  with  European  standards  and 
best  practices.  Currently,  a  limited  number  of  NIJ  graduates  are  appointed  as  judges  and 
prosecutors, whereas NIJ should become the single-entry point to these professions. 

Regular  and  thorough  evaluation  of  initial  and  continuous  training  programmes  should  be 
conducted  to  improve  them.  Trainings  on  judgecraft,  including  subjects    related  to  legal 
reasoning,  professional  ethics  and  behaviour,  transdisciplinary  issues,  time  and  case 
management,  information  systems  and  data  collection,  and  effective  court  management 
should be developed or revised. 

While there is a legal basis for alternative dispute resolution in Moldova, in the form of non-
judicial  mediation,  conciliation  and  arbitration,  its  use  is  limited  to  less  than  1%  of  total 
cases. Awareness of the citizens about the alternative dispute resolution service needs to be 
improved. 

Efficiency 

The disposition time – the time a judicial system takes to resolve a case - and the number of 
pending  cases  remain  a  major  concern.  Disposition  time  in  litigious  civil  and  commercial 
cases increased to 171 days in 2020 compared with 143 days in 2018. The clearance rate in 
civil  cases  is  97%  in  first  instance  (and  95%  in  second  instance.  The  clearance  rate  in 
criminal  cases  is  90.8%  in  first  instance  and  93.2%  in  second  instance.  In  administrative 
cases, this rate is 95% in first instance and 87.7% in second instance. 

The  backlog  of  pending  court  cases  amounts  to  22 299  and  3 330  cases  for  the  first  and 
second instances respectively. The disposition time for enforcement documents at the end of 
2022  was  715  days,  the  clearance  rate  stood  at  83.5%  and  the  closing  rate  was  33.7%.  In 
September  2023,  the  Ministry  of  Justice  approved  a  regulation  according  to  which  all 
enforcement agents  are  obliged to  keep records of files in  the electronic system,  improving 
the traceability and overview on enforcement proceedings. 

The  2020  budget  for  the  judiciary  system  is  0.40%  of  GDP,  which  is  less  than  the  2018 
budget (0.48% of GDP). 

Fight against corruption 

Moldova has some level of preparation in the fight against corruption. The legislation was 
amended to clarify the mandates of the institutions in charge of investigation. New legislation 
for  trials  in  absentia  was  used  to  finalise  a  judgment  in  the  case  against  a  well-known 

26 

 
 
oligarch.  The  track  record  of  high-level  corruption  convictions  increased  slightly.  Draft 
amendments to the law on whistle-blowers were adopted by Parliament in June 2023. Some 
progress has been made and needs to be sustained to remove the many remaining blockages 
that hinder the reform processes. 

In the coming period, Moldova should in particular: 

→  adopt  the  new  national  integrity  and  anti-corruption  strategy  2024  and  beyond  and  its 

implementation action plan; 

→  finalise  the  reform  of  the  anti-corruption  institutional  framework,  in  particular  increase 

the capacity of the institutions concerned;  

→  implement pending GRECO recommendations and the ODIHR opinion and guidance on 

transparency and accountability. 

Track record 

One  of  Moldova’s  biggest  achievements  in  this  area  has  been  improving  international 
cooperation at investigative and operational levels. The Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office is 
using  joint  investigation  teams  effectively  with  Eurojust  support  to  investigate  fraud  of 
USD 1 billion.  The  Moldovan-Latvian  Joint  Investigation  Team  proved  successful,  and  its 
methodology  will  be  applied  to  cooperation  with  other  countries,  such  as  Estonia  and 
Switzerland. 

During  the  reporting  period,  the  General  Prosecutor’s  Office  and  the  European  Public 
Prosecutor’s Office signed a working arrangement, resulting in joint training and an exchange 
of  information.  The  National  Anticorruption  Center  (NAC)  has  strengthened  international 
cooperation  with  peer  institutions,  and  several  bilateral  contacts  have  been  established.  An 
example  of  improved  international  cooperation,  based  on  direct  contact  with  the  EU 
authorities,  was  identifying  and  freezing  assets  located  in  Spain  worth  approximately 
EUR 56 million related to the USD 1 billion fraud case. Moldovan authorities made a request 
to identify and freeze the assets in in January 2023 with results produced in March 2023. 

In  2022,  434  investigations  were  initiated  into  high-level  corruption  offences.  These 
concerned  passive  corruption  (162  cases),  active  corruption  (56  cases),  influence  peddling 
(84 cases), abuse of power/abuse of official position (99 cases), excess of power or excess of 
official authority (29 cases) and negligent performance of duties (4 cases). Out of these, 180 
cases  were  sent  to  court,  resulting  in  108  guilty  verdicts.  Criminal  cases  against  1  former 
President  of  Moldova,  2  judges,  9  prosecutors  and  1  Security  and  Intelligence  Service 
employee were prosecuted and sent to court in 2022. 

On corruption offences, in 2022, courts issued 131 sentences against 147 individuals: prison 
terms  for  18  individuals  (12.2%  of  all  147  convicted  individuals  against  11.6%  in  2021); 
suspended  sentences  for  64  individuals  (43.53%  against  47.8%  in  2021);  fines  for  64 
individuals  (43.53%  against  39.2%  in  2021);  and  unpaid  community  service  for  one 
individual (0.68% against 1.4% in 2021). 

The high-level public officials and other individuals sentenced by trial courts in 2022 include 
1 prosecutor, 3 judges and 12 company managers. 

In  2022,  121  financial  investigations  were  started  in  parallel  with  94  criminal  cases 
concerning corruption, actions related to corruption and illicit enrichment. 

In 2022, 250 requests were sent to the Criminal Assets Recovery Agency, which is 9% or 21 
requests  more  than  in  the  previous  year.  These  included  171  requests  related  to  corruption 

27 

 
 
cases, 29.54% more than in 2021 when there were 132. 

In  2022,  parallel  financial  investigations  carried  out  by  criminal  investigation  officers 
identified  630  assets  worth  MDL  2 162 207 564  (approximately  EUR 108 million),  which 
were seized by the Criminal Assets Recovery Agency. Out of the seized amounts confirmed 
by  courts  (MDL 786 986 848),  MDL 717 773 919  (EUR 35.85 million)  are  related  to 
corruption  cases.  In  2021,  property  seized  as  part  of  corruption  cases  was  worth 
MDL 336 168 560 (EUR 16.8 million). When comparing between years 2021 and 2022, this 
shows an increase of 113.39%. 

In  2022  and  2023,  the  prosecution  services  requested,  and  the  courts  admitted  the 
withdrawal of immunity in 9 cases involving 5 judges and 4 Members of Parliament. These 
individuals  were  found  guilty  of  crimes  under  Article 327  of  the  Criminal  Code  (abuse  of 
power  or  abuse  of  office),  Article 307  (issue  of  a  sentence,  decision,  order  or  judgment  in 
violation  of  the  law),  Article 352/1  (misrepresentation  in  statements),  Article 330/2  (illicit 
enrichment), Article 190 (fraud), and Article 243 (money laundering). 

In  terms  of  cases  of  illicit  wealth  detected,  between  2022  and  until  March  2023  the  Anti-
corruption  Prosecutor’s  Office  (APO)  initiated  45  criminal  cases.  Out  of  these,  3  were 
dropped  and  3  went  to  court  (involving  a  former  judge,  a  former  prosecutor  and  a  former 
chief  of  the  Security  and  Intelligence  Service).  In  March  2023,  the  APO  had  50  ongoing 
criminal cases. 

On  whistle-blowers  protection, 
examined 11 complaints from alleged whistle-blowers. 

the  People’s  Advocate’s  (Ombudsperson’s)  Office 

On conflicts of interest, in 2022, the National Integrity Authority (NIA) assessed 219 cases 
of suspected conflicts of interest, out of which 91 were found to be pertinent. As a result of 
the  assessment,  it  was  found  that  the  applied  sanctions  were  a  deterrent.  On  asset 
declarations, as of 1 January 2023, 840 323declarations were published on the NIA website 
in  the  dedicated  e-Declaration  Portal.  Out  of  these,  72 202  declarations  were  submitted  in 
2022.  In  line  with  Article 330/2  of  the  Contravention  Code,  in  2022,  the  NIA  found  140 
misdemeanours breaching the rules on declaring assets and personal interests. In 38 cases, the 
NIA found reasonable suspicions that a crime had been committed and reported them to the 
prosecution authorities. In 2022, the NIA applied fines of MDL 487 595 (EUR 24 504). 

In 2022, integrity inspectors checked the assets and personal interest declarations of 402 of 
440  judges  (approx.  91%),  627  of  634  prosecutors  (approx.  99%),  2  of  9  members  of  the 
Superior Council of Magistracy (approx. 22%), and 3 of 10 members of the Superior Council 
of Prosecutors (approx. 30%). 

On cases infringing the legislation on political party and electoral campaign financing in 
2022, the Central Election Commission (CEC) started contravention cases against 10 political 
parties  suspected  of  violating  the  use  of  state  budget  allocations.  In  Decision  678  of 
9 September  2022,  the  CEC  found  that  the  Şor  Party  had  spent  undeclared  financial  and 
material funds and exceeded the funds ceiling set for the new local election of 29 May 2022. 
As  a  result,  the  CEC  sanctioned  the  party  by  banning  it  from  receiving  state  budget 
allocations  for  6  months  from  1 January  2023  to  30 June  2023.  The  legality  of  the  CEC 
decision was confirmed on 24 October 2022 by a judgment of the Chişinău Court of Appeals 
and on 31 October 2022 by an irrevocable decision of the Supreme Court of Justice. 

Institutional framework 

The  National  Anticorruption  Center  (NAC),  the  Anti-corruption  Prosecutor’s  Office  (APO) 
and  the  National  Integrity  Authority  (NIA)  are  the  main  institutions  specialised  in  anti-

28 

 
 
corruption and are responsible for integrity and preventing and fighting corruption. 

Prevention of corruption 

The  institutions  dealing  with  preventing  and  fighting  corruption  are  the  police,  the  border 
police, the Customs Service, the State Tax Inspectorate, the Office for Prevention and Fight 
against Money Laundering, and the Criminal Assets Recovery Agency. In November 2022, 
the NAC organised the European Partners Against Corruption and European Anti-corruption 
Networks  annual  summit,  which  contributed  to  improved  international  cooperation  and 
bilateral contacts. 

Legislative  amendments  on  the  division  of  investigative  powers  of  the  NAC  and  the  APO 
were adopted by Parliament. The latest amendments adopted in August  foresee that the APO 
will prosecute high-level corruption cases, illegal party funding and corruption involving high 
amounts of money. NAC and territorial prosecution offices will deal with systemic corruption 
(e.g. education, health) and petty corruption. 

The  draft  law  amending  the  Law  on  whistle-blowers  was  adopted  by  Parliament  in  June 
2023. It aims to improve the mechanism for disclosing integrity issues and provides for new 
protective measures for whistle-blowers. 

Law enforcement 

Under  the  institutional  framework,  the  prosecution  bodies  empowered  to  handle  corruption 
cases  include  the  NAC  and  the  APO.  There  are  no  specialised  anti-corruption  courts  or 
judicial  panels,  however  in  June  2023  the  President  introduced  a  concept  for  an  Anti-
Corruption Court. The law concerning this court was submitted in August 2023 to the Venice 
Commission.  The  in-service  training  programmes  for  judges  and  prosecutors  used  by  the 
National Institute of Justice include the module ‘Economic, corruption, and related crimes’. 

The  country’s  leadership  shows  strong  political  will  to  counter  corruption.  Concrete  action 
has  been  taken,  aiming  for  a  credible  record  of  prosecutions  and  convictions.  Legislative 
amendments  entered  into  force  in  July  2022  introducing  new  mechanisms  for  criminal 
investigation  that  provide  for  trials  and  sentencing  in  absentia  of  people  who  try  to  evade 
persecution.  The first  procedures  for  the  completion  of  criminal  proceedings  in  absentia 
concern a  former  MP  and  a  party  leader  oligarch,  and  a  fugitive  oligarch,  in the  case 
commonly referred to as the ‘bank fraud’ occurred in 2014. 

In  December  2022,  Parliament  adopted  the  national  assets  recovery  programme  for  2023-
2027  and  its  action  plan.  These  aim  to  increase  the  transparency  and  accountability  of  the 
agencies involved in seizing criminal property. 

Amendments  to  the  Criminal  Code  and  the  Criminal  Procedures  Code  voted  in  July  2022 
create  an  extended  confiscation  mechanism.  This  allows  confiscating  assets  that  were 
transferred by convicted individuals to third parties. It is applicable in cases involving goods 
worth  20  medium  wages  and  above  and  when  the  person  concerned  cannot  prove  legal 
possession. 

Moldova has also pursued systematic efforts to adjust the regulatory framework to ensure the 
de-oligarchisation  of  economic,  political  and  public  life.  Initially,  a  two-pronged  approach 
was  envisaged:  (i)  the  adoption  of  a  framework  law  on  de-oligarchisation;  and  (ii)  a  set  of 
amendments  to  a  wide  range  of  laws  aimed  at  consolidating  institutions  and,  therefore, 
eliminating the influence of oligarchic interests. A law on de-oligarchisation was drafted and 
submitted for examination to the Venice Commission in its plenary session in March 2023. 
Following the publication of the Venice Commission’s opinion on it, it was decided to shift 

29 

 
 
the  focus  in  a  more  systemic  action  plan  on  measures  to  limit  excessive  economic  and 
political influence in public life. The draft action plan was opened for public consultation on 
13 April 2023. and adopted in May 2023. 

Legal framework 

Moldova  has  ratified  the  UN  Convention  against  Corruption  and  the  Council  of  Europe 
conventions  in  this  field.  Amendments  of  the  Law  on  whistle-blowers,  aiming  to  partly 
harmonise it with the provisions of EU Whistleblowing Directive was adopted by Parliament 
in June 2023.There are laws in place governing the prevention and sanctioning of conflicts of 
interest,  the  declaration  and  verification  of  assets,  financing  of  political  parties,  access  to 
information and protection of whistle-blowers. There is no law on lobbying. 

The Law on political party financing was amended in December 2022 to ensure transparency 
on the financing of political parties and effective financial reporting by them. 

The legal framework governing declarations of assets and conflicts of interest was adopted 
in 2016 with subsequent amendments adopted in 2021 strengthening the powers of integrity 
inspectors. 

Code of ethics 

As mentioned above, Moldova has made systemic efforts to adjust the regulatory framework 
to ensure the de-oligarchisation of economic, political, and public life. The abovementioned  
action plan with  measures to  limit  excessive economic and political  influence in  public life 
includes seven groups of actions: (i) the use of offshore jurisdictions, privatisation and state 
property  management;  (ii)  the  prevention  of  money  laundering  and  capacity  building  for 
detecting  suspicious  transactions;  (iii)  effective  identification  of  the  beneficiary  owner;  (iv) 
investigation  and  confiscation  of  illicit  assets;  (v)  consolidation  of  competition  authorities 
and  prevention  of  manipulating  opinion  on  audiovisual  markets;  (vi)  improvements  in  the 
banking risk assessment; and (vii) ensuring a level playing field in politics. 

Strategic framework 

The national integrity and anti-corruption strategy (NIAS) for 2017-2023 is the third policy 
document implemented in the field of anti-corruption and integrity. The six objectives of the 
current  NIAS  are:  (i) the deterrence of involvement in corruption; (ii) recovery of proceeds 
obtained  from  corruption  offences;  (iii)  ethics  and  integrity  in  the  public,  private  and  non-
government  sectors;  (iv)  protection  of  whistle-blowers  and  victims  of  corruption;  (v) 
transparency of institutions, financing of political parties and the media; and (vi) education of 
society and officials. 

The objectives of the NIAS are well interconnected with the UN’s Sustainable Development 
Goals. Additionally, the NIAS is structured into seven pillars, with each pillar clearly setting 
specific objectives to be achieved. Monitoring and reporting mechanisms should be improved 
to ensure effective and efficient implementation of the actions. The sectors most vulnerable to 
corruption require targeted risk assessments and dedicated actions. 

Fundamental rights 

The legislative and institutional framework is largely in place, and Moldova  has made a clear 
commitment  to  meet  its  international  obligations  on  human  rights.  Efforts  were  made  in  the 
reporting period to implement the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating 
Violence  against  Women  and  Domestic  Violence  (Istanbul  Convention).  .  These  efforts 
included  strengthening  the  mandates  of  the  Equality  Council  and  the  People’s  Advocate  and 
adopting  programmes  on  strengthening  gender  equality  and  support  to  the  Roma.  Persons 
30 

 
 
belonging to minorities, persons with disabilities and the Roma in particular as well as LGBTIQ 
persons, continue to  face discrimination,  including  in  the labour market. Detention  conditions 
remain poor. 

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular: 

→  further  improve  gender  equality  including  by  undertaking  further  measures  to  eliminate 
gender-based  violence,  including  by  adopting  and  implementing  the  new  national 
programme  on  preventing  and  combating  domestic  violence  and  violence  against  women 
for 2023-2027 and the new national programme on the acceleration of gender equality for 
2023-2027 and its corresponding action plan; 

→  implement the programme in support of the Roma population for 2022-2025 at all levels of 

government; 

→  implement the Committee for the Prevention of Torture recommendations on the prevention 

of torture and ill-treatment. 

Moldova  has  ratified  most  key  international  human  rights  instruments.  Moldova  is  a 
States Party to all UN core human rights treaties, except the Convention for the Protection of 
All  Persons  from  Enforced  Disappearance.  It  has  also  ratified    all  fundamental  and 
governance  Conventions  of  the  International  Labour  Organisation  (ILO),  29  out  of  176 
technical  ILO  conventions  and  the  Council  of  Europe  Convention  on  Preventing  and 
Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (‘Istanbul Convention’). EE 

On the promotion and enforcement of human rights, the central institution is the People’s 
Advocate (Ombudsperson) and the People’s Advocate for Child’s Right, accredited with ‘A’ 
status by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions. Steps were taken during 
the  reporting  period  to  strengthen  the  institution and  clarify  competencies  by  amending  the 
normative framework. A special parliamentary committee selects the People’s Advocate and 
the People’s Advocate for Child’s Right. Immunity is granted to the People’s Advocate, the 
People’s Advocate for Child’s Right and their deputies. Except for flagrant crimes, they can 
only be detained, arrested or searched with Parliament’s consent. Officials of the institution 
acting on behalf of the People’s Advocate and the People’s Advocate for Child’s Right enjoy 
inviolability  when  carrying  out  their  tasks.  The  procedure  for  removing  both  advocates 
involves a prior hearing by the plenary of Parliament.  It is financed from the state budget and 
its  representatives  have  the  right  to  address  Parliament  if  the  provided  resources  are 
insufficient to fulfil its mandate.  

One  of  the  tasks  of  the  People’s  Advocate  and  the  People’s  Advocate  for  Child’s  Right  is 
investigating  allegations  of  human  rights  violations.  In  2022,  they  both  examined  282 
complaints  that  met  admissibility  conditions  in  human  rights  and  children’s  rights.  They 
solved issues, such as the rights to health, a fair trial, education work and the prohibition of 
forced labour, the protection of refugees, the rights of persons with disabilities, and the rights 
of persons from the territories not under control of the Moldovan government. They carried 
out  over  229  monitoring  visits  to  detention  institutions,  temporary  placement  centres  and 
other residential institutions. 

In June 2023, there were 1 048 applications pending before the European Court for Human 
Rights (ECtHR). The ECtHR delivered judgments on 31 applications and found breaches of 
the European Convention on Human Rights in 23 out of 24 cases, relating mainly to the right 
to respect for private and family life, the right to a fair trial, the right to liberty and security 
and  to  the  prohibition  of  torture.  In  the  reporting  period,  there  were  578  new  applications 
assigned to a decision body. Currently, there are 25 cases under enhanced supervision by the 

31 

 
 
Committee of Ministers. 

The death penalty has been abolished in Moldova since 2006. There is no public discussion 
or debate in society or by any political party to reintroduce it. 

Prevention of torture and ill treatment has been an issue of great concern for Moldova for 
many  years.  Even  though  the  number  of  complaints  of  ill  treatment  fell by  50%  in  the  last 
decade,  from  about  1 000  in  2009  to  500  in  2021,  there  is  still  quite  a  lot  to  be  done. 
Prosecutors rarely decide to initiate criminal proceedings. The People’s Advocate notes that 
in cases of torture/ill treatment, there is a low rate of prosecution initiated against people who 
tolerate  or  carry  out  those  acts.  In  2021,  prosecutors  followed  up  on  only  1  out  of  11 
complaints  of  abuse,  and  only  4-5%  of  complaints  turned  into  cases  before  the  courts.  In 
2022,  the  Prosecutor  General  registered  and  examined  485  complaints  of  allegations  of  ill 
treatment. Prosecution was ordered only in 69 cases, of which 8 cases concerned acts of ill 
treatment,  admitted    on  behalf  of  minors.  In  the  other  404  cases  (83.2%  of  allegations  of 
torture/ill treatment), there was a refusal to prosecute as these acts were not considered to be 
crimes,  so  the  alleged  guilty  individuals  went  unpunished.  Compared  with  the  number  of 
complaints  registered  in  2022,  the  15  criminal  cases  sent  to  the  court  for  substantive 
examination only constitutes 3.09% of the total.  

The  Council  for  the  Prevention  of  Torture  can  carry  out  (unannounced)  preventive  and 
monitoring  visits  to  places  where  detainees  are  or  may  be  detained.  In  2022,  the  Council 
prepared and sent the authorities 20 visit reports with 400 recommendations. The Directorate 
for the Prevention of Torture of the People’s Advocate prepared and sent 9 visit reports to the 
authorities with 170 recommendations. 

The  Directorate  for  the  Prevention  of  Torture  of  the  People’s  Advocate  proactively  carries 
out  frequent  investigations  into  ill  treatment.  The  Directorate  became  involved  in 
investigating high-profile cases. These included the case of a young man who died in prison 
under  unclear  circumstances  and  the  case  of  a  conscript  soldier  who  alleged  that  he  had 
suffered violence at the hands of other soldiers in a military facility. It also produces special 
reports  on  individual  cases,  which  can  be  consulted  on  the  public  website  of  the  People’s 
Advocate. 

Moldova’s  prison  system  includes  18  prisons.  As  of  1 January  2023,  there  were  6 084 
inmates in prison, a fall from 6 396 inmates in 2021. Most ECtHR rulings against Moldova 
relate to inhumane detention conditions. No measures were taken during the reporting period 
to remedy the situation. All 18 detention facilities were built during the Soviet period. There 
have  been  no  major  upgrades  since  Moldova’s  independence,  and  the  prisons  currently 
exceed their intended capacity. Inadequate access to medical treatment, overcrowding and the 
general bad state of prison facilities as well as the lack of proper reporting and investigation 
of  potential  ill  treatment  and  violence  remain  largely  unaddressed.  No  amendments  were 
made to the legal framework in  to tackle these issues. 

The government has allowed local and international human rights observers to independently 
monitor  prison  conditions.  Human  rights  defenders  report  on  the  existence  of  ‘barrack’ 
systems (large-capacity cells) and overcrowding due to the lack of space. 

In June 2022, the Ministry of Justice increased the detention capacity in some prisons. This 
was  contrary  to  international  and  national  recommendations  to  substantially  reduce  prison 
overpopulation.  In  its  visits,  the  Council  for  Prevention  of  Torture  noted  overcrowding  in 
three  prisons,  well  above  the  capacity  set  by  the  Ministry  of  Justice.  The  problem  is  most 
urgent  in  Chişinău  prison.  Another  concern  is  that  not  all  prisons  have  accommodation  for 
preventive detention, and suspects  are at  risk of  being  placed in  disciplinary sections under 
32 

 
 
inhumane conditions. 

No  progress  has  been  made  on  the  plans  to  build  new  prisons.    The  Ministry  of  Justice  is 
currently  running  a  construction  project  in  Chişinău  prison  with  funding  from  the 
Development  Bank  of  the  Council  of  Europe.  The  People’s  Advocate  regularly  looks  into 
cases brought by detainees.  

The  National  Probation  Inspectorate  is  responsible  for  probation  in  Moldova.  Many 
amendments to codes and government decisions have been adopted on the execution of court 
decisions and punishments. These amendments were necessary to link probation to European 
probation rules and include new concepts in the legislation, such as humanisation of criminal 
punishments, early parole and conviction with partial suspension of the sentence , probation 
programmes,  improving  the  quality  of  pre-sentence  reports,  electronic  monitoring,  victim 
protection, partnership development and promotion of probation. 

Post-penitentiary probation aims at supervising, helping and counselling people released from 
detention  to  help  them  adapt  to  society  again.  Juvenile  probation  is  carried  out  for  the 
temporary  protection  of  children  in  difficulty,  resocialisation,  and  reintegration  in  the 
biological or adoptive family, family-type children’s homes and the community. CSOs carry 
out  different  reintegration  and  resocialisation  programmes,  but  these  only  target  specific 
groups of former prisoners and are not run across the country and all prisons. The authorities 
should  strengthen  national  mechanisms  to  reduce  detention  populations,  including  through 
the effective application of non-custodial measures and/or other types of punishment. 

The Law on personal data protection is to some extent aligned with the EU General Data 
Protection Regulation and the Law Enforcement Directive. Moldova is still in the process of 
harmonising  its  national  laws,  which  has  been  pending  since  2020.  Laws  are  being 
revised/redrafted and will then be submitted to Parliament. 

Moldova is party to the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of Individuals with 
regard  to  Automatic  Processing  of  Personal  Data.  In  February  2023,  Moldova  signed  the 
Protocol amending this Convention, but it has not ratified it yet. In November 2022, Moldova 
signed  the  Second  Additional  Protocol  to  the  Convention  on  Cybercrime  on  enhanced 
cooperation and disclosure of electronic evidence. 

The  National  Centre  for  Personal  Data  Protection  is  the  supervisory  authority  for  personal 
data processing in Moldova. It has 39 staff for the 45 authorised positions, the lowest number 
since  2018.  It  suffers  from  high  staff  turnover  and  is  facing  difficulties  in  attracting  and 
retaining talent due to low salaries and the high level of expertise required. 

In  2022,  the  National  Centre  for  Personal  Data  Protection  examined  9 838  correspondence 
documents. In 227 of the complaints registered in 2022, checks on compliance with personal 
data processing rules were initiated. As a result, 230 decisions were issued, and a breach of 
legal  provisions was  found in  105 of them. Moldova should continue its efforts to  align its 
legislation  further  with  the  EU  acquis,  train  public  servants  across  all  institutions  to  the 
highest  international  and  EU  standards  and  step  up  awareness  campaigns  to  inform  people 
about their rights. 

The  right  to  freedom  of  religion  or  belief  is  generally  respected  in  Moldova.  Most  of  the 
population professes Orthodox Christianity (96.8% according to the 2014 Census). There are 
also small Jewish, Roman Catholic and Evangelical communities across the country as well 
as Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons. No community has reported any issues in relation to 
its  members’  freedom  of  worship.  There  is  no  specific  organisation  dealing  with  religious 
communities. For all public associations and political parties, the Agency of Public Services 

33 

 
 
registers them. Issues related to violations of freedom of religion or belief are dealt with the 
Equality Council and the People’s Advocate. 

There is no state religion. The Law on freedom of conscience, thought and religion sets out 
that the state recognises the ‘exceptional importance and fundamental role’ of the Moldovan 
Orthodox  Church  in  the  life,  history  and  culture  of  the  country.  The  Moldovan  Orthodox 
Church  continues  to  use  and  control  historic  and  religious  properties  that  had  been 
confiscated during the Soviet era. The government has not addressed long-standing efforts of 
other religions to reclaim properties confiscated during that time. 

The  law  mandates  the  restoration  of  rights  and  compensation  for  material  damages  for 
victims of the totalitarian regimes that controlled Moldovan territory between 1917 and 1991 
and for citizens who were subject to reprisals based on political, national, religious or social 
grounds. The law specifically refers to restitution of private property for victims of the Soviet 
era.  However,  it  does  not  mention  property  confiscated  during  the  Holocaust  and  does  not 
apply to communal property confiscated from religious groups. 

Registration law provisions on the organisation of religious groups remain unaddressed. The 
law  gives  people  from  all  registered  religious  groups  the  right  to  burial  space  in  public 
cemeteries but is not followed systematically. 

The situation on hate speech remains problematic. Hate speech itself is not criminalised in 
Moldova,  but  the  incitement  to  hate  is.  Amendments  to  the  Criminal  Code,  which  entered 
into  force  in  July  2023,  are  generally  compatible  with  European  standards  on  criminal 
sanctions for the use of hate speech and on imposing tougher penalties for offences that can 
be characterised as a hate crime. The Audiovisual Code introduced heavier sanctions for the 
incitement  of  hate,  especially  during  election  campaigns.  Hate  crimes  are  underreported  in 
Moldova and are not investigated and prosecuted enough. Police and the prosecution service 
do  not  receive  adequate  training  on  investigating  these  cases,  which  often  do  not  reach  the 
courts. Due to the lack of action taken by the police, such cases are sometimes referred to the 
Equality Council, which does not have the power to investigate criminal violations. 

The  legislative  framework  for  the  fight  against  antisemitism  is  in  place.  The  action  plan 
(2021-2024)  on  promoting  the  memory  of  the  Holocaust  and  the  culture  of  tolerance  to 
combat  racism,  antisemitism,  xenophobia  and  other  forms  of  intolerance  is  generally 
consistent with the EU strategy on combating antisemitism. However, its implementation is 
often characterised by a lack of coordination at local level. The government does not provide 
for  the  proper  maintenance  of  most  Jewish  cemeteries  across  the  country  or  protect  them 
from vandalism. Cases and complaints related to a Jewish cemetery and a synagogue in Orhei 
have not yet been resolved. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Freedom of expression 

Moldova has a pluralistic media environment and has some level of preparation in freedom 
of expression. The country made some progress during the reporting period, in particular on 
the issue of ownership concentration. Legislation sets  out  rules to  prevent  concentration of 
media and ensure transparency of media ownership. The Audiovisual Council needs to boost 
efforts to  implement  these rules.  To ensure compliance with  the European Media Freedom 
Act,  the  Audiovisual  Media  Services  Code    address  political  bias  in  state  media.  The 
government  is  taking  steps  to  address  disinformation  in  the  media,  which  remains  a 
challenge,  especially disinformation  spread in  online media.  In  an attempt to  limit  Russian 
disinformation,  in  December  2022  the  Commission  for  Exceptional  Situations  ordered  the 

34 

 
 
suspension  of  six  TV  stations  that  rebroadcast  content  from  Russia;  the  decision  was 
challenged  in  court.  Several  attempts  of  intimidation  and  harassment  of  journalists  were 
reported in 2022, primarily in Gagauzia. 

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular: 

→  protect  journalists  more  effectively  against  intimidation  and  attacks,  including  by 

thorough law enforcement investigations; 

→  extend ownership transparency requirements to print and online media; 

→  improve media self-regulation mechanisms.  

The Constitution guarantees the freedom of expression, which is generally respected. There is 
plurality  of  the  media.  Moldova’s  ranking  on  the  2022-2023  World  Press  Freedom  Index 
jumped by 12 places (with Reporters without Frontiers (RSF)’s new methodology from 89th 
in 2021 to 40th in 2022  to 28th in 2023).  The media landscape is affected by concentration 
and  a  lack  of  transparency  of  media  ownership  and  associated  problems  of  access  to  the 
advertising market. Financial sustainability is a challenge for independent media outlets. The 
press and media are generally free to cover court cases. 

The  Law  on  printed  media  prohibits  certain  action  against  journalists,  such  as  obstructing 
their  activity  or  confiscating  their  notes,  and  provides  for  appropriate  punishment. 
Constraining or exerting pressure by threatening or intimidating journalists is against the law 
and  could  lead  to  criminal  liability.  In  public  hearings,  the  Audiovisual  Council  examines 
cases  of  threats,  pressure  and  intimidation  that  prevent  or  restrict  the  free  exercise  of  the 
profession  of  journalists  or  the  activity  of  media  service  providers.  Where  appropriate,  the 
Council notifies the competent authorities. 

Intimidation of journalists 

Journalists  can  generally  report  without  state  interference,  but  they  do  face  interference  in 
their  work  in  Gagauzia.  In  Gagauzia’s  local  legislative  assembly,  journalists  must  be 
registered in the region based on unclear criteria. In July 2022, a journalist of the Nokta news 
portal  was  forcibly  ejected  from  a  People’s  Assembly  meeting.  In  August  2022,  after  a 
protest  in  Vulcănesti  in  Gagauzia,  supporters  of  a  political  party  threatened  and  attacked  a 
Nokta news portal cameraman. The police intervened to protect the cameraman. 

In  July  2022,  the  founder  of  the  independent  media  outlet  Jurnal  TV  was  charged  with 
slander. At the first instance, he was found guilty, fined MDL 4 500 and barred from working 
in television and radio for 6 months. Jurnal TV appealed the decision, and the Chişinău Court 
of Appeal admitted the appeal in February 2023. 

Legislative environment 

The  legislation  on  audiovisual  media  services  is  not  aligned  with  the  Audiovisual  Media 
Services  Directive  and  the  Council  of  Europe’s  normative  standards.  Amendments  to  the 
Audiovisual  Services  Media  Code  were  adopted  in  November  2022  and  included  rules  on 
sanctioning media outlets. In particular, the current law provides that  Parliament’s rejection 
of the Council’s annual activity report should result in the legal dismissal of the members of 
the  Audiovisual  Council  (AVC).  However,  the  law  does  not  provide  evaluation  criteria  on 
which to base the rejection of the Council’s annual report. The fact that the AVC members 
can  be  easily  dismissed  has  been  criticised  as  a  way  of  politicising  its  members.  In  2021, 
Parliament  was  criticised  for  dismissing  AVC  members  accused  of  insufficiently  fighting 
disinformation.  However,  the  consensus  among  stakeholders  is  that  the  AVC’s  current 

35 

 
 
members  have  demonstrated  greater  independence  and  commitment  to  the  job  than  the 
previous ones. The government needs to approve the amendments proposed by the Council of 
Europe on appointing and dismissing the board. 

In 2022, the AVC devised and began a ‘peer support’ mechanism with the Council of Europe 
to set a benchmark to consolidate financial and operational stability. The Audiovisual Media 
Services  Code  should  set  out  criteria  for  dismissing  the  management  and  the  supervisory 
board of the national television broadcaster and the members of the AVC if their performance 
is  sub-standard.  The  Code  need  to  be  amended  to  clarify  the  appointment  procedures  to 
ensure the best candidates are selected and avoid early termination on performance grounds. 
Priority  should  be  given  to  adequately  remunerating  the  AVC’s  professional  staff  and 
members. Nevertheless, given the financial constraints on public financing, Moldova does not 
seem  to  have  sufficient  funds  earmarked  for  public  services.  In  addition,  the  AVC  has 
reduced the amount of staff and technical equipment and has called on international donors 
for immediate support. This situation leaves the Council vulnerable to commercial and other 
interests, undermining its independence. 

A  positive  development  to  ensure  equal  access  to  media  for  competitors  during  electoral 
periods is  that the new  Electoral  Code (adopted in  December 2022)  provides that the AVC 
should issue weekly reports during the pre-electoral campaign period. 

The  AVC  has  undergone  a  thorough  reform  during  the  reporting  period.  It  approved  its 
Regulation  of  organisation  and  functioning  and  on  17 June  2022,  approved  the  new 
organisational  structure  comprising  58  staff  units.  The  AVC’s  budget  increased  by  30% 
between  2022  and  2024.  The  AVC  still  needs  to  consolidate  its  financial  stability  and  its 
independence. 

Overall,  the  Audiovisual  Media  Services  Code  should  be  further  aligned  with  the  EU 
Audiovisual  Media  Services  Directive  to  guarantee  the  independence  of  the  AVC  and  the 
public broadcaster. 

Implementation of legislation/institutions 

The AVC monitors local content, the fulfilment of Romanian language requirements and the 
accuracy of broadcast information.  It imposed several fines worth several thousand euro on 
channels  that  retransmitted  Russian  political  and  military  content.  The  monitoring  of  these 
channels’ news bulletins indicated that some were broadcasting content produced by outlets 
banned  in  the  EU  and  were  mainly  practising  ‘disinformation  by  omission’:  their  news 
bulletins  focused  on  refugees  or  their  economic  impact  on  Moldova  without  presenting  the 
events of the war against Ukraine. 

Media  institutions  have  lodged  complaints  on  being  subject  to  strategic  lawsuits  against 
public participation (SLAPPs). The Independent Journalism Centre’s data show 21 strategic 
lawsuits  were  registered  in  2022  and  2023.  For  example,  the  investigative  website,  CU 
SENS,  was  the  target  of  six  of  these  lawsuits  in  2022  after  publishing  two  journalistic 
investigations.  A  doctor  from  the  Institute  of  Oncology  filed  15  lawsuits  against  different 
media  outlets  after  they  published  a  National  Anticorruption  Center  press  release  about  the 
doctor. 

Public service broadcaster 

The public service media company, Teleradio Moldova, faces significant challenges: it pays 
substantial amounts for transmission, operates from an old and oversized building and does 
not  have  enough  suitable  equipment.  In  addition,  it  cannot  offer  competitive  salaries  or 
suitable working conditions. 

36 

 
 
The  state  budget  provides  funds  to  the  public  service  broadcaster.  The  share  of  state 
allocations fell from 0.29% (2022) to 0.25% (2023) of the total state budget. 

Under the amended Audiovisual Media Services Code, Teleradio Moldova is allowed to sell 
advertising.  Its  estimated  advertising  revenue  for  2023  constitutes  1.5%  of  the  state  budget 
allocations. Media outlets continue to diversify their fundraising activities, including through 
the monetisation of media products, and through efforts funded by public. 

Economic factors 

Once a broadcasting licence or cable authorisation is granted, the media service provider or 
distributor  pays  a  fee,  as  prescribed  in  the  Law  on  licensing. The  Audiovisual  Council  can 
impose  financial  penalties  for  breaches  of  the   Audiovisual  Media  Services  Code.  These 
can range from  EUR 25  to  EUR 5 000  depending  on  the  severity  and  impact  of  the  case 
and how often they occur in a 12-month period. 

During  the  reporting  period,  the  AVC  took  several  steps  to  ensure  a  fairer  audiovisual 
climate.  As  a  result,  the  number  of  TV  stations  classified  as  ‘national’  increased  from  13 
(under a 2019 decision) to 41 (under a 2022 decision). The 41 TV stations are now obliged to 
produce at least 80% of content in Romanian. The AVC monitoring of more than 10 stations 
revealed  that  there  is  media  concentration  among  three  main  groups  affiliated  to  fugitive 
oligarchs  and  related  to  the  RTR  Russian-state  media  group.  After  an  amendment  to  the 
Audiovisual  Media  Services  Code  in  January  2023,  which  introduced  a  new  format  for  the 
annual report for media providers and distributors, the AVC can reject incomplete reports or 
sanction channels that have not submitted reports. For the first time, these reports are public 
in order to improve the transparency of media ownership. 

Internet 

The online space is not regulated through legislation. Nevertheless, in 2022 and 2023, under a 
decision of the Commission for Emergency Situations, the Security and Intelligence Service 
blocked  more  than  20  websites,  which  were  considered  to  be  spreading  disinformation, 
including from organisations banned in the EU. 

Professional organisations and working conditions 

There are no unions or trade associations of journalists. Media professionals are represented 
by media NGOs, which are consulted on a permanent basis on draft bills regulating the media 
sector. There are 20 professional non-commercial registered media organisations. The Press 
Council  is  the  only  independent  self-regulatory  body.  It  examines  complaints  against  the 
media  and  monitors  whether  journalists  respect  the  Code  of  Ethics  (signed  by  145  media 
outlets). Its decisions are recommendations and not mandatory. 

Most  journalists  work  under  employment  contracts  at  editorial  offices  registered  as  public 
associations or limited liability companies. Journalists and media providers tend to combine 
their contracts with authorship contracts, which are undeclared employment contracts so that 
employers pay less taxes. 

Freedom of artistic expression 

Freedom  of  artistic  and  scientific  creation  is  guaranteed  under  the  Constitution.  Artistic 
creation is not subject to censorship and there is no restriction on it. The law sets out that the 
state  may  not  censor  works  of  art  produced  in  theatres,  ,  and  concert  venues  or  critical  or 
analytical  material  about  those  performances.  There  are  no  known  cases  of  artists  being 
intimidated,  and  no  restrictions  have  been  imposed  by  state  or  local  authorities  or  other 
bodies on performances, exhibitions or other forms of artistic expression. 

37 

 
 
Anti-propaganda provisions 

On 16 December 2022, the Commission for Exceptional Situations ordered the suspension of 
the broadcasting licence of six TV stations, which mostly rebroadcast content from Russia for 
‘lack of accuracy in reflecting national events, but also the war against Ukraine’. Three of the 
TV  stations  moved  their  content  to  other  TV  stations.  All  six  companies  challenged  the 
Commission  in  court,  and  a  decision  is  still  pending.  The  decision  of  the  Commission  for 
Exceptional  Situations  is  only  applicable  during  the  state  of  emergency  and  is  not  a 
permanent legal solution. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Freedom of association and assembly is generally upheld, with several demonstrations and 
rallies  taking  place  peacefully  throughout  2022  and  2023.  Some  of  these  protests  were 
organised  by  people  subject  to  EU  sanctions  who  aimed  to  destabilise  the  constitutional 
order. In September and October 2022, large anti-government demonstrations were organised 
in  Chişinău.  The  Commission  for  Extraordinary  Situations  adopted  a  decision  in  October 
2022  banning  all  assemblies  that  blocked  traffic  lanes,  transport  arteries  and  access  to 
evacuation routes on working days. The decision also limits the duration of assemblies to a 
maximum of 4 hours and gives the police the power to arrest any protesters disrupting public 
order.    A  local  human  rights  association  criticised  the  decision  that  the  authorities  could 
potentially implement measures that would restrict the right to freedom of assembly.  

In  November  2022,  the  government  requested  the  Constitutional  Court  to  assess  the 
constitutionality of the Şor Party’s activities. The request argued that action taken by the Şor 
Party  over  the  previous  6  years  was  incompatible  with  the  fundamental  principles  of 
democracy  and  requested  that  the  party  be  excluded  from  the  State  Register  of  Political 
Formations.  The  request  was  confirmed  by  the  Constitutional  Court  in  June  2023.  In  May 
2023,  a  criminal  case  on  the  illegal  financing  of  the  Şor  Party  (including  the  financing  of 
protests) was sent to court. 

The  emergency  legislation  on  assemblies  has  allowed  the  government  to  overcome  the 
destabilisation attempts. To avoid restricting freedom of assembly, following the lifting of the 
State of Emergency, the government should revert to legislation on demonstration that is in 
line with European best practices. 

The adoption of the amendments to the Criminal Code criminalising “separatism” could have 
negative bearing on freedom of expression and association, rights for national minorities and 
non-discrimination as well as on Transnistrian conflict settlement dynamics. 

On 31 May 2023, the EU announced sanctions under two distinct frameworks against seven 
individuals responsible for supporting or implementing actions that undermined or threatened 
the sovereignty and independence of Moldova, as well as the country’s democracy, the rule 
of law, stability and security. The individuals had also carried out activities  undermining or 
threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. 

On  property  rights,  Moldova  is  a  party  to  the  European  Convention  for  the  Protection  of 
Human  Rights  and  Fundamental  Freedoms,  including  its  first  protocol  which  guarantees 
property  and  possession  rights.  Private  property  rights  are  also  guaranteed  under  the 
Constitution.  The  share  of  applications  at  the  ECtHR,  which  refer  to  direct  or  indirect 
infringement  of  property  rights,  remained  high  in  2022.  There  are  no  restrictions  on 
exercising  property  rights  and  carrying  out  property  transactions,  except  for  purchases  of 
agricultural land by foreign investors. Domestic procedures related to enforcing reinstatement 
cases  remain  complicated  and  lengthy.  Restitution  of  property,  provided  for  in  the  national 

38 

 
 
legislation, is not applied widely. Only some groups, such as victims of communist political 
repression,  are  entitled  to  ask  for  restitution  of  some  types  of  property  or  to  apply  for 
compensation. 

Moldova has an electronic cadastral system maintained by the Public Services Agency, which 
is also in charge of registration of ownership rights through its wide network of offices and 
online  systems.  There  are  still  many  towns  and  villages  where  residents  do  not  own  the 
houses they live in, and some people cannot sell or donate their property. For the last several 
years, Moldova has been implementing a state programme to create a real estate cadastre. The 
government is carrying out massive cadastral works as well as registering property rights in a 
real estate register. Individuals can also register ownership of real estate by paying a fee. 

The  national  legal  framework  recognises  equal  rights  to  land  for  everyone,  without  any 
restriction based on nationality or gender. Numerous unresolved claims in courts are related 
to the restitution of property of religious communities. This stems from a dispute between the 
Moldovan Orthodox Church and the Bessarabian Orthodox Church. The claims concern the 
control of more than 800 monasteries and churches considered national heritage monuments. 

Minorities face no issues in accessing rights to property documentation. There is no evidence 
that  the  Roma  population  has  been  particularly  discriminated  in  accessing  property 
documentation. According to the 2014 Population and Housing Census, the Roma population 
live in 227 localities that represent 14% of all Moldovan localities. The allocation of social 
housing is carried out according to the legislation. Rules on eviction are non-discriminatory 
and  strictly  regulated  so  that  rights,  liberties  and  safety  of  everyone  is  ensured.  Where 
eviction is necessary due to social housing being damaged or in danger of collapse, the Law 
on  housing  provides  that  the  tenants  facing  eviction  from  these  premises  are  given  another 
lease. Such a decision comes from the local council and is contingent on the availability of 
housing. 

Moldovan legislation is largely in line with the EU acquis in the areas of non-discrimination 
and  equality,  and  there  is  a  state  response  to  hate  crime  (in  the  Criminal  Code  and  the 
Contravention Code). In May 2022, President Sandu signed amendments to the criminal and 
misdemeanour  codes  into  law  on  discrimination  and  incitement  to  discrimination  or  hate-
based violence. The new amendments provide for harsher sentences for crimes motivated by 
stereotypes or prejudice based on race, colour, ethnicity, national origin, social background, 
citizenship,  sex,  gender,  language,  religion  or  religious  beliefs,  political  views,  gender 
identity,  sexual  orientation,  health,  age,  disability,  or  civil  status.  It  also  defines  ‘genocide 
propaganda  and  crimes  against  humanity’  and  introduces  a  new  term,  ‘incitement  to 
discrimination’. 

The  Equality  Council  investigates  allegations  of  discrimination.  Amendments  to  the  Law 
strengthening the Equality Council were adopted in February 2023 and entered into force  on 
9  February  2023.  The  Equality  Council’s  mission  is  to  prevent  and  combat  discrimination, 
promoting equality and diversity. The Equality  Council’s members cannot be prosecuted or 
held legally responsible for the opinions they express and the powers they exercise according 
to the law. The Council prepares and presents to Parliament the general report on the situation 
on preventing and combating discrimination with recommendations to all institutions, which 
have  competences  to  fight  certain  aspects  of  discrimination.  Complaints  lodged  with  the 
Equality  Council  in  2022  referred  mostly  to  the  labour  market  (24%),  access  to  goods  and 
services  available  to  the  public  (22%)  and  the  violation  of  personal  dignity  (also  22%). 
Notably,  in  2022,  the  Council  decided  on  an  instance  of  racial  profiling  and  recommended 
training  for  employees  on  racial  profiling  and  combating  prejudices  against  minorities.  In 
another  case,  the  Council  found  that  hate  speech  constitutes  stigmatisation  of  the  targeted 
39 

 
 
group, perpetuates negative prejudices and incites discrimination and interethnic hatred. 

There  is  no  data  on  hate-motivated  violence  and  hate  crime.  The  police  and  prosecution 
services do not have sufficient training to investigate those cases, which often do not  reach 
the courts. Often cases referred to the Equality Council are not investigated or registered by 
the police. The platforms recording crimes should be modified to include information on hate 
crimes, which respects  international  data  collection standards, and distinguish between hate 
crimes, hate speech and discrimination. The database should contain fields related to biased 
offences and hate speech.  

Legislative steps have been taken to  fight gender inequality and violence against women. 
Procedures  have  been  developed  to  increase  the  ease  of  access  to  justice  for  victims  of 
domestic  violence  and  sexual  crimes  and  improve  implementation  of  the  Istanbul  and 
Lanzarote Conventions. The amended Law includes a redefinition of the concept of rape and 
changes  penalties  for  domestic  violence  crimes  to  ensure  that  preventive  detention  is 
possible. The State Agency for Prevention of Domestic Violence against women is being set 
up  with  special  teams  of  police,  doctors  and  social  workers  being  trained  alongside  one 
another to improve sexual violence investigations.  

In March 2023, the first specialised service for victims of sexual violence was set up. In April 
2023,  the  government  adopted  a  new  regulation  allowing  third  parties  to  initiate  sexual 
violence investigations. 

The legislative progress in countering gender-based violence has been supported by the entry 
into  force  of  the  Istanbul  Convention  on  1 May  2022  in  line  with  Moldova’s  Universal 
Periodic  Review  commitments.  In  November  2022,  Parliament  passed  a  package  of 
legislative amendments aimed at aligning national legislation with the relevant commitments 
of the Convention. 

There  is  more  awareness  that  gender-based  violence  is  a  crime  punishable  under  the  law. 
However,  cases  are  still  likely  to  be  underreported,  and  more  work  on  a  victim-centred 
approach is required, to put the rights and dignity of victims - including their well-being and 
safety - at the forefront of all efforts to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse 
and sexual harassment. 

On gender equality, the new national programme on promoting and ensuring gender equality 
for  2023-2027  and  its  corresponding  action  plan  were  adopted  in  April  2023.  Both  were 
developed  with  the  active  participation  of  civil  society,  and  most  of  the  recommendations 
have been taken on board by the authorities. 

Moldova should however still revise the legal definition of discrimination against women and 
girls  for  it  to  comprehensively  cover  all  violations  that  according  to  international  law 
constitute discrimination based on sex and gender. Still of concern are the limited access to 
justice  for  women,  insufficient  financial  and  human  resources  to  advance  women’s  rights, 
and  the  persistence  of  patriarchal  attitudes  and  discriminatory  stereotypes  on  the  roles  and 
responsibilities of women and men in the family and society. There is also a high prevalence 
of  gender-based  violence  against  women,  lack  of  consideration  for  the  new  forms  of 
trafficking  in  persons,  lack  of  diverse  educational  choices  by  women  and  girls,  and  gender 
occupational segregation. 

The  national  legal  framework  for  child  protection  in  Moldova  is  largely  aligned  with  the 
international  framework  for  the  rights  of  the  child.  During  the  reporting  period,  Moldova 
adopted the national  child protection programme for 2022-2026 with 72 planned actions. A 
memorandum  of  understanding  between  the  Ministry  of  Labour  and  Social  Protection  and 

40 

 
 
UNICEF was signed creating a path to cooperation on implementing the national programme 
and its action plan mentioned above. 

Moldova  has  ratified  the  United  Nations  Convention  on  the  Rights  of  the  Child  and  the 
optional  protocols.  The third optional  protocol  on a communications procedure was ratified 
during the reporting period. The country has also harmonised its legislation with the Council 
of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual 
Abuse (Lanzarote Convention) and responded to the first and second monitoring rounds. 

Moldova  is  shifting  to  community-based  alternatives  to  institutionalisation  for  children 
removed from parental care. Progress  has been  achieved in  strengthening local  institutional 
capacity with the expansion of professional parental care networks as an alternative to large-
scale  care  institutions  for  children.  The  deinstitutionalisation  of  children  with  disabilities  is 
progressing  and  has  been  boosted  through  the  coordination  of  government  agencies  and 
institutions,  parental  education  activities,  increasing  participation  in  early  childhood 
education, and strengthening  the monitoring  and evaluation  capacity at  central  and regional 
levels.  Insufficiently  qualified  staff,  lack  of  resources  and  poor  infrastructure  hinder  the 
specialised care and support for institutionalised children with disabilities. 

The number of minors in detention fell during the reporting period compared with the last 6 
years.  At  the  end  of  2022,  the  number  of  minors  convicted  in  the  first  instance  was  226, 
constituting  40  convictions  per  100 000  minors.  The  number  of  minors  held  in  preventive 
detention was 13, with 32 minors serving prison sentences. 

Children in Moldova still face many issues. These include insufficient protection from abuse 
and  violence  in  educational  institutions,  insufficient  access  to  child-friendly  justice, 
insufficient protection against torture and ill treatment, lack of psychological support to child 
victims,  inadequate  protection  for  street  children,  and  protection  against  abuse  and  neglect, 
including by parents. 

Moldova has  some limited progress on the rights of persons with disabilities. It has ratified 
the  UN  Convention  on  the  Rights  of  Persons  with  Disabilities  in  2010  and  the  Optional 
Protocol  to  the  Convention  in  2021.  The  national  law  on  the  inclusion  of  persons  with 
disabilities  implements the Convention and protects the rights of persons with disabilities to 
fully  participate  in  all  aspects  of  the  country’s  economic,  social  and  political  life.  The 
legislation  generally  ensures  that  persons  in  vulnerable  situations  benefit  from  protection, 
social assistance and community social services, but a lack of capacity and resources remains 
a  challenge.  This  includes  prioritising  support  to  families  with  two  or  more  persons  with 
severe disabilities over support to families with only one, which contradicts the Convention. 

The  national  programme  for  the  deinstitutionalisation  of  persons  with  intellectual  and 
psychosocial disabilities from residential institutions for 2018-2026 aims to deinstitutionalise 
50%  of  persons  with  intellectual  and  psychosocial  disabilities,  provide  social  services  at 
community  level  and  transform  residential  institutions  into  regional  centres  to  provide 
alternative  services.  Currently  there  are  six  temporary  placement  centres  for  persons  with 
disabilities: four temporary placement centres for adults with disabilities and two temporary 
placement  centres  for  children  with  disabilities.  Approximately  1 700  persons  with 
disabilities (of which approximately 400 are children) are placed in residential institutions. 

Significant  progress  has  been  achieved  in  closing  the  educational  gap  for  children  with 
disabilities. To achieve inclusive education, further steps are needed to integrate children with 
disabilities into the mainstream education system, ensuring access to specialised medical care 
and rehabilitation, and accessing community-level support and services. Children with more 
complex  needs,    e.g.  with  intellectual  disabilities,  remain  segregated.  Tailored  educational 
41 

 
 
plans for children with disabilities are implemented, and a methodological guide on curricular 
adaptation  and  evaluation  of  school  progress,  in  the  context  of  inclusive  education,  is 
available.  Such  solutions  are  not  yet  streamlined  across  the  whole  country.  The  number  of 
students  with  special  educational  needs  and  disabilities  integrated  into  general  education 
institutions has increased. At the beginning of the 2022/2023 academic year, 10 500 students 
with  special  educational  requirements and disabilities were enrolled in  general  primary  and 
secondary  education  institutions.  Most  were  enrolled  in  general  education  institutions  or  in 
schools  for  children  with  intellectual  or  physical  development    disabilities.  Compared  with 
the 2018/2019 academic year, the number of students with special educational requirements 
rose by 3.8%, and the number of students with disabilities rose by 8.3% in general education 
institutions.  The  proportion  of  boys  with  special  educational  requirements  and  disabilities 
included in general education remained higher compared with that of girls. In the 2022/2023 
academic year, this was 66.2%, compared with 33.8% (in the 2021/2022 academic year, the 
figures were 65.7% and 34.3%, respectively). 

implementation  of 

On  the  rights  of  lesbian,  gay,  bisexual,  transgender,  intersex  and  queer  (LGBTIQ)  
persons, 
legal  framework  for  protection  against 
discrimination  and  hate  crime  remains  challenging.  Highly  negative  views  on  LGBTIQ 
persons  and  discrimination  based  on  sexual  orientation  and  gender  identity  is  prevalent  in 
society. 

the  existing 

Several  politicians  and  political  parties,  like  pro-Russian  political  parties  and  groups,  have 
targeted  the  LGBTIQ  community,  accusing  them  of  destroying  ‘traditional  values’.  The 
Moldovan  Orthodox  Church,  which  holds  a  powerful  position  in  Moldovan  society,  also 
regularly  spreads  inflammatory  messages  about  the  LGBTIQ  community.  Civil  society 
initiatives have also been targeted; for example, an anti-bullying school campaign organised 
by the NGO Genderdoc in cooperation with the Ministry of Education was recently attacked. 
Opponents  started  a  petition  and  threatened  to  sue  those  educational  institutions  that 
participated  in  the  campaign  and  urged  heads  of  educational  institutions  not  to  take  part  in 
such campaigns. 

In one case, the Equality Council examined statements made by two deputies during televised 
broadcasts,  which  were  subsequently  widely  shared  on  social  media,  and  found  them  to  be 
hateful and discriminatory. 

In June 2022, Chişinău hosted the Moldova Pride festival for the eighth time. 

Civil  society  groups  have  drawn  the  attention  of  authorities  to  the  need  to  uphold  rights  of 
LGBTIQ persons, especially when mass meetings  are organised. No  real  progress  has been 
made  to  challenge  negative  LGBTIQ  stereotypes.  The  authorities  should  aim  to  implement 
standards and international practices on eliminating social segregation and discrimination to 
ensure that minority communities can feel safe as active participants of society. 

Moldova  has  not  harmonised  its  legislation  with  EU  directives  on  criminal  proceedings. 
Nevertheless,  the  Constitution  and  secondary  legislation  appear  to  broadly  cover  the  main 
procedural rights. The Moldovan legal framework is not directly aligned with the Victims’ 
Rights Directive and the Directive on compensation to crime victims. The rights of victims of 
crime are ensured, both within and outside the criminal proceedings, through the provisions 
of  the  Criminal  Procedure  Code  and  the  Law  on  the  rehabilitation  of  victims  of  crime.  In 
addition to victim’s initial procedural rights, an individual may request to be recognised as an 
injured  party  by  the  prosecuting  body.  This  gives  them  additional  rights  related  to  the 
criminal  side  of  the  proceedings  and/or  be  recognised  as  a  civil  party.  The  victim  with  the 
procedural  status  of  an  injured  party  /  civil  party  has  the  right  to  request  and  collect  full 

42 

 
 
compensation for the damage caused by the crime. Another guarantee to support the rights of 
victims of torture was provided through the criminalisation of torture in Moldovan legislation 
with the introduction of a specific article in the Criminal Code. 

A state-guaranteed legal aid system exists, regulated by law and run by the National Council 
for  State-Guaranteed  Legal  Aid.  The  system  covers  all  criminal  and  non-criminal  cases 
examined in court. The law on legal assistance guaranteed by the state distinguishes between 
two  categories  of  assistance:  primary  legal  aid  and  qualified  legal  aid.  The  law  also  states 
urgent legal aid as a type of qualified legal aid. 

Preventive  coercive  measures  are  applied  in  exceptional  cases  for  violent,  serious  and 
particularly  serious crimes.  In hearings involving  juvenile defendants,  the participation  of a 
defence counsel and a pedagogue or psychologist is mandatory. The quality of overall legal 
assistance guaranteed by the state is not sufficiently ensured. Complaints have been received 
on the neglect on procedural deadlines, requests for payments for aid and the poor quality of 
legal support. 

Criminal and procedural legislation has been aligned with the provisions of the Istanbul and 
Lanzarote  Conventions.  The  most  significant  changes  concern  the  exclusion  of  the 
reconciliation mechanism for parties in sexual violence criminal cases, harsher penalties for 
domestic violence crimes, the right of victims to give evidence in a friendly environment and 
the redefinition of the concept of rape. The concept of rape has been aligned according to the 
Istanbul Convention and will allow essential elements to be included in describing the act of 
rape, which currently is not covered by the criminal law. 

In terms of the application of procedural rights, according to the European Court of Human 
Rights  2022  activity  report,  more  than  half  of  the  violations  found  regarding  Moldova 
concern the right to a fair trial (a total of 234 in 2022). 

Persons  belonging  to  national  minorities    sometimes  face  language  barriers,  making  it 
difficult 
to  access  public  services.  This  particularly  concerns  court  hearings  and 
communication with the courts. The Agency for Interethnic Relations is in charge of relations 
with national minorities. In September 2022, a new director was appointed to the previously 
vacant  spot.  In  March  2023,  the  government  adopted  the  programme  for  2023-2025  on  the 
implementation of the strategy for strengthening interethnic relations for 2017-2027. 

in  Parliament.  The  Gagauz  minority 

Moldova  has  ratified  the  Framework  Convention  for  the  Protection  of  National  Minorities. 
There  are  no  restrictions  on  the  right  to  freedom  of  expression  and  media,  freedom  of 
assembly  and  association  for  persons  belonging  to  ethnic  or  national  minorities.  Many 
programmes  aim  to  encourage  minority  groups  to  participate  in  political  life.  National 
authorities  have  committed  themselves  to  increase  the  number  of  Roma  women  in  the 
decision-making  processes,  including  through  the  representation  of  persons  belonging  to 
national  minorities 
three 
parliamentarians, and the Bulgarian minority by one parliamentarian. A major aspect in the 
rights of persons belonging to ethnic or national minorities is the Gagauz Autonomy. This is 
an entity created in 1994 to protect the rights of persons belonging to the Gagauz minority. 
Some progress was achieved in this area. A Governor (Bashkan) of Gagauzia is appointed as 
a  full  member  of  the  government  by  a  presidential  decree.  As  the  supreme  official  of 
Gagauzia,  all  public  administration  authorities  of  Gagauzia  answer  to  the  Governor.  In 
December  2022,  Parliament  adopted  two  laws  allowing  for  mutual  consultations  between 
Parliament  and  the  People’s  Assembly  of  Gagauzia  on  all  issues  related  to  the  autonomy 
status  and  competencies  in  the  law-making  process.  Similarly,  Gagauzia  can  consult  the 
central authorities on different issues related to proposed laws on autonomy. 

is  represented  by 

43 

 
 
The  Roma  minority  is  still  the  minority  the  most  affected  by  discriminatory  practices  and 
social  stigma,  especially  when  it  comes  to  social  integration,  employment  and  access  to 
health services. This includes the sizeable number of Roma fleeing the war against Ukraine 
and  arriving  in  Moldova.  The  lack  of  access  to  basic  services  and  low  attendance  rates  in 
schools have led to a further marginalisation of the Roma. 

There has been some progress on the inclusion of Roma, including through the adoption of 
the  programme  to  support  the  Roma  population  for  2022-2025.  As  part  of  the  programme, 
other  mediators  have  been  employed  in  addition  to  those  employed  through  the  Roma 
mediator  programme  in  place  since  2004.  The  mediators  help  the  Roma  access  public 
services offered by the state, such as obtaining identity papers and ensuring Roma children’s 
access  to  education.  Further  success  of  the  mediators’  programme  is  hampered  by  low 
institutional  know-how  on  the  programme’s  technical  details.  The  number  of  Roma  in  the 
compulsory healthcare system remains low, leading to limited access to healthcare services. 
Roma families, including those with persons and/or children with disabilities, receive social 
assistance  (benefits  and  services).  The  Roma  population  tends  to  be  over-represented  as 
beneficiaries  of  social  assistance,  especially  child  allowances,  which  are  therefore  a  major 
source  of  income.  However,  only  a  small  percentage  of  the  Roma  population  is  entitled  to 
social security benefits due to the low levels of formal employment associated with long-term 
unemployment.  The  share  of  Roma  participation  in  the  social  security  system  and  their 
inclusion in social assistance programmes is unknown due to a lack of data. Roma often do 
not  declare 
identity  because  of  fears  of  social  stigmatisation  and 
discrimination. 

their  minority 

To  reduce    shortcomings  in  assisting  the  Roma  population  in  their  right  to  community 
integration, the public association coalition, Voice of the Roma, has started implementing a 
project  on promoting human rights  and equal  opportunities. The initiative includes creating 
local initiative groups made up of Roma community representatives who can get involved in 
decision-making  processes  at  local  level.  These  local  initiative  groups  focus  on  identifying 
problems  and  solutions  in  different  areas,  including  access  to  infrastructure,  education, 
community development and human rights. 

EU citizens’ rights 

In  September  2020,  Moldova  abrogated  legal  provisions  allowing  the  acquisition  of 
citizenship  for  special  economic  interests.  Moldova  should  refrain  from  developing  an 
investor  citizenship  scheme  (‘golden  passports’)  as  it  would  pose  risks  as  regards  security, 
money  laundering,  tax  evasion,  terrorist  financing,  corruption  and  infiltration  by  organised 
crime. It would also be incompatible with the EU acquis. 

2.2.2. Chapter 24: Justice, freedom and security 

The  EU  has  common  rules  for  border  control,  visas,  residence  and  work  permits,  external 
migration  and  asylum.  Schengen  cooperation  entails  lifting  border  controls  inside  the  EU. 
Member States also cooperate with Moldova in the fight against organised crime, corruption 
and  terrorism,  and  on  judicial,  police  and  custom  matters  all  with  the  support  of  the  EU 
Justice and Home Affairs agencies. 

Moldova has some level of preparation in implementing the EU acquis in the area of justice, 
freedom  and  security.  Legislation  is  partially  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis.  During  the 
reporting period, Moldova adopted and rolled out an integrated home affairs strategy (2022-
2030)  as  well  as  six  sectoral  development  strategies  (2022-2025)  to  support  the  overall 
implementation  of  the  integrated  home  affairs  strategy.  Moldova  introduced  some 
institutional  changes  to  strengthen  its  capacity.  To  further  align  its  legislation  with  the  EU 
44 

 
 
acquis, Moldova should further boost its institutional capacity and improve interinstitutional 
cooperation and coordination. 

Some  progress  was  made  by  reorganising  and  strengthening  institutional  capacity  in  some 
areas, notably the General Inspectorate for Migration. Moldova also upgraded its Bureau for 
Asylum  and  Migration  into  a  General  Inspectorate  with  additional  staff.  On  migration, 
Moldova  continued  its  constructive  engagement  with  EU  Member  States  and  EU  law 
enforcement agencies. 

Moldova  is  the  European  country  hosting  the  highest  number  per  capita  of  Ukrainian 
nationals  that  have  fled  Russia’s  war  against    Ukraine.  Since  1 March  2023,  Moldova  has 
been implementing a decree granting 1-year temporary protection to these people.  

There is scope for a broader use of existing tools and mechanisms for information exchange 
and operational cooperation. 

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular: 

→  improve interinstitutional  cooperation and coordination, strengthen institutional  capacity 
and sharing information in the area of security to ensure effective prevention and response 
capabilities, including in a crisis; 

→  strengthen the legal framework and institutional capacity for assessing risks and fighting 

cybercrime. 

Fight against organised crime 

The  country  has  some  level  of  preparation  in  implementing  the  EU  acquis  in  this  area. 
Some progress was made in addressing the fight against financial crime and the recovery of 
assets. Assets  belonging  to  three  prominent  oligarchs  have  been  seized.  The  national  asset 
recovery programme for 2023-2027 and its action plan were adopted in December 2022 and 
are being implemented. The good ongoing work on seizure and confiscation of assets linked 
to organised crime should be sustained. 

Cooperation  with  EU  Members  States,  Frontex,  Europol  and  CEPOL  has  been  expanded. 
Moldova  has  made  repeated  commitments  to  and  progress  in  the  fight  against  arms 
trafficking,  drugs,  trafficking  in  human  beings  and  migrant  smuggling.  It  adopted  a  new 
sectoral development strategy on the prevention and fight against organised crime for 2022-
2025 to support the implementation of the integrated home affairs strategy (2022-2030) that 
was adopted in September 2022, and appointed a national firearms focal point. The country 
also revised in March 2023 its Law on the regime of arms and ammunition for civilian use, 
aiming to align it with the EU acquis. 

Capacity should be strengthened to counter cybercrime and improve the general preparedness 
and response to cybercrime. 

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular: 

→  continue  strengthening  the  fight  against  organised  crime,  including  through  cooperation 
with EU Member States and EU institutions and agencies, including Frontex and Europol, 
CEPOL,  EMDDA  as  well  as  in  the  context  of  the  European  Multidisciplinary  Platform 
Against  Criminal  Threats  (EMPACT)  and  the  EU-Moldova  Support  Hub  for  Internal 
Security and Border Management8; 

8  To  note  that  the  Commission  recommended  under  its  sixth  report  under  the  Visa  Suspension  Mechanism 

recommended Moldova to continue ongoing efforts in the fight against organised crime. 

45 

 
 
 
→  increase and improve data exchange via SIENA, collection,  analysis and sharing  across 

services, supported through the proactive use of information exchange tools; 

→  develop and approve the new national strategy on trafficking in human beings.  

Institutional set-up and legal alignment 

There  are  different  law  enforcement  agencies  with  police  executive  powers  in  Moldova, 
namely the police, the carabinieri (all three falling under the Ministry of Internal Affairs)) as 
well as the customs service (under the Ministry of Finance). There are 8 686 police officers 
(police  7 666,  carabinieri,  1 020).  This  is  equivalent  (both  forces  combined)  to  334  police 
officers per 100 000 inhabitants and very close to the EU average of 335.3 (Eurostat, 2019-
2021).  A  high  turnover  rate  and  a  significant  number  of  vacancies  affect  the  operational 
capacity of local law enforcement. 

Key institutions in the fight against organised crime include specialised police units within 
the  Ministry  of  Internal  Affairs  and  other  institutions,  which  deal  with  different  types  of 
organised  crime  and  financial  investigations.  These  include  the  Prosecutor’s  Office,  the 
Prosecutor’s’ Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases, the Criminal Assets 
Recovery  Agency,  the  services  for  the  protection  of  national  interests  and  anti-corruption 
under  the  Ministry  of  Interior  Affairs  and  the  National  Anticorruption  Centerer  (NAC). 
Customs  are  in  the  lead  for  all  investigations  related  to  goods  smuggling  in  the  country. 
Coordination between services is efficient. The police should continue improving equipment 
and  strengthening  initial  and  vocational  training  across  services.  Forensic  capacity  remains 
fragmented;  there  is  no  operational  countrywide  DNA  database  yet,  and  DNA-profiling 
capacity is limited. The use of special investigative measures and proper equipment should be 
increased as well as the number of certified staff. 

On the strategic framework, during the reporting period, Moldova adopted the Ministry of 
Internal  Affairs’  new  general  home  affairs  strategy  (2022-2030)  and  six  dedicated 
development  sectoral  strategies  (equivalent  to  action  plans  covering  a  33-year  period  for 
2022-2025)  on  organised  crime,  public  order,  safety,  civil  protection,  migration  and 
education/ethics/digitalisation.  The  strategies  set  out  priorities,  objectives  and  the  resources 
needed.  As  mentioned  above,  the  sectoral  strategy  on  organised  crime  has  been  adopted. 
Moldova  should  develop  and  adopt  a  national  serious  and  organised  crime  threat 
assessment (SOCTA). 

The legislation on trafficking in human beings has been further aligned with the EU acquis. 
The  recommendations  from  the  national  strategy  for  preventing  and  fighting  trafficking  in 
human beings for 2018-2023 should serve as basis for the development of the next one to be 
adopted in the last quarter of 2023. 

Moldova is party to the Budapest Convention on cybercrime and signed the First and Second 
Additional  Protocols  on  enhanced  cooperation  and  disclosure  of  electronic  evidence  in 
November 2022. The cybercrime unit has a central forensic laboratory, but its capacity needs 
to be increased. 

The  country  made  some  progress  in  anti-money  laundering  and  counter-terrorism 
financing;  legislation  on  preventing    and  combating  money  laundering  and  terrorism 
financing was adopted (see Chapter 4). A draft law amending the Criminal Procedure Code to 
broaden the powers of more law enforcement agencies to investigate money laundering cases 
was adopted by Parliament in April 2023. 

During the reporting period, the legislation on the  possession of weapons by civilians  was 
further  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis.  The  Law  on  the  regime  of  arms  and  ammunition  for 
46 

 
 
civilian use was amended with the latest amendment entering into force in March 2023. The 
legislation  is  compliant  with  the  EU  small  arms  and  light  weapons  management  standards 
and  is  aligned  with  the  provisions  of  the  European  Convention  on  the  acquisition  and 
possession of weapons by private individuals. 

There  is  a  national  focal  point  on  firearms  in  the  Police  General  Inspectorate  and  a  state 
register  of  weapons  to  manage  data  on  firearms  and  other  weapons  owned  by  individuals, 
businesses  and  state  agencies.  Moldova  should  continue  to  increase  access  to  relevant 
databases on arms across relevant departments. 

On  the  trafficking  of  small  arms  and  light  weapons,  Moldova  is  implementing  the 
objectives of the EU action plan on firearm trafficking integrating the 2018 Western Balkans 
Roadmap. The country is also actively engaged with the South Eastern and Eastern Europe 
Clearinghouse  for  the  Control  of  Small  Arms  and  Light  Weapons  and  strengthened  its 
cooperation within EMPACT. 

Moldova  is  a  member  of  the  WeProtect  Global  Alliance  against  child  sexual  abuse  and 
exploitation.  The  inter-ministerial  strategy  on  online  child  sexual  abuse  has  still  to  be 
adopted.  Capacity  for  investigating  and  prosecuting  crimes  against  children  committed 
through the internet  has  been strengthened but  need to  be brought  in  line with  the best  EU 
and international standards.  

Implementation and enforcement capacity 

Moldova has made significant progress in the fight against organised crime and in increasing 
its  international  cooperation,  including  with  EU  agencies  and  EU  Member  States.  In  2022, 
192 criminal cases against 583 individuals accused of committing crimes qualified as within 
an organised criminal  group or criminal  organisation or in  their interests. The court of first 
instance issued 28 sentences in cases concerning organised crime against 43 people, with 18 
sentenced,  8  not  qualified  as  organised  crime,  1  acquitted  and  2  terminated,  with  14  final 
convictions. 

On  international  police  cooperation,  Moldova  has  a  liaison  officer  posted  at  Europol’s 
headquarters  in  The  Hague,  and  Europol  has  deployed  guest  officers  and  a  coordination 
officer to Chişinău since March 2022. A more intensive use of the tools and skills provided 
by Europol guest officers should be made. Moldova has also taken further steps to strengthen 
international police cooperation in conducting joint investigations. Since June 2022, with the 
support  of  Europol,  it  conducted  joint  investigations  in  10  cases  on  emerging  trends  in 
transnational crimes, with 19 individuals arrested. The investigations included  trafficking in 
human  beings  involving  minors’  case  and  a  major  identity  fraud  case  facilitating  irregular 
migration to the EU of potentially up to 2 000 people.  

Moldova  also  substantially  increased  its  participation  in  EMPACT.  In  2023,  it  has  been 
participating in 106 operational actions against 20 in 2022. In addition, Moldova participated 
in  several  EMPACT  joint  action  days  (JAD)  and  hosted  the  coordination  centre  of  the 
EMPACT  JAD  Finestra  2.  This  was  coordinated  by  Frontex  and  focused  on  cigarette  and 
tobacco  smuggling,  document  fraud,  firearms  smuggling,  and  other  excise  goods. 
Furthermore, five joint investigation teams were set up during the reporting period with EU 
Member States, and eight international operations took place. 

Exchanges  facilitated  through  the  Secure  Information  Exchange  Network  Application 
(SIENA) have started to improve but need to be further stepped up. Moldova has created a 
new  SIENA  post  (two  are  now  available  in  the  General  Police  Inspectorate  and  National 
Anticorruption Center) and is providing additional training to government staff. The roll-out 

47 

 
 
of SIENA posts across institutions and the country should be increased as should the number 
of training courses on using SIENA. 

Moldova  has  a  working  arrangement  with  CEPOL  since  October  2012  and  actively 
participates in its activities (trainings, workshops, study visits).  

The EU-Moldova Support Hub for Internal Security and Border Management was  launched 
in  July  2022 to  address  the risks to  internal  security and transnational  criminal  activities in 
the context of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. It strongly steers the cooperation with 
the European specialised agencies and Member States. 

The  country  has  strengthened  cooperation  with  INTERPOL  through  the  exchange  of 
information  and  conduct  of  activities  in  the  illicit  Arms  Records  and  tracing  Management 
System  and  in  trafficking  in  human  beings.  On  domestic  operational  capacity,  Moldova 
should continue setting up robust processes to assess ongoing threats and risks, in particular 
hybrid  threats.  It  should  amend  the  legislation  to  ensure  the  availability  of  specialist 
structures, technology, resources, and skilled people to be able to adequately respond to such 
threats.  Data  collected  manually  should  be  digitised  to  ensure  they  can  be  consulted 
comprehensively as part of an integrated analytical process. 

On financial investigations, between June 2022 and March 2023, the Office for Prevention 
and Fight against Money Laundering of Moldova carried out 91 financial investigations. An 
additional  52  financial  investigations  were  conducted  between  March  and  June  2023, 
demonstrating the country’s increased commitment and capacity. 

Moldova  is  mainly  a  country  of  origin  and  transit  for  trafficking  in  human  beings. 
However,  many  people  are  victims  of  exploitation  as  well.  Over  the  reporting  period,  the 
number of adult victims identified significantly  declined. There were 107 adult victims (32 
women/75 men) reported in 2022 against 312 adult victims reported in 2021. The number of 
child victims in 2022 was 44 (43 girls/1 boy). Victims trafficked for labour exploitation are 
mainly  men and vulnerable persons, including  persons with  disabilities.  There are potential 
risks  of  increase  of  trafficking  in  human  beings  amid  the  mass  displacement  caused  by 
Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine.  Over  the  reporting  period,  44  criminal  cases 
were initiated: 29 for trafficking in adults and 15 for child trafficking. 

The  national  referral  mechanism  for  victims  of  trafficking  is  operational  and  has  been 
recently  upgraded  in  line  with  best  international  practices.  Two  centres  for  victims  are 
managed by the national authorities and in  2022  a third one dedicated to  male victims was 
handed over to  the national  authorities. Cooperation with  civil  society is good. A hotline is 
also in place. However, there are concerns about providing sustainable assistance to victims 
specifically providing both socio-economic opportunities and specialised medical care. There 
are also concerns about the workload of social protection staff at local level who are the main 
contact  points  for  not  only  victims  of  trafficking  and  gender-based  violence,  but  also  child 
assistance.  Overall,  Moldova  demonstrates  continued  efforts  but  still  needs  to  improve  its 
capacity to prevent all types of trafficking in human beings, identify victims at an early stage 
and strengthen the response of law enforcement. 

On  the  trafficking  of  small  arms  and  light  weapons,  69  criminal  cases  were  investigated 
with  27  final  convictions.  A  total  of  277  firearms  were  marked  in  line  with  the  latest 
amendment to national legislation in January 2022, which is itself in line with EU small arms 
and light weapons management standards. Considering the high risk of firearms trafficking in 
the region, linked to the geopolitical context, Moldova showed more commitment and made 
some progress. Moldova adopted the concept of the National Firearms Focal Point within the 
structure  of  the  General  Inspectorate  of  the  Moldovan  Police  by  creating  a  separate 
48 

 
 
department and making the appointment. The IT system on weapon registry was upgraded in 
autumn 2022 with the support of the EU. There were more trainings on firearms detection in 
cooperation with Frontex and the EU Border Assistance Mission. 

The  exchange  of  information  among  different  national  stakeholders  (law  enforcement 
agencies,  the  prosecution  service  and  the  judiciary)  needs  to  be  strengthened.  Access  to 
INTERPOLNTERPOL  databases  should  be  made  available  to  representatives  from  the 
National Firearms Focal Point and other relevant law enforcement authorities. 

Moldova  continued  to  gradually  strengthen  its  capacity  in  cybercrime.  However,  it  should 
set up a more effective law enforcement response focusing on the detection, traceability and 
prosecution  of  cybercriminals.  The  country  should  raise  awareness  among  its  population 
about preventive measures and reporting cases to law enforcement authorities. 

In  2022,  the  General  Police  Inspectorate  placed  28  individuals  in  witness  protection 
programmes and in 2023 until 12 April 2023 placed an additional 16 individuals. 

Cooperation in the field of drugs 

Institutional set-up and legal alignment 

The Ministry of  Internal Affairs  and the Ministry of Health are the lead  bodies in  the fight 
against  drug  trafficking  and  illicit  drug  use.  The  National  Investigation  Inspectorate  has  a 
specialised  directorate  in  charge  of  the  fight  against  drugs,  while  the  National  Agency  for 
Public Health monitors the drug situation. 

At the end of 2022, Moldova adopted a new policy document, the programme for prevention 
and fight against crime for 2022-2025. Its adoption marked the end of the national anti-drug 
strategy  for  2020-2027.  However,  the  prevention  of  drug  use  is  not  mentioned  in  the  new 
programme (one of six sectoral programmes under the home affairs development strategy).. 
This  highlights  the  difficult  inter-agency  coordination  on  this  policy  and  the  constraints, 
especially in the field of prevention. 

Moldova’s National  Drug Observatory is  not  fully  operational  . The Department  of Quality 
and Management of Healthcare at the National Agency for Public Health of the Ministry of 
Health  carry  out  some  of  the  work  of  the  National  Drug  Observatory.  They  coordinate 
collecting  data  on  drugs  and  draft  the  annual  report  on  illicit  drug  use  and  trafficking.  No 
national early warning system on the surveillance, prevention, detection and criminalisation 
of new psychoactive substances (NPS) exists. NPS are monitored through a list of narcotics, 
psychotropic  substances  and  plants  containing  such  substances  as  detected  in  illicit 
trafficking.  The  lists  last  updated  in  2017  is  not  up  to  date  to  ensure  effective  monitoring. 
Inter-agency  cooperation  should  be  improved  between  law  enforcement  bodies  (police  and 
customs), local enforcement authorities and health and education bodies. 

Moldova is party to the relevant international narcotic drug control conventions. It cooperates 
with  Europol  in  the  fight  against  drug  trafficking  and  has  signed  a  memorandum  of 
understanding  with  the  European  Monitoring  Centre  for  Drugs  and  Drug  Addiction 
(EMCDDA) in 2012. The National Drug Observatory is the EMCDDA’s contact point. 

Implementation and enforcement capacity 

Moldova is a transit country for drugs. In 2022, 925 drug-related offences were recorded, an 
increase  of  13.08%  compared  with  the  previous  year.  Between  March  and  June  2023,  165 
criminal  cases  were  initiated  for  drug-related  offences.  In  2022,  88  criminal  cases  on  drug 
trafficking  were  investigated,  and  146  individuals  prosecuted.  The  court  of  first  instance 
decided  on  the  confiscation  of  goods  with  a  total  value  of  MDL 1 290 953.64  (approx. 

49 

 
 
EUR 66 000). 

On the secure storage and effective destruction  of drugs, the technical  requirements for the 
facilities where narcotic, psychotropic and/or precursor substances are stored are aligned with 
the normative international acts to which Moldova is a party. There are rules on the effective 
destruction  of  drugs;  the  substances  are  destroyed  in  the  presence  of  members  of  the 
Permanent  Commission  for  the  Harmless  Destruction  of  Medicines.  The  destroyed 
substances  are  encapsulated  in  plastic  mass  or  metal  containers,  hermetically  sealed  and 
buried in landfill. 

In 2022, Moldova demonstrated a good level of cooperation on drugs with neighbouring and 
other countries. There were also more exchanges of information via SIENA. 

There  are  drug  addiction  treatment  centres  in  eight  localities,  and  access  to  treatment  is 
available  in  13  prisons.  In  2022,  out  of  the  3 214  drug-addicted  patients  enrolled  in  the 
national rehabilitation programme, 211 successfully completed their course. In the same year, 
153  new  drug-addicted  patients  were  registered  in  the  national  opiate  pharmacotherapy 
programme, with a total of 2 332 people receiving support. 

Fight against terrorism 

Institutional set-up and legal alignment 

The  Security  and  Intelligence  Service’s  (SIS)  Anti-Terrorist  Centre  coordinates  the  fight 
against terrorism. The adoption of a single mechanism on anti-terrorist activity is in line with 
EU  standards.  In  the  police,  the  National  Investigation  Inspectorate  has  the  power  to 
investigate  crimes  of  money  laundering,  terrorist  financing  and  separatism,  and  the 
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and related material. 

Moldova’s anti-terrorism legislation is generally aligned with the EU  acquis and applicable 
international law. 

The national security strategy covers the fight against terrorism and terrorist financing. The 
national programme for the consolidation and realisation of anti-terrorist protection measures 
for the critical infrastructure objectives for 2022-2026 and the action plan to implement it was 
adopted in October 2022. 

No  formal  EU-Moldova  counter-terrorism  dialogue  exists  but  informally,  SIS  officers 
participate in workshops, training and practical exercises organised by the EU and Member 
States.  The  SIS  is  part  of  the  EU  platform  Focal  Contact  Points  Foreign  Terrorist  Fighters 
Network. In addition, in 2022, SIS representatives participated in the working meetings of the 
EU’s Committee On Preventing and Combating Terrorism.  The Anti-Terrorism Centre also 
participates in the Committee on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism at the Council 
of Europe. 

Implementation and enforcement capacity 

Moldova has stepped up operational cooperation with Europol, INTERPOL and neighbouring 
countries, notably through agreements between the SIS and Ukrainian and Romanian special 
services.  The  agreement  on  operational  and  strategic  cooperation  between  Europol  and 
Moldova covers terrorism. Operational cooperation with Europol could be further improved 
by making full use of existing mechanisms, such as the possibility for local Europol officers 
to carry out real-time secondary checks upon request. Moldova has a low level of terrorism 
alerts, but it is confronted with a wide range of hybrid threats, including bomb alerts. 

In 2022, the SIS investigated eight people suspected of supporting radical groups. There were 
no convictions for terrorist activities.  

50 

 
 
On  preventing  incoming  or  outgoing  financial  transactions  to  finance  terrorism,  the  SIS 
cooperates with the Office for Prevention and Fight against Money Laundering. During this 
period, the SIS and the Office carried out checks on 25 cases. 

Several  training  measures  on  preventing  terrorism  and  the  radicalisation  of  the  population 
were implemented during the reporting period for staff of central public authorities, airlines 
and judicial institutions. More work should be done to prevent and address the risk of foreign 
fighters’  radicalisation,  including  by  improving  the  exchange  of  data  and  using  the  EU 
framework for reference, such as the common risk indicators on foreign terrorist fighters.  

Judicial cooperation ono criminal and civil matters 

Moldova’s legislative framework for mutual legal assistance in civil and criminal matters is 
partly aligned with the EU acquis. 

During the reporting period, Moldova received 396 requests for cooperation on civil matters 
and  all  of  them  were  addressed.  Moldova  received  455  requests  for  legal  assistance  in 
criminal matters and all of them were addressed. The country is still not party to several core 
conventions,  including  the  1996  Child  Protection  Convention,  the  2005  Choice  of  Court 
Convention,  the  2007  Child  Support  Convention  and  the  2007  Maintenance  Obligations 
Protocol. Moldova should become a party to these conventions.  

Moldova  has  engaged  in  a  constructive  working  relationship  with  Eurojust.  Based  on  the 
agreement in force since 2016, it signed six joint investigation team training agreements. In 
2022,  it  cooperated  with  Eurojust  on  24  cases  in  cooperation  with  the  Eurojust  point  of 
contact.  To  strengthen  cooperation,  the  Prosecutor’s  Office  appointed  a  part-time  liaison 
prosecutor  to  Eurojust  in  June  2023.  Furthermore,  Moldova  expressed  its  readiness  to 
cooperate  with  the  European  Public  Prosecutor’s  Office  (EPPO)  in  line  with  the  1959 
European  Convention  on  Mutual  Assistance  in  Criminal  Matters  and  its  Protocols.  The 
General Prosecutor’s Office of Moldova concluded a working arrangement with the EPPO in 
July 2022. 

Legal and irregular migration 

Institutional set-up and legal alignment 

The  Ministry  of  Internal  Affairs  is  the  main  player  in  the  field  of  migration.  The  Diaspora 
Relations Bureau within the State Chancellery of the Prime Minister is the key stakeholder in 
engaging with the diaspora. The Commission for the Coordination of Migration and Asylum 
Activities,  established  in  2018  under  the  lead  of  the  Ministry  of  Internal  Affairs,  is  a 
permanent advisory body without any legal status. It was created to monitor and coordinate 
activities  on  migration,  asylum,  statelessness  and  the  integration  of  foreigners  in  Moldova 
and  to  help  apply  relevant  government  policies  consistently.  Since  2021,  the  country  has 
observer status in the European Migration Network. 

Moldova  initiated  in  2022  a  sectoral  development  programme  for  the  management  of 
migration  flows,  asylum  and  integration  of  foreigners  for  2022-2025.  It  includes  an  action 
plan to implement the agreed objectives. 

A  total  of  13  agreements  on  the  readmission  of  persons    illegally  staying  have  been 
concluded9, and 14 are currently under negotiation. 

9  The  13  agreements  are  with the  EU,  Switzerland,  Denmark,  Norway,  North  Macedonia,  Serbia,  Bosnia  and 
Herzegovina,  Montenegro,  Türkiye,  Albania,  Georgia,  Kazakhstan  and  Ukraine.  There  are  24  additional 
protocols  with  Switzerland,  Estonia,  Hungary,  Romania,  Slovakia,  Germany,  Austria,  Lithuania,  Latvia, 

51 

 
 
 
Implementation and enforcement capacity 

Since  the  outbreak  of  Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine,  Moldova  has  faced 
unprecedented inflows of refugees (the highest number per capita in Europe). As of  August 
2023  and  since  the  beginning  of  Russia’s  full  scale  aggression  against  Ukraine,    roughly 
900,000    individuals    entered  Moldova  through  the  border  with  Ukraine.,  From  those, 
109,315    Ukrainian  citizens  and  7,877    third-country  nationals  currently  remain  on  its 
territory.  They  were  mainly  female  (59%),  and  minors  (46%).  Since  1 March  2023,  the 
government  has  implemented  decision  granting  temporary  protection  to  displaced  persons 
from Ukraine, enabling its beneficiaries to obtain an identity document issued free of charge 
for  1  year.  Following  the  unprecedented  influx  of  people  fleeing  Ukraine,  which  put 
Moldova’s already limited capacity under pressure, the country’s authorities maintained their 
efforts and mobilised resources to  provide immediate humanitarian  assistance  as prescribed 
in the state of emergency. 

On  accommodation  for  refugees,  Moldova  set  up  135  Refugee  Accommodation  Centers 
(RACs). 58 remained active in June 2023. The accommodation capacity of these RACs is for 
3 805 people. 12% of them provide services for persons with disabilities and those suffering 
from  mental  health  disorders.  The  government  of  Moldova  has  launched  a  consolidation 
strategy  to  address  disorders  in  existing  RACs,  which  will  lead  to  their  gradual  closure  in 
2023-2024.  Between  March  and  June  2023,  nine  RAC  were  closed  (the  equivalent  of  424 
places).  If  there  is  an  increase  in  the  number  of  arriving  migrants  or  refugees,  there  is  the 
possibility to reopen the closed RACs. 

Furthermore, special measures targeting unaccompanied children have been put in place, such 
as immediate referrals to national social workers (the guardianship authority) and providing 
them  with  the  same  services  as  Moldovan  children.  Further  effort  is  needed  to  ensure  the 
systematic registration of foreigners, centralise data and provide  them access  to  all relevant 
services  in  line  with    EU  standards,  including  the  General  Data  Protection  Regulation 
(GDPR). 

In 2022, Moldovan authorities reported 1 332 cases (2 590 individuals) of illegal crossing of 
the  state  border  (main  nationalities:  Ukrainian,  Turkish  and  Russian).  In  2022,  78  foreign 
citizens were placed in public custody. In the first quarter of 2023, 54 foreign citizens were 
placed in public custody, of those 37 were released from custody. 

The Ministry of Internal Affairs oversees forced returns. Implementation of the EU-Moldova 
readmission agreement is generally good. During the reporting period, 623 Moldovan citizens 
were  successfully  returned  under  readmission  agreements.  Moldova  has  concluded  13 
agreements and 24 additional protocols on readmission. 

Moldova contributes to the Europol European Migrant Smuggling Centre’s annual reports on 
migration and asylum. 

Asylum 

Institutional set-up and legal alignment 

The  Moldovan  legislation  governing  asylum  is  broadly  in  line  with  the  EU  acquis,  and  the 
country  is  party  to  the  relevant  international  conventions.  The  General  Inspectorate  for 
Migration (GIM) operating under the Ministry of Internal Affairs decides on applications for 
international protection. It strengthened its Bureau for Asylum and Migration into a General 

Malta, Bulgaria, Czechia, Poland, Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain, Slovenia, Greece, Italy, 
Serbia, Albania, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. 

52 

 
 
 
Inspectorate  with  additional  staff.  Moldova  conducted  several  reforms  over  the  reporting 
period, which focused on further modernising its central structure and reorganising the border 
police.  The  Migration  and  Asylum  Directorate,  which  examines  asylum  applications,  was 
reorganised  and  is  now  part  of  the  GIM.  This  has  strengthened  institutional  capacity  to 
prevent, monitor and combat the illegal stay of foreigners. 

The  legal  status  of  asylum  seekers  and  beneficiaries  of  international  protection,  temporary 
protection  and  political  asylum  are  regulated  by  the  Law  on  asylum.  The  Asylum  and 
Integration  Directorate  of  the  GIM  is  responsible  for  asylum  procedures.  Unaccompanied 
minors  applying  for  asylum  are  subject  to  child  protection  measures,  including  social 
placement  services.  Negative  decisions  on  asylum  claims  may  be  appealed  through 
administrative  litigation  without  any  prior  procedure.  The  verification  process  includes  a 
request from the country’s Security and Intelligence Service. 

Moldova  maintains  a  regularly  updated  contingency  plan  that  takes  a  multidimensional 
approach covering areas based on different types of scenarios (e.g. border management and 
humanitarian needs). Following Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the peak of 
the refugee emergency, a plan was initiated by international players with the support of the 
EU’s  civil  protection  mechanism,  and  this  served  as  the  basis  for  humanitarian  aid 
preparedness. 

Recent efforts focused on alignment with the EU Temporary Protection Directive, including a 
government  decree  adopted  on  18 January  2023  and  implemented  from  1 March  2023.  The 
decree allows for the registration of refugees from Ukraine on a voluntary basis. 

As of August 2023, 10,747 individuals have been granted temporary protection.  

The decree which is largely aligned with the EU Temporary Protection Directive, gives the 
rights  of  residence,  identity  documentation,  education  and  access  to  the  labour  market  and 
healthcare.  Funding  social  protection/health  costs  related  to  the  temporary  protection  is  a 
major challenge. The current needs of beneficiaries of temporary protection have been mainly 
covered  through  continuous  external  support  from  humanitarian  donors.  Against  the 
backdrop of decreasing humanitarian funding, this caseload will need to be fully absorbed by 
the  government-led  national  social  protection  assistance.  Moldova  should  develop  a  clear 
roadmap as to when and how this will be achieved. 

Implementation and enforcement capacity 

Compared  to  2021,  when  75  applications  for  international  protection  were  lodged,  and  43 
people  were  granted  protection,  as  of  July  2023,  the  Migration  and  Asylum  Office  has 
received  14  376  asylum  applications,  following  the  arrival  of  people  from  Ukraine  seeking 
protection after Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Out of the total number of applications 
examined,  7 643  decisions  on  asylum  applications  were  issued:  17  people  were  granted 
refugee status, 62 granted humanitarian protection, 28 had their asylum applications rejected, 
12  appealed  in  court,  and  7 552  people  terminated  the  asylum  procedure.  The  remaining 
applications are in the process of examination. There are approximately 3 700 pending cases 
as many of the registered asylum seekers left the country days after registering. 

With  the  sharp  increase  of  asylum  applications  lodged,  the    national  authorities  are 
experiencing  a  significant  backlog.  In  response,  the  government  is  carrying  out  an 
institutional  reorganisation,  increasing  staff  numbers,  procuring  equipment  and  renovating 
infrastructure. The funds allocated in the budget for integration programmes granting asylum 
were  insufficient  given  the  current  number  of  asylum  seekers  reported  and  being 
supplemented by international donors. 

53 

 
 
To  prevent  trafficking  in  human  beings  and  related  crimes  involving  refugees  at  open 
facilities  and  to  prevent  the  infiltration  of  smugglers,  a  specialised  police  unit  carried  out 
facility visits  jointly with representatives of an  NGO (the international  centre Laicre Strada 
Moldova with which the General Police Inspectorate concluded a cooperation agreement in 
November  2020).  Victims  of  trafficking  in  human  beings  in  facilities  have  been  provided 
with  information,  including  telephone  numbers  of  relevant  hotlines.  This  information  is 
available in English and Ukrainian. 

Between  May  2022  and  April  2023,the  European  Union  Agency  for  Asylum  (EUAA) 
deployed  a  small  contingent  of  staff  to  Moldova  to  help  the  country  manage  the  arrival  of 
people  fleeing  the  invasion  of  Ukraine.  This  was  the  first-ever  deployment  of  staff  by  the 
EUAA (and its predecessor the European Asylum Support Office) to a non-EU country. The 
relevant authorities in Moldova maintain close contacts with the EUAA’s representatives. 

Accessing  and  providing  information  on  asylum  procedure  for  asylum  seekers  needs  to  be 
improved. Moldova should ensure that the necessary resources are available to implement the 
country’s contingency plan to manage human flows. 

There  is  no  electronic  biometric  database  with  fingerprints  and  photos,  and  the  border 
crossing  points  are  not  connected.    During  the  reporting  period,  the  development  and 
implementation of a biometric database was set as an objective. Active steps should be taken 
to plan this database’s alignment with the EU’s fingerprint database (Eurodacurodac). 

Visa policy 

The legal framework for visa policy is broadly in line with the EU  acquis. The list of third 
countries with which Moldova maintains visa-free regimes is not fully aligned with the list of 
third countries whose nationals require a visa for short stays in the EU. Moldova maintains 
visa-free regimes with 12 of these countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Cuba, Ecuador, 
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Russia, Tajikistan, Türkiye and Uzbekistan. 

The security features of visas and travel documents are broadly aligned with EU standards. 
All  passports  issued  by  Moldova  are  biometric  and  comply  with  the  International  Civil 
Aviation Organization format. 
The European Commission’s sixth report under the Visa Suspension Mechanism10, published 
in  October  2023,  concluded  that  Moldova  continues  to  meet  the  visa  liberalisation 
benchmarks.  

Schengen and external borders 

Institutional set-up and legal alignment 

The  General  Inspectorate  of  Border  Police  manages  Moldovan  state  borders  (1 906 km  in 
length  excluding  the  453.4 km  Transnistrian  segment).  It  is  a  specialised  civilian  body 
operating under the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Following a reorganisation in the reporting 
period,  it  now  has  44  borders  police  sectors  and  75  border  crossing  points.  Border 
responsibilities are shared between customs and the border police. 

Border  control  legislation  is  partly  aligned  with  EU  policy  and  best  practice.  A  national 
integrated  border  management  strategy  (2018-2023),  a  programme  for  integrated  border 
management (2022-2025) and a dedicated action plan (aligned with the 2006 EU concept on 
integrated border management) are in place. The National Council for Integrated State Border 

10 COM(2023) 730 final 

54 

 
 
 
Management  is  the  advisory  body  in  charge  of  implementing  the  action  plan.  There  is  no 
Schengen action plana in place yet. 

Cooperation with INTERPOL on lost and stolen passports is regular and systematic. Moldova 
continued  its  efforts  to  improve  border  management  and  migration  systems  by  investing  in 
infrastructure, software and training. 

Implementation and enforcement capacity 

Technical  equipment  and  infrastructure  need  to  be  modernised.  All  border  crossings  are 
connected to INTERPOL’s Stolen and Lost Travel Documents database. They have biometric 
travel document readers, and some have video surveillance systems for profiling passengers. 
Moldova  does  not  have  a  national  advanced  passenger  information  (API)  system.  Inter-
agency  cooperation  is  satisfactory  between  border  police  and  customs  at  border  crossing 
points. Further improvements are required on information exchange through mutual access to 
databases and a formalised and secure information exchange system. Joint patrolling by both 
services  should  be  initiated.  Moldova  needs  additional  resources,  in  particular  technical 
resources, to improve the quality of border checks. Border surveillance resources are limited 
and require substantial improvements. Border crossing infrastructure also requires significant 
improvements. 

Moldova  demonstrated  significant  efforts  in  processing  passenger  flows,  especially  refugee 
flows  from  Ukrainian  borders,  and  increasing  border  surveillance  patrols.  Moldova  has 
stepped up ad hoc  crisis  response mechanisms since February 2022 in  response to  the high 
number of border crossings from Ukraine.  

In  the  area  of  international  cooperation,  Moldova  continued  to  implement  the  Status 
Agreement  with  Frontex  signed  in  March  2022.  Frontex  launched  a  joint  operation  in 
Moldova  in  2022,  which  was  renewed  in  January  2023  for  another  year.  A  Frontex  liaison 
officer  with  a  regional  mandate  for  the  Eastern  Partnership  was  deployed  and  is  currently 
based in  Moldova.  The  EU Border Assistance  Mission  (EUBAM) to  Moldova and Ukraine 
has  supported  both  countries  since  2005,  including  by  improving  integrated  border 
management standards. 

Joint patrolling is well established and operational with its neighbouring countries – Ukraine 
(since  2011)  and  Romania  (since  2018).  In  2022,  there  were  460  joint/coordinated  patrols 
with  Ukraine  and  725  with  Romania.  Information  exchange  takes  place  centrally  and  at 
joint  points  of  contacts:  4 002  requests  were  initiated  in  Galați  at  the  Moldova-Romania 
border and 3 036 requests in Palanca at the Moldova-Ukraine border. In the reporting period, 
Moldova  and  Romania  signed  two  agreements:  one  on  setting  up  the  international  border 
crossing  point  Leova-Bumbăta  and  another  on  coordinated  controls  at  two  border  crossing 
points, Leușeni (Moldova) and Albița (Romania). The pilot phase of the joint border controls 
started on 10 April 2023. 

Measures to combat corruption at the border are part of the general national integrity and 
anti-corruption  strategy  for  2017-2023  and  the  Ministry  of  Internal  Affair’s  sectoral 
development strategy on education/ethics and digitalisation (2022-2025), adopted in 2022. In 
2022, disciplinary action was taken against 2 border officers for improper influence in service 
activity, and 8 border guards were discharged for committing acts of corruption. In customs, 
115 service investigations were initiated, and 19 criminal cases were initiated. 

Counterfeiting the euro 

Moldova is not party to the 1929 Geneva Convention for the suppression of counterfeiting 
currency. The Criminal Code provides for criminal liability for counterfeiting and is partly 

55 

 
 
aligned with the EU acquis.  

All aspects of customs cooperation are covered in Chapter 29 - Customs Union. 

2.3. ECONOMIC CRITERIA 

Key economic figures 

GDP per capita (% of EU27 in PPS) 

Real GDP growth  
Economic activity rate of the population aged 15 and 
above (%); total 
   female 
   male 
Unemployment rate of the population aged 15 and 
above (%); total  
   female 
   male 
Employment of the population aged 20-64 (annual 
growth %) 
Nominal wages (annual growth %) 
Consumer price index (annual growth %) 
Exchange rate against EUR 

Current account balance (% GDP) 

Net foreign direct investment, FDI (% of GDP) 

General government balance, % GDP 

General government debt, % GDP 

2014-19 
average 

2020 

2021 

2022*  

27.1 

3.6 

44.2 

40.6 
48.2 

4.6 

3.2 
4.9 

-3.9 

12.0 
5.9 
20.3 

-6.9 

2.4 

-1.5 

32.9 

29.2 

-7.4 

40.3 

36.1 
45.1 

3.8 

3.2 
4.3 

-4.4 

9.8 
3.8 
19.7 

-7.7 

1.3 

-5.1 

35.2 

31.7 

13.9 

41.1 

36.4 
46.5 

3.2 

2.5 
3.8 

1.1 

13.1 
5.1 
20.9 

N/A 

-5.0 

41.8 

37.8 
46.3 

3.1 

2.6 
3.5 

2.2 

N/A 
28.7 
18.9 

-12.4 

-15.7 

2.8 

-1.9 

32.2 

3.7 

-5.5 

35.7 

In  line  with  the  conclusions  of  the  European  Council  in  Copenhagen  in  June  1993,  EU  accession 
requires  the  existence  of  a  functioning  market  economy  and  the  capacity  to  cope  with  competitive 
pressure and market forces within the Union.  

2.3.1. The existence of a functioning market economy 

Moldova  is  in  between  an  early  stage  and  some  level  of  preparation  in  establishing  a 
functioning market economy. Despite the difficult economic and social environment caused 
by  Russia’s  full-scale  invasion  of  neighbouring  Ukraine,  the  authorities  have  remained 
committed to pursuing macroeconomic stability and economic reforms. During the past ten 
years, Moldova has been able to sustain economic growth of about 3.1% per year on average 
despite the pandemic and other economic headwinds. Public finances have been stable with a 
low  deficit  (at  about  1.5%  of  GDP  on  average  over  2014-2019)  and  a  comparatively  low 
debt level. The National Bank of Moldova has been generally successful in keeping inflation 
within the target range set at 5% (+/− 1.5 percentage points). 

After a strong rebound from the COVID-19-crisis, growth contracted sharply in 2022 due to 
the fall-out  from Russia’s  war  against Ukraine, the energy  crisis  and  a severe drought  that 
caused  output  in  agriculture  and  related  industries  to  plummet.  High  inflation,  caused  by 
soaring energy and food prices, depressed households’ disposable incomes and consumption, 
while  war-related  uncertainty  contributed  to  weaker  investment.  On  the  external  side,  the 

56 

 
 
 
already  high  current  account  deficit  widened  further,  also  reflecting  the  weak  export  base 
and low productivity. As a result of the deep recession and the increase in social spending to 
alleviate  the  energy  price  shock,  the  budget  deficit  widened  in  2022  and  is  set  to  widen 
further in 2023. Public debt remains low and is largely extended on concessional terms. 

Despite  significant  progress,  Moldova’s  business  environment 
is  characterised  by 
widespread corruption, a weak rule of law, weak institutional capacity and low quality public 
services. These factors hamper entrepreneurship and give rise to a large informal economy. 
The  state  still  has  considerable  influence  in  key  sectors  of  the  economy,  including 
telecommunications,  energy  and  transport  as  well  as  in  price  setting.  The  authorities  are 
carrying out a screening of state-owned enterprises, some of which are loss-making, in order 
to  restructure  and/  or  privatise  them.  At  the  same  time,  they  are  working  to  improve 
corporate  governance  and  accountability  in  the  sector.  Despite  the  recession,  the  financial 
sector remains stable, reflecting the impact of previous reforms and prompt regulatory action 
to  curb  the  rapid  increase  in  household  lending.  The  labour  market  recovered  from  the 
pandemic and was relatively robust in 2022, despite rising unemployment towards the end of 
the year. However, it continues to be characterised by a very low participation rate, which is 
linked to the high share of people working or only willing to work abroad.  

In  order  to  improve  the  functioning  of  the  market  economy,  and  taking  into  account  the 
difficult external environment, Moldova should in particular: 

→  further  improve  the  management  of  public  finances,  and  in  particular  the  planning  and 

execution of public investment; 

→  continue  improving  the  business  environment,  reduce  state  interference  in  price  setting 
and  maintain  a  rapid  pace  of  reforms  to  restructure  and/  or  privatise  state-owned 
enterprises; 

→  address the main weaknesses of the labour market, in particular by increasing incentives 

for labour force participation, and take measures to tackle informal employment. 

Economic governance 

The  authorities  remain  committed  to  pursuing  macroeconomic  stability  and  economic 
reforms  despite  the  difficult  external  environment.  The  government  continued  to 
introduce  reforms  to  cushion  the  impact  of  the  energy  crisis  and  supported  those  fleeing 
Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine.  Structural  reform  measures  focused,  in 
particular,  on  ensuring  energy  security,  further  fighting  corruption  and  increasing  the 
transparency of the justice sector as well as reforms of state-owned enterprises (SOEs). The 
authorities  also  adopted  a  new  public  finance  management  strategy,  aiming  to  improve 
revenue  mobilisation  and  expenditure  allocation  as  well  as  making  budgeting  more 
transparent.  Therefore,  progress  on  reforms  continues,  although  weaknesses  remain,  for 
example in budget planning and execution, especially capital expenditure. 

Moldova  continued  to  progress  in  implementing  macro-financial  assistance  from  the  EU, 
with  disbursements  in  2022 and 2023. There was also  progress  on the  IMF Extended  Fund 
Facility/Extended Credit Facility, adopted in December 2021 and augmented in May 2022. In 
April  2023,  the  IMF  concluded  its  third  programme  review,  assessing  overall  policy 
implementation  as  positive,  ensuring  a  new  disbursement.  Among  others,  the  programme 
aims  to  improve  the  transparency  of  and  governance  framework  for  anti-corruption 
institutions,  strength  the  independence  of  the  central  bank,  improve  the  fiscal  governance 
framework and implement further SOE reforms. The IMF concluded that although the risks 

57 

 
 
to the programme are high, the authorities’ ownership of the programme and commitment to 
reforms remain strong.  

Macroeconomic stability 

% y-o-y

further 

vulnerable 

30
25
20
15
10
5
0
-5
-10
-15

Real GDP growth and 
contributions

Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against 
aggravated 
Ukraine 
Moldova’s 
energy 
together  with  yet 
situation  and, 
another  drought  depressing 
the 
agricultural  sector’s  output,  brought 
a  sizeable  economic  shock  and  cost-
of-living  crisis.  Following  a  strong 
rebound  in  2021  of  13.9%,  real  GDP 
contracted  sharply  by  5.0%  in  2022. 
The  2022  recession  was  driven  by  a 
steep fall in household consumption and 
investment,  down  by  6.3%  and  6.8% 
respectively.  High  inflation  (averaging  28.7%  in  2022),  driven  by  high  energy  and  food 
prices, eroded households’ disposable incomes, while war-related uncertainty contributed to 
weaker  investment.  Weak  agricultural  performance  due  to  the  drought  and  the  decline  in 
construction and manufacturing activity (partly due to war-related supply chain disruptions) 
further  contributed  to  Moldova’s  depressed  economic  performance.  Net  exports  also 
negatively  contributed  to  growth  despite  the  better-than-expected  export  performance  in 
2022,  which  largely  reflected  re-exports  to  and  from  Ukraine  due  to  the  reallocation  of 
regional trade routes. After remaining broadly unchanged for about a decade, the income gap 
with  the  EU  has  slightly  narrowed  in  recent  years  as  per  capita  GDP  in  purchasing  power 
standards rose to 31.7% of the EU average in 2021, up from 29.2% in 2020 and 25% in 2013. 

Source: Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies,
own calculations

2021
Gov. Cons.
Net exports

Priv. Cons.
GFCF

2018

2019

2020

18

to 

% of GDP

the  high 

Current account selected 
components and FDI

The  current  account  deficit  further 
widened  in  2022  to  15.7%  of  GDP 
compared with 12.4% of GDP in 2021 
due 
trade  deficit. 
Moldova’s  current  account  deficit  was 
large  between  2017-2021, 
already 
averaging  8.9%  of  GDP.  Its  recent 
widening 
largely  reflects  Moldova’s 
protracted  energy  crisis  and  weak 
export  base.  A  considerable  share  of 
Moldova’s  imports  (about  17%)  are 
mineral products, including oil and gas, 
and  the  country’s  exports  are  heavily 
reliant  on  agricultural  products  as  well 
as low value-added manufacturing, such as textiles and food. Moldova’s high trade deficit at 
29.5%  of  GDP  on  average  between  2018-2022  is  partly  balanced  by  high  and  stable 
remittances of about 15% of GDP as well as financial transfers. Its recent deterioration was 
fuelled by high energy import prices and weaker exports in the second half of 2022, also on 
the  back  of  the  poor  agricultural  output.  In  2022,  net  foreign  direct  investment  flows 
recovered  strongly  at  3.7%  of  GDP,  jumping  back  to  their  pre-pandemic  levels  (which 
averaged 2.8% between 2018-2022). In 2022, Moldova’s external debt increased to 67.7% of 
GDP  from  64.2%  in  2021,  largely  on  account  of  the  higher  financing  needs  caused  by 

2020
2019
Personal remittances (inflow) / GDP
Balance on goods and services

Source: IMF and Central Bank of Moldova 

2021

2022

2018

-32

58 

 
 
Russia's  war against Ukraine and the energy crisis. At the same time, external  debt  metrics 
point  towards  a  low  level  of  distress.  Moldova’s  debt  is  largely  extended  by  international 
donors  on  concessional  terms.  The  country’s  foreign  currency  reserves  experienced 
significant  volatility  in  the  first  half  of  the  year,  prompting  central  bank  interventions  to 
support the local currency. By year end, the reserves were back to a stable and high level of 
USD 4.5 billion, equivalent to 5 months of imports of goods and services.   

Consumer  price  inflation  surged  in  2022,  peaking  at  34.6%  in  October.  This  was 
followed  by  a  gradual  deceleration  to  30.2%  by  year  end,  remaining  well  above  the 
central  bank’s  target  range  of  5%  +/−  1.5  percentage  points.  The  surge  followed  a 
relatively  stable  inflation  of  4.7%  on  average  between  2017-2021.  The  large  increase  in 
prices  in  2022  (by  28.7%  overall)  was  driven  chiefly  by  the  rise  in  energy  import  prices, 
including gas and electricity as well as food prices. The central bank tightened the monetary 
policy  stance  by  a  cumulative  13  percentage  points  between  January  and  August  2022, 
bringing the benchmark  interest  rate to  21.5%.  In December 2022, when inflation began to 
decelerate,  falling  below  10%  in  August  2023,  the  central  bank  started  easing  its  monetary 
stance,  bringing  the  key  rate  gradually  down  to  6%  as  of  September  2023.  Following  the 
Moldovan  leu’s  depreciation  against  the  US  dollar  by  about  7%  (and  a  more  limited 
depreciation  against  the  euro  by  0.8%)  in  the  first  half  of  2022,  the  currency  recovered, 
helped by restored confidence and considerable external support.  

As result of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and increased social spending to 
alleviate the energy shock, the budget deficit widened to 5.5% of GDP in 2022 (including 
the recapitalisation of Energocom) up from 1.9% of GDP in 2021. Except for 2020 when the 
pandemic  started,  Moldova  maintained  relatively  low  deficit  levels  (below  2%  of  GDP) 
between 2016-2019. In 2022, revenues were robust on account of inflationary effects. They 
grew by 16%, driven by higher VAT outturns, corporate income tax and,  to  a lesser extent 
excise  duties.  Expenditure  rose  by  28%  driven  largely  by  current  spending  on  targeted 
transfers  to  households,  partial  wage  indexation  and  outlays  for  securing  gas  supplies.  The 
government  successfully  introduced  and  implemented  the  Energy  Vulnerability  Reduction 
Fund,  which  provided  targeted  compensation  to  the  most  vulnerable  households,  and 
recapitalised  the  state-owned  energy  company,  Energocom  (amounting  to  about  2.2%  of 
GDP)  to  secure  gas  reserves.  Nonetheless,  Moldova  continues  to  struggle  with  significant 
budget  under-execution,  especially  on  capital  investment  projects.  Ongoing  reforms  to 
improve  capital  investment  planning  should  help  improve  budget  execution.  In  2023,  the 
deficit is projected to remain high at 6% of GDP, according to the State Budget Law. It will 
be further driven by higher outlays for social assistance programmes as well as partial salary 
and  pension  indexation.  In  2022,  Moldova’s  public  debt-to-GDP  ratio  increased  to  a  still 
relatively  low  35.7%  of  GDP  (having  averaged  32.3%  of  GDP  between  2018-2021).  This 
increase was due to the large budget deficit and the marked weakening of the local currency 
in  the  first  half  of  the  year.  Most  of  the 
extended  by 
country’s  debt  has  been 
international creditors on concessional terms.  

Fiscal developments

% of GDP

40

4

0

-4

-8

20

0

2018

2019

2021
2020
Interest (lhs)

2022

Source: National sources, IMF

and 

appropriate 

The  macroeconomic  policy  mix  has 
sustained 
remained 
macroeconomic  stability  and  the  resilience 
of  economic  activity  despite  the  multiple 
domestic  and  external  shocks.  Supportive 
fiscal  policy  and  an  appropriate  monetary 
policy  stance  helped  mitigate  the  impact  of 

59 

 
 
high  energy  prices,  while  gradually  curbing  inflation.  The  authorities  have  also  made 
effective use of contingency planning, especially to ensure adequate resources to strengthen 
the long-term security of the energy supply. Nonetheless, Moldova’s economy grapples with 
the  medium-term  challenges  of  low  productivity  and  competitiveness,  as  well  as  external 
imbalances linked to the high current account deficit.   

Functioning of product markets 

Business environment 

Moldova continued to make progress in improving its business environment despite the 
fallout  from  Russia’s  war  against  Ukraine  and  a  strong  decline  in  economic  activity. 
Moldova’s  business  environment  and  capacity  to  attract  foreign  direct  investment  are 
negatively affected by corruption, an inefficient judiciary and low-quality public services. In 
2022, the authorities started implementing an ambitious agenda to strengthen the rule of law 
and combat corruption which remain key obstacles to investment and productivity growth. In 
November 2022, the government set up a working group to reduce the regulatory burden on 
businesses. The body proposed a legislative package to amend the Labour Code, reduce red 
tape  and  simplify  inspections.  The  legal  framework  for  e-commerce  and  digitalisation  of 
government  services  was  upgraded,  which  should  strengthen  institutional  capacity,  the 
quality of public services and productivity.  

Moldovan firms are smaller, less productive and have fewer exporters than in the EU. 
In addition to the strong presence of SOEs limiting domestic competition, the private sector 
has been negatively affected by the dual shock of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s war 
against  Ukraine.  In  response,  the  government  launched  the  Fund  for  Entrepreneurship  and 
Economic  Growth  of  Moldova,  which  offers  low-interest  loans  to  small  and  medium-sized 
enterprises  (SMEs). The government  also  initiated a series of other programmes supporting 
SMEs’  digital  transformation,  energy  efficiency  and  technological  improvements.  Moldova 
has liberalised foreign  trade policy in  recent  years, but  gaps remain in  customs procedures, 
logistics  services  and  infrastructure.  In  2022,  Moldova  approved  a  new  Customs  Code  and 
made  progress  on  harmonising  sanitary  and  phytosanitary  standards  with  the  EU,  which 
should  facilitate  export  activity.  At  the  same  time,  only  a  little  progress  was  made  on 
upgrading the transport and logistics infrastructure which hinders export-oriented businesses.  

The share of the informal sector in Moldova’s economy remains substantial partly as a 
result  of  a  heavy  regulatory  burden,  weak  law  enforcement  and  a  general  lack  of  trust  in 
government  institutions.11  the  corresponding  tax  evasion  also  negatively  impacts  budget 
revenues  while  distorting  competition  to  the  detriment  of  regular  firms.  Formal  market 
entrance and entrepreneurship are further hampered by a shortage of skilled labour and a high 
reservation wage for Moldovans searching for work abroad, either permanently or on short-
term contracts.  

State influence on product markets 

State  influence  remains  significant  in  key  sectors  of  the  economy,  including  in 
telecommunications,  energy  and  transport,  primarily  through  about  900  state-owned 
enterprises  (SOEs).  Moldova’s  restrictive  product  market  regulation  also  hampers 
competition.  Overall, SOEs own assets worth about 26% of GDP and employ around 6% of 

11 According to World Economics (2022), which uses an average of the latest estimates from economists around 
the world, the informal economy represents about 40% of GDP in Moldova, versus an EU average of 16.9 
%. Such estimations need to be taken with caution given the variety of methodological approaches. 

60 

 
 
 
the active labour force. They suffer from a lack of adequate corporate governance practices, 
inefficiency  and  poor  oversight.  This  further  undermines  private  sector  investment  and  the 
economy’s  competitiveness  and  poses  fiscal  risks.  The  SOE  sector  still  requires  State-aid 
support, as around 40% of SOEs recorded losses in 2021, 5 percentage points more than in 
2019.  Moldova’s  product  market  regulation  lags  behind  most  EU  countries,  hampering 
competition.  The  country  has  some  of  the  most  restrictive  product  market  regulations  and 
barriers  to  entry  in  services  and  network  industries  (for  example,  electricity  and  gas, 
telecommunications, transport and regulated professions). Price controls in a broad number of 
sectors,  including  network  industries,  food,  fuels  and  pharmaceuticals,  are  also  more 
widespread  in  Moldova  than  in  EU  countries.  This  hampers  competition,  innovation  and 
productivity gains.  

Privatisation and restructuring 

In December 2022, Moldova approved a strategy for 2023-2030 on the administration of 
state property to reduce the number of SOEs, improve their financial performance and 
increase market competition. As a next step, the authorities have started a selection process 
by  categorising  SOEs  at  the  central  government  level  according  to  which  companies  either 
remain  in  state  ownership  or  will  be  liquidated,  restructured  or  privatised.  A  privatisation 
strategy for small and large companies is under preparation, including identifying the optimal 
conditions for launching privatisation efforts. In parallel, the authorities submitted regulations 
to  Parliament  to  improve  selection  procedures  for  supervisory  board  members,  SOE  audits 
and  SOE  corporate  governance  codes.    The  Ministry  of  Finance  is  also  improving  the 
methodology  for  SOE  fiscal  risk  reporting.  Privatisation  was  suspended  in  2022  due  to  the 
fall-out  from  Russia’s war against Ukraine and the adoption of the SOE strategy; however, 
several  SOEs  were  reorganised  or  liquidated.  The  concession  agreement  for  Chisinau 
International Airport to a private entity was terminated due to alleged breaches of contractual 
obligations. 

Functioning of the financial market 

Financial stability 

The financial sector remained broadly stable despite significant challenges posed by the 
pandemic,  economic  recession  and  Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine.  The 
stability is also due to the comprehensive corrective measures taken after the 2014 banking 
crisis. Banks are well-capitalised and have preserved adequate liquidity buffers. The average 
capital adequacy ratio stood at 29.5% at the end of 2022, about 350 basis points higher than a 
year  before  (vs.  the  10%  regulatory  minimum).  The  liquidity  coverage  ratio  was  around 
280%,  well  above  the  prescribed  100%  limit.  The  Russian  war  against  Ukraine  led  to 
liquidity  pressures  in  the  financial  system  and  bank  deposit  withdrawals  in  both  foreign 
currency and the Moldovan leu accelerated to close to 8% year-on-year by the end of March 
2022. As confidence was restored, the total amount of deposits recovered to about 5% above 
the  pre-war  level  at  the  end  of  2022.  Economic  headwinds  and  slowing  lending  activity 
triggered a modest increase in the non-performing loans (NPLs) ratio to 6.4% at the end of 
2022.  Banks  have  benefited  from  a  relatively  high  coverage  with  prudential  loan  loss 
provisions.  In  2022,  the  return  on  equity  and  return  on  assets  were  15.7%  and  2.8%, 
respectively.  Although  this  shows  favourable  profitability,  it  is  expected  to  weaken  due  to 
elevated credit risk and falling remuneration on reserves in the 2023 monetary policy easing 
cycle.   

Prompt  regulatory  action  by  the  Moldovan  authorities  helped  preserve  financial 
stability.  In  response  to  a  rapid  increase  in  household  lending,  in  May  2022  the  National 

61 

 
 
Bank  of  Moldova  (NBM)  introduced  responsible  lending  requirements,  loan-to-value    and 
debt service-to-income limits for banks, and the National Commission for Financial Markets 
(NCFM)  issued  similar  regulations  for  non-bank  lenders.  The  NBM  also  set  an  additional 
systemic risk buffer of 2% for banks’ exposure to the household sector. Since 2019, the NBM 
has  carried  out  the  Supervisory  Review  and  Evaluation  Process  to  check  the  soundness  of 
banks  on  an  annual  basis.  In  March  2023,  a  draft  law  to  increase  and  further  align  deposit 
guarantees  with  EU  levels  was  submitted  to  Parliament.  Moreover,  the  authorities  are 
strengthening the supervisory framework for insurers, savings banks and non-bank lenders by 
transferring  regulatory  and  supervisory  powers  to  the  NBM.  This  requires  more  staff  and 
better technical capacity. 

Access to finance 

Financial intermediation in Moldova remains underdeveloped and access to finance was 
further constrained by the COVID-19 pandemic and then the fallout from Russia’s war 
against  Ukraine.  Banking  sector  assets  declined  from  about  52%  of  GDP  in  2020  to  a 
modest level of around 48% of GDP at the end of 2022 (vs an average of about 280% of GDP 
in the EU in 2021). Credit to the private sector represented a relatively low share of 21% of 
GDP  as  of  December  2022.  This  decelerated  significantly  throughout  the  year  following 
NBM  and  NCFM  measures  to  tighten  lending  standards  for  households,  the  fallout  of 
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and a drop in output, which all affected corporate 
lending.  The  government’s  stimulus  for  lending  to  SMEs  and  micro-enterprises  could 
alleviate credit constraints,  while the easing  of monetary policy and an improved economic 
outlook for 2023 may contribute to a more favourable environment. According to the World 
Bank, more than 80% of firms report financing their working capital from their own financial 
sources.  The  need  to  improve  access  to  finance  for  the  corporate  sector,  while  preserving 
financial stability, is also underlined by the relatively modest role played by capital markets 
in Moldova. 

Functioning of the labour market 

Despite economic headwinds, the labour market recovered from the pandemic, although 
significant  structural  challenges  persist.  The  number  of  employed  people  increased  by 
1.8%  in  the  fourth  quarter  of  2022  from  a  year  before.  The  country  saw  job  creation  in 
industry,  services  and  construction,  whereas  employment  in  agriculture  declined.  The 
structurally low employment rate (among the population aged 15 years and over) rose slightly 
to  40.5% in  2022 from  39.8% in  2021. However, it remains well below  the EU average of 
54.1%  in  2022.  This  primarily  reflects  the  low  participation  in  the  labour  force  of  people 
working  or  only  willing  to  work  abroad.  Informal  employment  in  agriculture,  construction 
and  trade  is  estimated  to  be  more  than  22%  of  the  total.  At  the  same  time,  the  creation  of 
well-paid jobs is hampered by insufficient private and foreign investment. This investment in 
turn  is  held  back  by,  among  other  factors,  companies’  limited  access  to  skilled  labour  and 
persistent net emigration. Some rigidity in labour market regulations, in particular regarding 
the  ease  of  hiring  and  firing  practices,  still  hamper  a  smooth  allocation  of  the  workforce. 
Moldova’s  unemployment  rate  has  been  persistently  low,  which  partly  reflects  the  low 
participation in the labour force and the substantial share of self-employed workers. Due to 
the  economic  decline  and  the  increase  in  the  size  of  the  labour  force  in  2022  (including 
people  fleeing  Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine),  the  unemployment  rate  rose  to 
4.6% in the fourth quarter of 2022, up from 2.6% a year before. Depressed by high inflation, 
real  wages  contracted  by  over  10%  year-on-year  in  the  last  quarter  of  2022.  However,  the 
government has taken measures to mitigate the erosion of purchasing power of civil servants 
and pensioners through a partial indexation.  

62 

 
 
Moldova needs to accelerate structural reforms to increase formal job creation and the 
availability  of  skilled  labour.  Further  reforms  are  needed  to  reduce  gaps  in  the  education 
system and the large share of young people who are not in education, employment or training 
(NEETs). This would help break the vicious circle of the shortage of skilled labour and high 
reservation  wages  (driven  by  very  large  inflows  of  remittances  and  labour  emigration)  and 
the  relatively  low  investment  in  higher  added-value  sectors.  The  government  adopted  a 
national employment programme for 2022-2026. In addition, it took measures to reduce the 
high level of undeclared work in the labour market by strengthening checks and incentives to 
bring  jobs  into  the  formal  economy.  In  2022,  the  National  Employment  Agency  provided 
labour  market  information  and  counselling  services  to  more  than  90%  of  people  registered 
with the agency, 38% were offered job matching services and close to 24% were placed in a 
job.  Yet,  employment  services  and  labour  market  programmes  lack  adequate  funding,  and 
progress to reduce the mismatch between skills and job requirements is slow. 

 2.3.2.  The  capacity  to  cope  with  competitive  pressure  and  market  forces  within  the 
Union 

Moldova  is  in  between  an  early  stage   and  some  level  of  preparation  in  terms  of  its 
capacity  to  cope  with  competitive  pressure  and  market  forces  in  the  EU.  Despite  large 
investments in education, outcomes remain well below those in the EU. This contributes to 
the  persistent  mismatch  between  the  skill  level  of  the  workforce  and  what  employers 
require,  which  is  one  of  the  key  business  environment  obstacles  for  firms.  Investment  in 
research  and  development  remains  low  and  has  been  falling  despite  the  government’s 
strategy  to  increase  it.  Moldova’s  physical  infrastructure  remains  underdeveloped  in  part 
due  to  the  lack  of  government  investment.  The  stock  of  foreign  direct  investment  is  also 
low,  reflecting  weaknesses  in  the  business  environment  and  continuing  problems  with 
corruption and the protection of property rights. Digitalisation is lagging behind: just over 
two thirds of housholds are connected to the internet and about 40% of government services 
for businesses are available online. The Moldovan economy remains heavily reliant on the 
agricultural sector, and there is a large productivity gap compared with the EU. Moldova is 
a  relatively  open  economy  and  is  closely  integrated  with  that  of  the  EU.  Economic  links 
between  the  two  have  strengthened  since  the  entry  into  force  of  the  Deep  and 
Comprehensive Free Trade Area in 2016, and the EU is the country’s largest trading partner 
and source of foreign investment. 

In order to improve its competitiveness and support long-term growth, Moldova should, in 
particular: 

→  take  steps  to  improve  the  quality  of  education  and  training  to  ensure  outcomes  align 

with labour market needs, including ICT skills and digital literacy; 

→  increase  investment  in  infrastructure,  especially  to  improve  energy  security  and 

facilitate international trade and digitalisation;  

→  implement  measures  to  attract  foreign  direct  investment,  including  addressing  issues 
related to corruption and the rule of law as well as investment incentives and promotion. 

Education and innovation 

Moldova  consistently  invests  a  substantial  amount  in  education,  at  levels  equal  to  or 
higher than in many EU Member States (5.3% of GDP in 2022 compared with an EU 
average  of  4.8%  in  2021).  The  share  of  education  in  public  spending,  at  around  21%,  is 
more than double that of the EU average but has been declining in recent years. 

63 

 
 
The  traditionally  high  level  of  spending  has  not  led  to  corresponding  educational 
outcomes,  which  continue  to  reflect  the  country’s  relatively  low  level  of  economic 
development  and  point  to  inefficiencies.  Although  Moldova’s  PISA  reading  scores  have 
improved  over  time,  the  country  scores  below  the  OECD  average,  ranking  51st  out  of  77 
countries,  and  almost  all  EU  Member  States  in  the  most  recent  edition.  Moldova  had 
relatively low net enrolment rates, at 90.6% for primary education and 86.9% for secondary 
education  in  2018.  Tertiary  enrolment  levels  were  relatively  low  compared  with  other 
European countries (with a gross enrolment rate of 62.9%) although they have increased by 
nearly 10 percentage points since 2015. In 2022, 18% of the working-age population had an 
advanced (tertiary) level of education, compared with about 30% in the EU. 

These  outcomes  are  reflected  in  a  mismatch  between  the  level  of  skills  of  the  labour 
force  and  those  required  by  employers.  A  poorly  educated  workforce  was  cited  as  the 
biggest obstacle for businesses in Moldova in the last Enterprise Survey in 2019, with one-
third  of  firms  citing  this  as  a  major  constraint,  a  much  higher  proportion  than  other 
comparable  countries  in  Europe  and  Central  Asia.  These  outcomes  exacerbate  existing 
challenges related to demographic change, namely an ageing and declining population. 

Investment in research and development remains low, amounting to 0.2% of GDP in 2022 
compared  with  an  EU  average  of  2.3%.  The  country  has  a  4-year  strategy  for  boosting 
research and innovation, which runs until the end of 2023, though over the first three years of 
the strategy the relative size of expenditure on R&D declined, amounting in 2022 to 0.86% of 
public  spending.  The  lack  of  technical  advisory  services  in  fostering  innovation  in  the 
agricultural sector is of particular concern. 

Physical capital and quality of infrastructure 

Investment  (gross  fixed  capital  formation)  has  accounted  for  an  increasing  share  of 
GDP in Moldova, but the level of public investment has not been enough to maintain the 
public  capital  stock.  Overall  investment  rose  from  23%  of  GDP  in  2017  to  27%  in  2020 
before  declining  sharply  to  22%  in  2021.  Public  investment  has  failed  to  keep  up  with  the 
country’s  needs  due  to  frequent  budget  revisions  and  under-execution,  leading  the  public 
capital stock to fall from 75% of GDP in 2000 to 58% in 2018. Foreign direct investment has 
fluctuated around a relatively modest level in recent years, amounting to about 3.7% of GDP 
in 2022, but the total stock of FDI remains low at about 25% of GDP reflecting weaknesses 
in  the  business  environment  and  persistent  problems  with  corruption  and  property  rights. 
Moldova’s physical infrastructure, including roads and rail, is still underdeveloped with the 
country ranking jointly 132nd in the World Bank’s 2023 Logistics Performance Indicator, an 
index that captures the quality of trade-related infrastructure. Moldova faces climate-related 
vulnerabilities which new infrastructure investment would need to account for. 

Moldova has relied almost exclusively on imports from Russia for its supply of natural 
gas.  However,  it  has  accelerated  energy  sector  reforms  and  investments  to  ensure 
security of supply and energy diversification, and its electricity grid is now synchronised 
with  that  of  the  EU.  This  underlying  continued  dependence  gives  rise  to  significant 
vulnerabilities. In May 2023, Moldova signed an agreement allowing the country to apply for 
EU  funding  under  the  Connecting  Europe  Facility  to  improve  transport,  energy  and  digital 
links with its European neighbours. As of December 2022, Moldova started importing natural 
gas  from  Romania  and  plans  to  further  expand  the  interconnection  of  natural  gas  and 
electricity networks. 

Moldova  is  also  lagging  behind  in  digitalisation.  While  nearly  the  entire  population  is 
covered by at least a 4G mobile network, just 67.5% of Moldovan households have internet 

64 

 
 
access  at  home  compared  with  92.5%  of  households  in  the  EU.  Among  urban  households, 
80% have access to  internet  at home, against only 58% of rural  households.  In 2021, there 
were about  88 active mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. According to  the 
authorities’ own estimates, in 2022 only about 21% of the population had used at least one 
online public service in the previous 12 months compared with 58.5% in the EU, though this 
represented an increase of nearly one third compared to the year before. 

Sectoral and enterprise structure 

The  Moldovan  economy  remains  heavily  reliant  on  a  low-productivity  agricultural 
sector  compared  with  the  EU,  with  agriculture  accounting  for  12.1%  of  GDP  in  2021 
compared  with  1.6%  in  the  EU.  While  this  share  has  been  declining  in  recent  years, 
agriculture  still  accounts  for  one  fifth  of  employment.  This  indicates  continued  low 
productivity  in  this  sector:  half  of  output  is  produced  by  small  farmers  (fewer  than  10 
hectares)  most  of  whom  are  strongly  subsistence-oriented.  The  effects  of  Russia’s  war  of 
aggression  against  Ukraine  such  as  higher  prices  for  energy  and  agricultural  inputs  like 
fertiliser  further  threaten  the  competitiveness  of  Moldovan  agriculture,  as  does  Moldova’s 
vulnerability  to  climate  change  and  droughts.  The  share  of  services  in  the  economy  has 
slowly  gained  ground  over  the  last  5  years,  reaching  63.9%  of  GDP  in  2021,  while  that  of 
industry has correspondingly declined to 14.2%. Industry is dominated by the production of 
relatively  unsophisticated  goods,  namely  food  and  beverages  followed  by  textiles  and 
clothing.  The  share  of  services  (56.4%)  and  industry  (14.4%)  in  employment  has  remained 
largely steady since sharp increases caused by statistical adjustments that took effect in 2019. 

Most businesses in Moldova (about 95%) are SMEs. While SMEs account for just under 
50%  of  output,  they  employ  just  under  60%  of  workers,  a  share  which  has  been  gradually 
declining over the last 5 years. In the latest Enterprise Survey in 2019, access to finance was 
cited  as  a  major  constraint  by  about  29.4%  of  businesses.  Other  indicators  from  the  same 
survey show that the proportion of surveyed businesses in Moldova in need of loans is much 
higher  compared  with  the  average  in  EU.  The  reported  loan  rejection  rates  and  value  of 
collateral as a percentage of the loan amount are also much higher than in the EU. 

The government recently expanded the definition of a ‘small and medium-sized enterprise’ so 
that  more  businesses  to  qualify  for  support  programmes  including  those  managed  by  the 
Organisation  for  the  Development  of  Entrepreneurship,  a  government  agency.  The  Digital 
Transformation Programme, approved in 2022, sets out measures to support SMEs to invest 
in digitalising their operations. 

Economic integration with the EU and price competitiveness 

Moldova is a relatively open economy, closely integrated with that of the EU. Economic 
links  between  the  two  have  strengthened  since  the  entry  into  force  of  the  Deep  and 
Comprehensive  Free  Trade  Area  in  2016.  The  country’s  trade-to-GDP  ratio  was  78%  in 
2022, an increase of 12 percentage points over the previous five years. The stronger export 
performance in 2022 partly reflects re-exports to and from Ukraine as a result of reallocated 
trade routes. The EU is Moldova’s largest trading partner, accounting for about 58.8% of the 
country’s exports and 43.9% of its imports, which is above its regional peers. The EU’s share 
of imports has remained steady over the last 5 years, though its share of Moldova’s exports 
has  declined  from  69%  in  2018  primarily  as  a  result  of  the  surge  in  exports  to  Ukraine  in 
2022 following Russia’s war of aggression in February that year. Trade with other countries 
in  the  Central  European  Free  Trade  Agreement  (CEFTA),  of  which  Moldova  has  been  a 
member since 2007, has remained steady at about 1% of total trade. The country has been a 
member of the World Trade Organization since 2001. 

65 

 
 
In 2021, the EU accounted for 36% of foreign direct investment inflows into Moldova. The 
EU accounts for 86.7% of the stock of foreign direct investment in Moldova. 

In  terms  of  competitiveness,  while  unit  labour  costs  remain  below  those  of  its 
neighbours  and  EU  Member  States,  low  and  stagnant  relative  productivity,  rising 
nominal wages and currency appreciation have partly eroded this advantage in recent 
years. 

2.4. PUBLIC PROCUREMENT, STATISTICS, FINANCIAL CONTROL 

Chapter 5: Public procurement  

EU  rules  ensure  that  the  public  procurement  of  goods,  services  and  works  in  any  Member 
State  is  transparent  and  open  to  all  EU  companies  on  the  basis  of  non-discrimination  and 
equal treatment. 

Moldova has some level of preparation in the area of public procurement.  Some progress  
was achieved. The Law on public private partnership and the regulation on small value procurement 
were adopted. The country needs to further align its legislation with the EU acquis in the area 
of public procurement, especially the laws on concessions and public-private partnerships. It 
also  needs  to adopt  specific legislation on the  award of defence and security procurement 
contracts  and  amend  secondary  public  procurement  legislation.  The  efficiency  and 
transparency  of  the  public  procurement  system  needs  to  be  improved,  and  the  e-
procurement system needs to be overhauled. Professionalisation in public procurement must 
be ensured.  

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular:  

→  adopt and implement the new public procurement program including initial benchmarks, 
annual  targets,  responsibility  for  implementation  and  reporting  together  with  the 
required human and budgetary resources; 

→  take effective steps to reduce the volume of public procurement not subject to the Law 

on public procurement and the Regulation on small value procurement; 

→  align laws on concessions and public-private partnerships with the EU acquis. 

Institutional set-up and legal alignment 

The legislation on public procurement  is  largely  aligned with  the EU  acquis. Implementing 
legislation requires revision. The Ministry of Finance is preparing a new public procurement 
programme for 2023-2026. The new programme is expected to support further alignment of 
the public procurement legislation and practices with those in the EU. 

66 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The government adopted the Regulation on small value procurement in December 2022, with 
entry into force on 1 July 2023. The share of low-value procurement  is  very high  (close to 
50% of total  public procurement value), and it lacks  transparency. The Regulation  imposes 
the  obligation  on  contracting  authorities  to  carry  out  all  stages  of  most  low-value  public 
procurement through the State Registry of Public Procurement information system. 

In April 2023,  Parliament  approved  the  draft  Law  on  public-private  partnerships  in  first 
reading. The Public Procurement Agency suffers from a high turnover of staff, partially due 
to  working  conditions.  It  is  at  the  limits  of  its  capacity  to  carry  out  its  mandate  to  monitor 
public  procurement.  The  e-procurement  system’s  shortcomings  further  complicate  the 
situation.  

Implementation and enforcement capacity  

In 2022, the public procurement market amounted to 5.02% of the country’s GDP, up from 
3.49% in 2021. Public procurement experienced unprecedented growth in 2022: the volume 
of purchases increased by 62% compared with the previous year. Contracting authorities and 
entities  awarded  public  contracts  worth  MDL 13.68  billion  (approx.  EUR  700  million), 
MDL 5.24  billion  more  than  in  2021.  Public  procurement  remains  one  of  the  sectors  most 
vulnerable to fraud and corruption, as evidenced in audits and monitoring carried out by the 
responsible institutions, as well as investigations by the press and civil society. To curb this 
trend, the Regulation on small value procurement was adopted but was ultimately limited by 
the  increase  of  the  original  thresholds  at  the  request  of  the  Association  of  the  Local 
Authorities. Nevertheless, the Regulation on small value procurement strengthened reporting 
requirements for all procurements. 

In  2022,  153  public  procurement  procedures  were  monitored  by  the  Public  Procurement 
Agency,  on  a  sample  basis  with  a  focus  on  high  value  procedures  and  negotiation  without 
prior publication of a contract notice procedure. Detected findings from 53% of the carried-
out  procurement  procedures  were  completely  addressed,  corrected  or  clarified  by  the 
contracting authorities. 

Centralised government procurement is not very developed, and its practical use (mainly for 
medical supplies and equipment) is hampered by regulatory problems and the inadequate e-
procurement  system.  The e-procurement system  is  still not  fully developed, and it does not 
cover  all  types  of  procurement  procedures  nor  support  all  the  procurement  cycle  –  from 
planning to executing contracts.  

The country should improve the transparency of the procurement system, such as by allowing 
wider access to procurement documentation and especially procurement plans. Several civil 
society  organisations  have  an  interest  in  documenting  public  procurement  and  are  trying  to 
monitor  it  but  point  to  the  limited  access  to  data  and  occasional  ineffective  consultations. 
Audits  are  still  not  focused  enough  on  outcomes  and  performance,  and  recommendations 
need to be better followed up. 

The capacity to manage public procurement processes needs to be strengthened, notably 
by  certifying  public  procurement  officers  and  training  contracting  authorities.  Currently, 
public procurement is not carried out by dedicated professional administrative (sub-) units but 
by ‘working groups’ set up for a specific process and made up of officials  who have other 
tasks as part of their main job. 

Efficient remedy system 

67 

 
 
The  public  procurement  law  of  July  2015  (with  amendments)  established  a  National 
Complaint  Settlement  Agency  that  reports  to  Parliament.  In  2022,  1135  appeals  were 
submitted to the Agency. 

Chapter 18: Statistics 

EU  rules  require  that  Member  States  are  able  to  produce  statistics  based  on  professional 
independence, impartiality, reliability, transparency, and confidentiality. Common rules are  
provided for the methodology, production and dissemination of statistical information. 

Moldova  has  some  level  of  preparation  in  this  area.  The  country  made  limited  progress 
over  the  reporting  period  in  several  statistical  areas.  Further  alignment  of  sectoral  statistics 
with EU standards is needed, including  a better use of administrative sources. Adequacy of 
resources  and  relatively  small  employee  numbers  are  of  concern.  Data  transmissions  to 
Eurostat are limited. 

In the coming period, Moldova should in particular: 

→  conduct the population and housing census in 2024 and the pilot census in 2023; 

→  ensure  the  National  Bureau  of  Statistics  (NBS)  has  adequate  staffing  and  financial 

resources; 

→  increase production and transmission of timely and high-quality data to Eurostat 

The legal framework for statistical infrastructure, the Law on official statistics, is built on 
the  European  Statistics  Code  of  Practice  and  is  designed  to  be  aligned  with  the  EU 
Regulation  on  European  Statistics.  The  government  approved  the  development  strategy  for 
the  national  statistical  system  for  2023-2030  in  December  2022.  The  strategy  provides  for 
gradually implementing the EU acquis on statistics, strengthening the capacity of the national 
statistical system’s institutions and modernising the production and dissemination of official 
statistics. 

Further efforts are needed to  strengthen the institutional  capacity of the National  Bureau of 
Statistics in terms of staffing and financial resources. 

The  Law  on  official  statistics  was  amended  in  December  2022  to  improve  access  of  the 
National Bureau of Statistics to administrative and private data sources. The law also ensures 
secure access to individual data, including personal data from administrative data sources and 
private data sources for statistical purposes. Despite these positive developments, the Bureau 
should make additional efforts to access data from all institutions that are official producers 
of statistics. The quality of administrative data also needs to be improved. 

On classification and registers, Moldova has been implementing NACE Rev. 2 (Statistical 
classification  of  economic  activities  in  the  European  Community),  CPA  (Classification  of 
products  by  activity),  the  Combined  Nomenclature,  PRODCOM,  ,  GEONOM  (Country 
nomenclature  of  external  trade  statistics  and  statistics  of  trade  between  Member  States), 
ISCO-08 
ISCED  2011 
(International standard classification of education) with different degrees of compliance with 
the  EU  acquis.  The  country  has  a  statistical  business  register  and  a  statistical  register  of 
agricultural producers. The statistical population register is under development.  No regional 
breakdown  on  NUTS-equivalent  "Statistical  Regions"  has  been  agreed  for  Moldova  by 
Eurostat. 

(International  standard  classification  of  occupations)  and 

On macroeconomic statistics, quarterly GDP  is  calculated  at  current  prices  and at  average 
prices of the previous year. GDP is compiled using production and expenditures approaches. 

68 

 
 
National  accounts  are  compiled  according  to  the  UN  standard  of  National  Accounts  2008. 
Quarterly  sector  accounts  are  not  compiled.  Due  to  changes  to  NACE  Rev.  2,  supply/use 
tables  have  not  been  compiled  since  2014.  Regional  accounts  have  not  been  transmitted  to 
Eurostat.  Fiscal  notifications  for  the  excessive  deficit  procedure  are  not  produced.  In 
February  2023,  balance  sheets  for  financial  assets  and  liabilities  (stocks  of  financial 
instruments by sectors) were produced for the first time and compiled in line with Standard 
for  National  Accounts  2008.  Moldova  needs  to  start  submitting  national  accounts  data  to 
Eurostat. Very limited European System of National and Regional Accounts (ESA) 2010 data 
is transmitted to Eurostat. The institutional arrangements for producing Government Finance 
Statistics  need  to  be  carefully  reviewed  so  as  to  assure  statistical  independence  in  the 
determination  of  the  general  government  sector  and  its  operations.  The  National  Bureau  of 
Statistics  does  not  calculate  the  harmonised  index  of  consumer  prices  or  the  house  price 
index. 

The balance of payments framework follows the  International  Monetary  Fund’s Balance of 
Payments and International Investment Position Manual from 2009. 

On business statistics, the European Business Statistics Regulation is partially implemented, 
but no data have been transmitted to Eurostat. PRODCOM statistics are produced in line with 
the European Business Statistics Regulation. Structural business statistics are implemented in 
line with EU Regulation.  

On social statistics, the last housing and population census was conducted in 2014. Under the 
Law on population and housing census adopted in July 2022, the next census is scheduled for 
2024.  Demographic  statistical  data  were  transmitted  to  Eurostat,  but  improvements  are 
needed.  Moldova  needs  to  develop  statistics  in  the  area  of  asylum  and  managed  migration. 
Moldova has developed a roadmap to adapt EU-SILC concepts (survey on income and living 
conditions)  to  the  national  context.  The  structure  of  earnings  survey  has  not  been 
implemented  yet.  The  labour  cost  survey  is  conducted  annually,  but  quarterly  labour  cost 
indices  are  not  estimated.  Labour  statistics  are  not  transmitted  to  Eurostat.  For  the  gradual 
implementation  of  the  ESSPROS  (social  protection  statistics),  a  list  of  social  protection 
schemes was developed. The European health interview survey has not been carried out. 

In the area of agricultural statistics, the last agricultural census was conducted in 2011. The 
upcoming population and housing census methodology includes collecting data on the use of 
agricultural land and livestock by households working in agriculture.  

Structural  and  short-term  energy  statistics  are  produced.  The  NBS  regularly  provides 
Eurostat monthly oil statistics.  

Chapter 32: Financial control 

The  EU  promotes  the  reform  of  national  governance  systems  to  improve  managerial 
accountability, sound financial management of income and expenditure, and external audit 
of  public  funds.  The  financial  control  rules  further  protect  the  EU’s  financial  interests 
against fraud in the management of EU funds and the euro against counterfeiting. 

Moldova  is  at  an  early  stage  of  preparation  on  financial  control.  Some  progress  was 
achieved in the reporting period, notably the adoption and the start of implementation of the 
new  strategy  for  the  development  of  public  finance  management  for  2023-2030.  This 
programme  plans  further  developing  the  legislative  and  regulatory  basis  and  creating 
internal  audit  units  in  public  bodies.  The  ongoing  work  in  developing  this  area  is  in  line 
with  international  standards  and  EU  requirements.  Resources  dedicated  to  public  internal 
financial control should be strengthened. Attracting and retaining qualified internal auditors 

69 

 
 
remains  a  challenge.  The  supreme  audit  institution  has  improved  its  strategic  framework 
based  on  international  recommendations.  The  efficiency  of  parliamentary  oversight  of 
public funds management needs to improve. 

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular: 

 → implement the development strategy of the Court of Accounts; 

→ ratify the 1929 Geneva Convention on suppression of counterfeiting of currency; 

→ appoint an anti-fraud coordination body and develop an anti-fraud coordination network. 

Public internal financial control 

The  new  public  finance  management  development  strategy  continues  to  offer  the  strategic 
framework  for public internal  financial  control  reforms  and  contains  specific measures  for 
both internal control systems and internal audits. 

The  Law  on  internal  financial  control  and  the  Law  on  internal  audit  and  supplementary 
regulations set out the principles for organising internal financial controls and internal audits. 
The  national  internal  control  standards  are  based  on  the  model  of  the  Committee  of 
Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.  

Human  capacity  remains  the  biggest  challenge  for  internal  control  and  audit  units  as 
recognised  by  the  Public  Finance  Management  Reform  Strategy.  There  are  internal  audit 
units in most central government institutions, and new units have been set up in many public 
entities, covering around 98% of revenue and 95.1% of expenditure. Only 62% of posts are 
filled. Over 65% of the internal audit units in public authorities have just one internal auditor. 
Lower-level public bodies do not have internal audit units. Staffing issues in the internal audit 
units are linked to the difficulty in attracting qualified personnel and the current level of civil 
servants’ pay. The quality of internal audits is assessed based on an annual plan. Most public 
bodies have developed a quality assurance and improvement programme but implementation 
of these programmes is hampered by a lack of supervision. 

Related to managerial accountability, efficient implementation of managerial accountability 
remains  a  challenge  for  budget  users  at  central  and  local  level.  Public  bodies  report  to  the 
central harmonisation unit on implementation of the internal control and audit measures. The 
unit  prepares  a  consolidated  annual  report  and  presents  it  to  the  government  for  approval. 
Although staff was increased in the reporting period additional resources are required  

The  capacity  of  the  central  harmonisation  unit  for  public  internal  financial  control 
strengthened during the reporting period, but the unit requires further staff.  

The role of Public Internal Financial Control to combat corruption needs to be strengthened, 
as well as its cooperation with State Audit Institutions. The mechanism for monitoring cases 
which are investigated because of internal audit should be strengthened. The State Financial 
Inspectorate, reporting to the Ministry of Finance, has a major financial inspection role. It has 
more resources and power than internal audit bodies as it has the power to issue penalties. 

External audit 

In  terms  of  constitutional  and  legal  framework,  the  Court  of  Accounts  is  included  in  the 
Constitution, and the applicable law is reasonably well developed. However, some provisions 
of the law are undermining key parts of the Court’s organisational, functional, and financial 
independence.  The  President’s  mandate  is  relatively  short,  which  could  affect  their 
independence. The duration of the mandate should be analysed, to increase the independence 
of the Court. 

70 

 
 
On  institutional  capacity,  the  Court  has  a  broad  mandate  to  audit  all  public  bodies  and 
resources.  Parliament  can  ask  the  Court  to  carry  out  other  tasks,  which  limits  the  Court’s 
control  of  its  own  resources  and  work  programme.  The  Court  has  a  new  development 
strategy,  accompanied  with  annual  action  plans  based  on  an  EU  financed  peer  review 
assessment, but lacks administrative capacity.  

Protection of the EU’s financial interests 

Legislation  is  not  aligned  with  EU  acquis.  Cooperation  in  investigations  between  the 
European  Anti-Fraud  Office  and  the  relevant  national  authorities  takes  place  on  a  case-by-
case basis. The National Anticorruption Center has been nominated as main focal point and it 
has  provided  good  assistance  to  OLAF  in  the  context  of  investigative  cooperation,  but  it is 
not yet officially recognised as an anti-fraud coordination service. 

Protection of the euro against counterfeiting 

Moldova has yet to ratify the 1929 Geneva Convention for the suppression of counterfeiting 
of  currency.  Moldova  is  partially  aligned  with  EU  law  on  the  definition  of  counterfeiting 
banknotes  and  coins,  and  with  the  procedures  for  gathering,  storing  and  withdrawing 
counterfeit  currency  from  circulation.  Technical  analysis  and  classification  of  counterfeit 
currency (both national and foreign) is currently done by the Forensic and Judicial Expertise 
Centre of the General Police Inspectorate (GPI).  The NBM includes information on detected 
counterfeiting in its annual report. Reportedly, the volume of detected counterfeit banknotes 
of national currency in  relation to the total volume in circulation remained low in 2021, no 
cases of detected counterfeit euro banknotes were reported.  

3.  GOOD NEIGHBOURLY RELATIONS AND REGIONAL COOPERATION 

Moldova  maintains  good  dialogue  and  actively  participates  in  various  regional  cooperation 
platforms.  These  include  the  Central  European  Initiative  (CEI),  the  Black  Sea  Economic 
Cooperation  Organization  (BSEC),  the  Organization  for  Democracy  and  Economic 
Development  (GUAM),  the  Southeast  European  Cooperation  Process  (SEECP)  and  the 
Regional Cooperation Council (RCC). The country also contributes to Central European Free 
Trade  Agreement  (CEFTA).  Moldova  chaired  the  GUAM  in  2022  and  the  BSEC  in  the 
second half of 2022 and assumed the Presidency of the CEI in January 2023. 

Moldova remains committed to the format of the Eastern Partnership.  

Moldova  remains  overall  committed  to  maintaining  good  bilateral  relations  with  other 
enlargement  countries  in  the  region  and  with  neighbouring  EU  Member  States.  Following 
Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine,  Moldova  stepped  up  cooperation  with  Ukraine 
and Romania in the areas of humanitarian support to displaced persons from Ukraine, energy 
security, transport and connectivity. 

The first informal ministerial meeting of the three countries took place in Odesa in September 
2022.  The  countries  signed  a  trilateral  agreement  on  cooperation  in  the  field  of  energy.  A 
second  meeting  was  held  in  Bucharest  in  April  2023,  adopting  a  joint  statement  by  the 
foreign  and  defence  ministers  in  support  of  Ukraine’s  peace  formula,  EU  enlargement  and 
improved cooperation with NATO. 

Bilateral cooperation with Romania intensified during the reporting period. An exceptionally 
high number of official visits and contacts took place, including at the highest political level. 
Both countries maintain good sectoral cooperation that focuses on identifying mid- and long-
trans-border  cooperation  and  continued 
term  solutions 

infrastructure, 

for  energy, 

71 

 
 
 
implementation of the common goals. Chişinău and Bucharest engaged in various projects to 
strengthen the interconnection of their energy and transport infrastructure, including through 
the  construction  of  a  new  high-voltage  electricity  connection  between  Bălți  (Moldova)  and 
Suceava (Romania). The two countries concluded a joint action plan on cross-border traffic at 
common border crossing points. In February 2023, they signed an agreement on coordinated 
controls at state border crossing points. 

Bilateral  cooperation  with  Ukraine  continued  to  improve  during  the  reporting  period. 
Moldova  has  shown  solidarity  with  Ukraine  since  the  start  of  Russia’s  war  of  aggression, 
voted in  favour of the relevant  UN General  Assembly resolutions,  and aligned itself with  a 
number  of  political  statements  in  international  organisations  that  condemn  the  military 
aggression.  The  country  hosted  and  supported  a  large  number  of  refugees  (of  which  about 
100  000  are  still  in  the  country)  and  actively  supported  the  export  of  Ukrainian  products 
under the Solidarity Lanes initiative. The President of Moldova paid several official visits to 
Ukraine  during  the  reporting  period,  including  attending  the  anniversary  of  the  Bucha 
massacre  in  March  2023.  Moldova’s  Parliament  adopted  a  declaration  recognising  the 
Holodomor of 1932-1933 as a genocide in November 2022.In the aftermath of the Kakhovka 
dam destruction, the Government of Moldova offered bilateral in-kind assistance to Ukraine. 
The two countries, however, continue facing difficulties in cooperating on the management of 
the Nistru River’s water resources. 

Moldova  continues  to  maintain  an  active  political  dialogue  with  Georgia,  an  ‘Associated 
Trio’ country. A number of high-level visits have been undertaken by officials from Chisinau 
and  Tbilisi.  Relations  between  the  two  are  based  on  mutual  support  for  each  other’s 
sovereignty and territorial  integrity with  both  promoting similar approaches in  regional and 
international platforms.   

Moldova  maintains  good  relations  with  the  Western  Balkan  partners.  It  is  interested  in 
further  deepening  these  relations  and  using  as  example  the  pre-accession  experience  of  the 
Western Balkans in order to advance on the EU path During the reporting period, President 
Sandu met with the Prime Minister of Montenegro, Dritan Abazovic, where both agreed to 
speed up signing the Agreement on Education, Science and Innovation. Bilateral cooperation 
with Serbia is  being  actively  developed.  Political  dialogue  is  ongoing  between  the  two 
countries, including  in  bilateral  and multilateral  formats.  Amid  concerns of alleged Russian 
attempts  of  violently  overthrowing  the  government  by  using  third  country  nationals,  in 
February 2023 Moldova barred football fans from Serbia and Montenegro from entering the 
country and attending a football match. This created some tensions with both countries, who 
requested clarifications from Chisinau.   
While  Moldova  does  not  recognise  Kosovo*,  ahead  of  the  European  Political  Community 
Summit  on  1  June  2023,  Moldovan  Parliament  amended  the  law  on  visitors  from  third 
countries  who  are  required/exempted  to  have  a  visa  when  crossing  the  state  border  of 
Moldova. The amended law allows Kosovo representatives to obtain visas for participation in 
international meetings held in Moldova. 

During the reporting period, Moldova marked 30 years of diplomatic relations with Türkiye. 
The  two  countries  maintain  regular  and  friendly  high-level  exchanges.  The  Speaker  of  the 

* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244(1999) and the ICJ Opinion on 

the Kosovo declaration of independence. 

72 

 
 
 
 
Grand National Assembly of Türkiye visited Moldova, while Moldova’s Minister of Foreign 
Affairs and European Integration met his counterpart in Türkiye. At these meetings, issues of 
common interest were high on the agenda, including trade, energy, security, and cooperation 
in the Black Sea region. During the reporting period, Türkiye was the fourth largest importer 
of Moldovan goods, corresponding to 7.5% of all Moldovan exports. 

Following the devastating earthquakes in February 2023 and on Türkiye’s request, Moldova 
delivered in-kind assistance and a team of rescuers, emergency vehicles and search dogs. It 
also participated in the International Donors’’ Conference ‘Together for the people in Türkiye 
and  Syria’’  where  Moldova  pledged  to  donate  MDL 8.2  million  (approx.  EUR 400 000)  in 
humanitarian aid.  

4.  ABILITY TO ASSUME THE OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERSHIP 

CLUSTER 2: INTERNAL MARKET 

This cluster covers: free movement of goods (Chapter 1); freedom of movement for workers 
(Chapter  2);  right  of  establishment  and  freedom  to  provide  services  (Chapter  3);  free 
movement  of  capital  (Chapter  4);  company  law  (Chapter  6);  intellectual  property  law 
(Chapter 7); competition policy (Chapter 8); financial services (Chapter 9); and consumer and 
health  protection  (Chapter  28).  This  cluster  is  key  for  Moldova’s  preparations  for  the 
requirements of the EU’s internal market.  

Moldova is in the early stages of preparation for freedom of movement for workers where it 
achieved  limited  progress.    For  company  law  Moldova  is  in  between  early  stage  and  some 
level  of  preparations  and  has  achieved  limited  progress.  For  free  movement  of  capital 
Moldova is in between some to moderate level of preparation with some progress achieved. 
In  all  remaining  areas  under  this  cluster,  namely,  free  movement  of  goods,  right  of 
establishment  and  freedom  to  provide  services,  free  movement  of  capital,  intellectual 
property  law,  competition  policy  and  consumer  and  health  protection,  some  level  of 
preparation has been noted. Limited to some progress has been achieved during the reporting 
period in these areas, apart from financial services where good progress has been made.  

Chapter 1: Free movement of goods   

The free movement of goods ensures that many products can be traded freely across the EU 
based on common rules and procedures. Where products are governed by national rules, the 
principle of the free movement of goods prevents these creating unjustified barriers to trade. 

Moldova has some level of preparation in the area of the free movement of goods. Limited 
progress  was  made  to  align  with  EU  standards  through  the  mechanism which  provides  for 
the adoption of EU standards within 6 months of their publication in the Official Journal of 
the EU.  

In the coming year, the country should in particular: 

→  screen legislation and administrative practices in the non-harmonised areas and prepare a 
strategy to ensure compliance with Articles 34-36 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the 
European Union (TFEU) and Court of Justice of the European Union case law; 

→  align legislation for vehicle emissions; 

→  strengthen administrative capacity to implement and enforce the EU acquis, especially in 
the  sectors  for  which  it  seeks  to  sign  an  Agreement  on  Conformity  Assessment  and 
Acceptance of Industrial Products (ACAA) with the EU. 

73 

 
 
General principles 

Some parts of the general principles of the legislative and institutional framework for the free 
movement of goods are in place due to the AA/DCFTA. This includes alignment with the EU 
acquis on general product safety, standardisation, accreditation and conformity assessments; 
however, legislation is still not aligned with the latest EU acquis on market surveillance. 

In 2022, Moldova initiated the process for an ACAA with the EU in two product sectors: (i) 
low  voltage  devices;  and  (ii)  electromagnetic  compatibility.  Parliament  has  adopted 
legislation  designed  to  be  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis  in  these  two  sectors,  although  the 
relevant  national  authorities,  including  conformity  assessment  authorities,  need  to  increase 
their administrative capacity. 

The  Ministry  of  Economic  Development  and  Digitalisation  imposed  the  obligation  to  use 
portable  video  surveillance  systems  during  controls  conducted  by  the  state  inspectorate  for 
non-food products surveillance and consumer protection, in order to increase the transparency 
and efficiency of the institution and reduce corruption. 

Non-harmonised area 

Moldova has not yet taken any steps to ensure that its legislation and administrative practices 
are in line with Articles 34-36 TFEU and relevant CJEU case law. It should start this work 
as  in  several  areas  it  will  need  to  examine  the  details  and  decide  whether  to  repeal  the 
relevant laws or practices, amend them, or insert mutual recognition clauses. 

Harmonised area: quality infrastructure 

in  Guide  22  of 

The  Institute  for  Standardisation  of  the  Republic  of  Moldova  fulfils  95.66%  of  the 
requirements 
the  European  Standardisation  Committee/European 
Electrotechnical Committee for Standardisation CEN/CENELEC. On 24 November 2022, the 
Institute  received  affiliation  status  with  CEN/CENELEC,  which  entered  into  force  on 
1 January 2023.  100%  of  CEN/CENELEC 
standards  and  82.63%  of  European 
Telecommunications  Standards  Institute  (ETSI)  standards  have  been  adopted  as  Moldovan 
standards. A total of 10 264 conflicting national standards were withdrawn in 2015-2022, and 
work in this area continues. 

The National Metrology Institute has been an associate member of the European Cooperation 
in Legal Metrology (WELMEC) since 2017 and a full member of the European Association 
of National Metrology Institutes (EURAMET) since 2019. 

The National Accreditation Center of the Republic of Moldova, MOLDAC, is a signatory to 
the  European  Cooperation  for  Accreditation  Members  Multilateral  Agreement  (EA-MLA) 
and is therefore periodically assessed for continued compliance with the criteria set out in the 
reference  standard  for  accreditation  bodies  and  to  maintain  EA-MLA  signatory  status. 
Between 20 and 24 February 2023, MOLDAC was subject to a periodic re-evaluation which 
confirmed  that  MOLDAC  operates  in  line  with  the  requirements  laid  down  in  the  relevant 
reference standard and EU acquis and the requirements for European accreditation bodies. 

In  2022,  the  Agency  for  Consumer  Protection  and  Market  Surveillance,  was  reorganised 
and  became  the  State  Inspectorate  for  Non-food  Products  Surveillance  and  Consumer 
Protection (ISSPNPC) 

Harmonised area: sectoral legislation 

In  the  area  of  ‘new  and  global  approach’  product  legislation,  while  national  legislation 
designed to be aligned with the EU acquis is in place on machinery, lifts, cableways, personal 
protective  equipment,  electromagnetic  compatibility,  low  voltage,  radio  and  telecom 
74 

 
 
equipment,  gas  appliances,  explosive  atmospheres,  pressure  equipment,  full  alignment  was 
not  achieved  in  the  reporting  period.  Further  effort  is  needed  to  ensure  alignment  with  the 
remaining  ‘new  and  global  approach’  EU  acquis,  including  outdoor  equipment  noise 
emissions, energy labelling, construction products and recreational craft. 

On  national  legislation  under  the  ‘old  approach’  product  legislation,  Moldova  is  not 
aligned with EU type approval  acquis on motor vehicles, 2/3 wheeled vehicles, agricultural 
tractors or non-road machinery emissions. There has been no progress on aligning with and 
implementing the EU Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction 
of  Chemicals  (REACH),  or  the  legislation  on  the  classification,  labelling  and  packaging  of 
substances and mixtures, good laboratory practice, and fertilisers and detergents.  

National  legislation  and  the  national  list  of  controlled  substances  are  designed  to  be  fully 
aligned  with  the  EU  acquis  on  drug  precursors.  On  procedural  measures,  national 
legislation is not aligned with the EU acquis on firearms, crystal glass, defence procurement, 
medicinal products pricing and  cultural objects. It is partly aligned with the EU  acquis on 
footwear and textile labelling. 

Chapter 2: Freedom of movement for workers 

Citizens of one Member State have the right to work in another Member State and must be 
given the same working and social conditions as other workers. 

Moldova is at an early stage of preparation in the area of freedom of movement of workers. 
Limited progress was made during the reporting period, amending legislation on the regime 
of foreigners and bilateral agreements on social security systems were signed or entered into 
force.  The  country  will  need  to  align  its  legislation  with  the  EU  acquis,  including  its 
interpretation of the Court of Justice of the European Union case law. 

In the coming period, the country should in particular: 

→  work on concluding additional agreements on social security coordination, notably with 

EU Member States; 

→  undertake  the  preparatory  work  for  joining  the  European  Network  of  Employment 

Services (EURES) upon accession. 

In  the  reporting  period  Moldova  made  limited  progress  in  aligning  its  national  legislation 
with  the  EU  acquis.  The  law  on  the  regime  of  foreigners  was  amended  to  facilitate  the 
process  for  EU  citizens  to  obtain  the  right  of  temporary  residence.  Professional  sellers, 
contracted  service  providers  and  independent  professionals  from  EU  Member  States  are 
permitted  to  carry  out  activities  without  a  temporary  residence  permit.  In  July  2023,  the 
Parliament  adopted  in  first  reading  a  further  amendment  of  the  law  on  the  regime  of 
foreigners,  that  would  allow  EU  citizens  (and  a  number  of  other  countries)  to  work  in 
Moldova without a work permit.  Third-country nationals  are required to  obtain the right of 
temporary residence from the competent authority to carry out any activity. EU citizens still 
have no access to posts in public administration bodies. 

A  total  of  2  918  residence  permits  for  work  were  issued  between  1 June 2022  and 
17 March 2023; 435 of these were issued to EU citizens. 

Moldova has not completed the preparatory work needed to access the European Network of 
Employment Services (EURES). 

75 

 
 
Moldova does not have an occupational pension scheme (voluntary private pension schemes 
supplement public pensions). EU rules on supplementary pension rights of mobile workers 
are not incorporated into Moldovan law. 

No  national  health  insurance  card  exists  due  to  the  absence  of  an  integrated  health 
information  system.  The  implementation  of  the  European  Health  Insurance  Card  might 
therefore be challenging. 

New agreements for the bilateral coordination of social security systems were concluded in 
2022. Moldova and Spain signed a social security agreement in July 2022. In January 2023, 
the Agreement on Social Security between Moldova and Greece, signed in September 2021, 
entered into force. Signature of agreements with other Member States should be stepped up. 

Chapter 3: Right of establishment and freedom to provide services   

EU natural and legal persons have the right to establish themselves in any Member State and 
to provide cross-border services. For certain regulated professions, there are rules on mutual 
recognition of qualifications. EU rules on postal  services focus on improving the quality of 
universal  service,  gradual  market  opening  to  competition,  and  the  establishment  of  an 
independent regulator. 

Moldova has achieved some level of preparation in the area of the right of establishment 
and  freedom  to  provide  services.  Limited  progress  was  made  in  this  area  during  the 
reporting period. The legal framework needs to be brought in line with the requirements of 
the  EU  Services  Directive  and  the  EU  Directive  on  the  recognition  of  professional 
qualifications. This needs to be complemented with non-legislative measures and structural 
reforms, such as setting up electronic platforms and procedures, and building administrative 
capacity. The legislation on postal services is compliant with relevant directives, and bylaws 
have been adopted. The regulation on cross-border parcel delivery services still needs to be 
adopted.  

In the coming year Moldova should:  

→  bring  its  legal  framework  in  line  with  the  requirements  of  the  Directive  on  the 
recognition  of  professional  qualifications, 
including  Directive  2005/36/EC  on 
recognition  of  professional  qualifications  and  Directive  2018/958  on  a  proportionality 
test before adoption of new regulation of professions; 

→  continue aligning its legislation with the Services Directive; 

→  update the AA/DCFTA annex on rules applicable to postal and courier services. 

Regulatory reforms have helped bring Moldova’s legal framework in line with the Directive 
2006/123/EC on services in the internal market, however more progress is needed to ensure 
full compliance. Further alignment of sectoral legislation with the Services Directive is also 
needed. There are no barriers to the right of establishment by foreign people and companies, 
and there is a single contact point for companies in operation. 

Moldova is currently compliant with the requirements of all three postal services directives 
and  fully  opened  its  postal  market  to  competition  in  2021.  Bylaws  supporting  market 
liberalisation  have  been  adopted  and  an  independent  national  regulatory  authority  has  been 
established with staff dedicated to postal services. The designated state-owned postal service 
operator complies with the quality requirements established by the national regulator. There 
are  15  other  postal  operators  providing  services  related  to  parcels,  letters  and  express 
shipments  in  the  market.  Preparations  are  ongoing  in  the  framework  of  the  EU-Moldova 
AA/DCFTA process  to  update the Annex on rules  applicable to  postal  and courier services 
76 

 
 
with  the  EU  Regulation  on  cross-border  parcel  delivery  services,  which  still  needs  to  be 
implemented. 

Moldova has not yet harmonised its legislation with the EU Directive on the recognition of 
professional  qualifications  (2005/36/EC).  Further  assessment  of  the  training  curricula  for 
professions  falling  under  the  automatic  recognition  system  is  required  to  ensure  that 
minimum training requirements are respected. 

Chapter 4: Free movement of capital  

In the EU, capital and investments must be able to move without restrictions, with common 
rules for cross-border payments. Banks and other economic operators apply certain rules to 
support the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing.  

Moldova  is  in  between  some  and  moderate  level  of  preparation  in  this  area.  Some 
progress  was  made  following  the  adoption  of  new  legislation  aiming  to  align  national 
legislation  with  the  5th  Anti-Money  Laundering  Directive.  There  are  still  outstanding 
Moneyval recommendations to be implemented. National legislation was also aligned with 
the  EU  Payment  Services  Directive  2.  Moldova  is  also  preparing  to  apply  for  the  Single 
Euro Payments Area (SEPA). 

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular: 

→  align  its  rules  with  the  EU  Regulation  on  Interchange  Fees  for  card-based  payment 
transactions,  and  advance  preparations  to  apply  for  the  Single  Euro  Payments  Area  in 
line with the criteria of the European Payments Council;  

→  strengthen  the  institutional  capacity  of  the  Office  for  Prevention  and  Combating  of 

Money Laundering in the Financial Intelligence Unit; 

→  implement  the  outstanding  Moneyval  recommendations,  including  on  anti-money 

laundering.  

The  movement  of  capital  has  been  gradually  liberalised  based  on  the  AA/DCFTA,  and  the 
country has progressively aligned its rules with the EU acquis. On capital movements and 
payments,  Moldova  is  steadily  liberalising  capital  outflows  (certain  restrictions  remain). 
Some  larger  capital  foreign  exchange  operations  are  subject  to  prior  notification  or 
authorisation by the National Bank of Moldova. There are also differences between the rules 
on payments and transfers for residents and non-residents. Non-residents  and residents who 
live abroad can make direct investments without authorisation. Foreign investors can acquire 
real estate property rights (except for agricultural and forest land) to carry out entrepreneurial 
activities.  A  countrywide  system  for  land  registration  is  in  place,  and  anyone  with  a 
legitimate reason can obtain information from the real estate register. 

Interchange fees for card-based payments are still exceptionally high. On alignment with the 
EU acquis on payment systems, national legislation is expected to be harmonised with the 
EU Payment Services Directive 2 when the last amendments to the national law on payment 
services  and  electronic  money  enter  into  force  in  mid-2024.  Moldova  is  preparing  to  apply 
for the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA). The Central Bank together with other authorities 
started  a  dialogue  with  the  European  Payments  Council  on  the  admission  criteria  and  next 
steps towards its potential accession, benefiting from technical assistance from the Dutch and 
Romanian central banks. 

Moldova  continues  to  align  its  legislation  and  institutional  framework  on  anti-money 
laundering  with  the  EU  acquis.  Moldova  adopted  a  law  to  align  with  the  5th  Anti-Money 
the 
laundering 
Laundering  Directive.  Anti-money 
77 

legislation  partially  addresses 

 
 
recommendations  of  the  Financial  Action  Task  Force  and  relevant  international  legislation. 
There  are  still  outstanding  Moneyval  recommendations  to  be  implemented.  A  total  of  449 
suspicious  transaction  reports  and  252  suspicious  activity  reports  were  reported  in  the 
reporting  period.  Moldova  has  adopted  a  national  anti-money  laundering/countering  the 
financing  of  terrorism  strategy  for  2020-2025,  and  will  update  its  national  risk  assessment, 
develop an accompanying action plan and publish the results. The Office for Prevention and 
Combating  Money  Laundering  is  under  the  Office  of  the  Prime  Minister  but  is  struggling 
with institutional capacity and resources.  

Chapter 6: Company law  

The  EU  has  common  rules  on  the  formation,  registration  and  disclosure requirements  of  a 
company,  with  complementary  rules  for  accounting  and  financial  reporting,  and  statutory 
audit. 

Moldova  is in between early stage and some level of preparation in the area of company 
law.  Limited  progress  was  made  during  the  reporting  period,  by  amending  national 
legislation to align with EU legislation on corporate remuneration policy. 

In the coming year Moldova should in particular:  

→  strengthen the administrative capacity of the Public Service Agency; 

→  advance  alignment  with  the  EU  acquis  on  financial  reporting  and  audit,  takeovers, 
single-member companies’ provisions, shareholder rights, including the encouragement 
of long-term shareholder engagement, and on disclosure of company information; 

→  take  further  steps  to  improve  the  capacity  and  independence  of  the  audit  oversight 

systems. 

In the area of company law and corporate governance, state registration of legal bodies and 
individual entrepreneurs is carried out by the Public Services Agency, although it continues 
to struggle with its limited administrative capacity. Moldova amended its national legislation 
to  align  with  acquis  provisions  on  shareholder  rights  regarding  disclosure  of  remuneration 
policy and the remuneration report. Moldova needs to align with the  acquis on digital tools 
and  processes,  and  cross-border  operations  (mergers,  divisions,  conversions).  National 
legislation  requires  further  harmonisation  with  the  acquis  on  takeovers,  single-member 
companies, provisions related to the disclosure of private limited liability companies, and the 
more  recent  acquis  covering  shareholder  rights,  including  the  encouragement  of  long-term 
shareholder engagement, and the 2022 Directive on gender equality on boards of directors. 

On  company  reporting,  Moldova  has  achieved  some  alignment  with  the  EU  acquis  on 
annual  and  consolidated  financial  statements  and  related  reports,  and  the  application  of 
international  accounting  standards.  Further  alignment  is  needed  including  the  criteria  to 
determine  company  size-categories  and  to  clearly  set  out  the  fine  amounts  for  breaches  of 
financial  reporting  requirements.  There  is  some  harmonisation  with  the  acquis  on 
transparency  requirements  for  listed  companies,  including  sanctions  for  non-disclosure  of 
information on the capital market. On statutory audit, although national legislation is partly 
aligned with the EU acquis in this area, there are still major gaps in the rules governing the 
institutional set-up to ensure an independent system of oversight, investigations and penalties, 
with the appropriate level of administrative and financial resources. 

Chapter 7: Intellectual property law  

The  EU  has  harmonised  rules  for  the legal  protection  of  intellectual  property  rights  (IPR), 
copyright and related rights. Rules for the legal protection of IPR cover, for instance, patents 
78 

 
 
and  trade  marks,  designs,  biotechnological  inventions  and  pharmaceuticals.  Rules  for  the 
legal protection of copyright and related rights cover, for instance, books, films, software and 
broadcasting. 

Moldova has some level of preparation in the area of intellectual property rights. Limited 
progress  was  made  during  the  reporting  period.  The  State  Agency  on  Intellectual  Property 
(AGEPI)  improved  cooperation  with  the  European  Union  Intellectual  Property  Office  and 
continued to transpose the EU acquis.  

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular: 

→  draft legislation to fight counterfeiting and piracy; 

→  improve collective rights management to safeguard appropriate royalty payments; 

→  increase the administrative and institutional capacity of AGEPI and take advantage of the 
collaboration with the European Union Intellectual Property Office to improve legislative 
and enforcement alignment. 

On 25 April 2023 the State Agency on  Intellectual  Property signed  an action plan with  the 
European Union Intellectual Property Office which envisages cooperation in several sectors. 
The administrative capacity of the Agency needs to increase. 

The law on  copyright and related rights, broadly  aligned with  EU law  on copyright, was 
amended to further align it with the EU acquis and entered into force on 9 October 2022. This 
law  aligns  legislation  with  several  EU  directives.  The  government’s  2023  action  plan 
provides for the adoption of further amendments to the law to  align with the EU  acquis on 
orphan works. Moldova still faces challenges in the implementation of an effective collective 
rights  management  system,  notably  with  regards  to  the  transparency,  accountability, 
collection, and distribution of monies. 

In  terms  of  industrial  property  rights,  the  law  on  the  protection  of  patents  was  amended, 
entering  into force in  June 2023. The Law on the protection of industrial  designs is  largely 
aligned with Directive on the legal protection of designs. 

The  legal  framework  is  largely  aligned  with  the  EU  Directive  on  the  enforcement  of 
intellectual  property  rights,  but  there  is  no  policy  document  dedicated  to  the  fight  against 
counterfeiting  and piracy. There are no specialised courts dealing with  intellectual property 
law  cases.  The  number  of  counterfeit  products  identified  rose  sharply  from  27 803  units  in 
2021 to 99 758 units in 2022.  

Chapter 8: Competition policy  

EU rules protect free competition. They include antitrust rules against restrictive agreements 
between  companies  and  abuse  of  dominant  position,  and  include  rules  on  concentrations 
between companies which would significantly impede effective competition. EU rules also set 
out  a  system  of  State  aid  control.  Governments  are  only  allowed  to  grant  State  aid  if 
restrictive conditions are met, with a view to preventing distortion of competition. 

Moldova has some level of preparation in the area of competition policy.  Limited progress 
was  made  during  the  reporting  period.  In  April  2023,  the  Law  on  competition  was  amended. 
The Competition  Council is  understaffed and continues  to  face  constraints in  terms  of human 
resources and its capacity to conduct investigations and monitor implementation of legislation.  

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular: 

→  align the legislative framework with the acquis on antitrust, mergers and State aid; 

79 

 
 
→  increase the transparency of State aid granted by the government and further align State aid 

schemes in place with the EU acquis, including those applied in free economic zones; 

→  strengthen the administrative and institutional capacity of the Competition Council. 

Antitrust and mergers 

On the legislative framework, Moldova’s legislation is broadly aligned with the EU acquis 
on  antitrust  and  merger  control.  The  new  Competition  law,  adopted  in  July  2023  largely 
mirrors  the  provisions  of  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union  (TFEU)  on 
restrictive  agreements  and  on  abuse  of  dominant  position.  It  also  provides  for  ex-ante 
monitoring  of  the  effects  on  competition  of  mergers  above  certain  turnover  thresholds, 
largely  in  line  with  the  principles  of  the  EU  Merger  Regulation.  Implementing  legislation 
provides  further  rules,  which  broadly  aim  to  follow  the  EU  acquis.  However,  further 
alignment is needed with EU competition policy, especially with regards to the dismissal of 
the members of the Board of the Competition Council and the level of the fines which can be 
imposed. 

As  regards  the  institutional  framework,  the  Competition  Council  is  an  independent  body 
with  exclusive  competencies  in  competition  policy.  It  is  accountable  to  the  Parliament  and 
financed by the State budget. It is a collegial body of five members, appointed for a five-year 
term by the Parliament. 

On  enforcement  capacity,  the  Competition  Council’s  institutional  capacity  needs  to  be 
further strengthened to ensure legislation is enforced. 

On  implementation,  the  Competition  Council  increased  its  activities.  The  number  of 
investigations which led to a finding of a violation of the provisions of the competition law 
remained constant (10 investigations).  

State aid 

Regarding the legislative framework, the Law on State aid is broadly aligned with Articles 
107  and  108  TFEU.  EU  State  aid  guidelines,  regulations  and  communications  are  partially 
aligned.  However,  certain  existing  State  aid  schemes  still  need  to  be  aligned  with  the  EU 
acquis,  including  those  regarding  free  economic  zones.  Moreover,  aid  to  repair  damage 
caused by natural disasters or exceptional occurrences is considered compatible without the 
need for prior notification. This is not in line with EU law, which requires such measures to 
be notified. 

Regarding  the  institutional  framework,  the  Competition  Council  also  ensures  consistent 
implementation  of  State  aid  law.  The  Competition  Council  is  empowered  to  screen  and 
authorise State aid measures and can order the recovery of State aid that has been unlawfully 
granted.  It  publishes  reports on aid  granted on its website and runs the automated State aid 
register information system, where measures are reported annually by grantors. 

As  regards  enforcement  capacity,  the  Competition  Council  is  understaffed  (only  9  of  25 
posts are occupied due to low salaries). Its administrative capacity needs to be strengthened 
with additional staff and relevant training. 

On  implementation,  there  were  two  decisions  adopted  in  the  reporting  period  on  State  aid 
related to illegal aid given by local authorities to local companies. The AA requires Moldova 
to  align  its  general  State  aid  schemes  with  the  EU  acquis  by  2022  and  those  covering  free 
economic  zones  by  2024.  A  total  of  158  of  the  173  State  aid  schemes  covered  by  the 
commitments  under  the  Moldova-EU  AA  were  aligned  by  31 December 2022.  Moldova 
needs to make progress with respect to the remaining schemes. 

80 

 
 
Liberalisation 

The Competition law and the Law on State aid law apply to public companies and companies 
with special or exclusive rights. The Law on State aid law provides that companies entrusted 
with  the  performance  of  services  of  general  economic  interest  will  be  considered  when 
assessing the compatibility of the State aid granted to perform such services. 

Chapter 9: Financial services   

EU  rules  aim  to  ensure  fair  competition  among,  and  the  stability  of,  financial  institutions, 
namely  banking,  insurance,  supplementary  pensions,  investment  services  and  securities 
markets. They include rules on authorisation, operation and supervision of these institutions. 

Moldova  has  some  level  of  preparation  in  the  area  of  financial  services.  It  made  good 
progress by partially aligning legislation with the EU’s Solvency II Insurance Directive and 
the  Motor  Insurance  Directive.  The  country  should  make  further  efforts  to  align  with  the 
financial  services  acquis,  focusing  on  the  priorities  identified  based  on  the  current  state  of 
play. 

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular: 

→  implement  the  outstanding  legislation  on  financial  sector  supervision  that  transfers  the 
supervisory  role  over  the  insurance  sector,  non-bank  financial  institutions,  savings  and 
credit associations and credit history bureaux to the National Bank of Moldova; 

→  continue efforts in alignment with the EU acquis related to the regulation of banking and 
insurance sectors (including bank resolution and bank deposits guarantee schemes) and to 
the regulation of securities markets, investment funds and investment services. 

On banks and financial conglomerates, the National Bank continues the development of the 
banking  sector  prudential  regulatory  and  supervisory  framework,  which  is  based  on  the 
current EU Capital Requirements Regulation and Directive. 

Although Moldova has introduced rules for investment firms governing capital adequacy, the 
requirements  related to  risk  are not  in  place. Efforts are under way to  close the gaps in  the 
macroprudential  framework,  including  by  amending  the  Law  of  the  National  Bank  of 
Moldova to give the Bank an explicit legal mandate for financial stability.  

To strengthen financial stability, starting from 1 July 2023, the NBM took over some of the 
supervisory responsibilities for non-bank financial institutions and insurance companies from 
the National Committee for Financial Markets. However, the NBM needs to ensure that it is 
adequately staffed and prepared to carry out these additional responsibilities. 

The current Deposit Guarantee Scheme protects  depositors from loss on insured deposits in 
case  of  a  bank  failure.  It  covers  up  to  MDL 50 000  (around  EUR 2 500),  far  below  the 
coverage  of  up  to  EUR 100 000  per  depositor  and  bank  prescribed  by  EU  law.  The 
Parliament has adopted in April 2023 in first reading legislation aiming to partially align with 
the  EU  Directive  on  deposit  guarantee  schemes.  This  will  increase  the  maximum  insured 
deposit value to MDL 200 000. 

Moldova has a recovery and resolution framework with similar tools, resolution powers and 
safeguards to those under the EU’s Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive. The framework 
is based on the ‘no creditor worse off’ principle. Moldova has established a resolution fund 
financed  with  annual  contributions  from  the  banks.  The  target  level  for  the  resolution  fund 
has been set at 3% of guaranteed deposits, which needs to be achieved by the end of 2024. 

81 

 
 
On insurance and occupational pensions in the reporting period, supervisory powers over 
the  insurance  market,  non-bank  credit  organisations  and  the  activity  of  credit  bureaux  and 
savings  and  credit  associations  were  transferred  from  the  National  Commission  for  the 
Financial  Market  to  the  National  Bank.  This  transfer  occurred  as  part  of  the  reform  of 
supervisory functions in the financial sector.  

Pillar  II  and  Pillar  III  of  the  EU  Solvency  II  Directive  came  into  force  in  2023.  There  is  a 
transitional  period  of  5  years  to  comply  with  minimum  capital  requirements.  There  are  no 
occupational pension funds. A regulation was adopted in May 2023 on shareholdings in the 
share capital of insurance or reinsurance companies, requirements applicable to persons with 
management  positions  in  a  third  country.  Moldovan  law  is  broadly  aligned  with  the  EU 
Directive  on  distance  marketing  of  financial  services,  which  protects  consumers  rights.  A 
balance  sheet  review  for  all  insurers  is  envisaged  to  evaluate  their  readiness  for  the 
subsequent  implementation  of  Pillar  I.  Consumer  protection  in  financial  services  is  lacking 
and not properly addressed in legislation. In addition, Moldovan law is broadly aligned with 
the  revised  Directive  on  Institutions  for  Occupational  Retirement  Provision  although  a 
voluntary  pension  fund  should  be  implemented.  The  reform  of  supervisory  functions  in 
financial sector envisages the transfer of supervisory powers in the fields of insurance market, 
the  non-bank  credit  organisation,  the  activity  of  the  credit  bureaux,  savings  and  credit 
associations to the National Bank. 

As regards financial market infrastructure, Moldova has adopted some important parts of 
the acquis, along with relevant parts of the European Directives MiFID I and II on Securities 
Markets  and  Investment  Services.  It  has  a  small,  regulated  capital  market  and  one 
Multilateral Trading Facility, operated by the Stock Exchange, although no investment firm 
holds a trading license. 

On  securities  markets  and  investment  services,  the  national  legislative  framework 
governing  collective  investment  management  is  broadly  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis.  There 
are  no  rules  for  some  products,  for  example  long-term  investment  funds,  venture  capital 
funds  and  social  entrepreneurship  funds.  At  the  current  stage,  no  new  developments  are 
envisaged. 

On  sustainable  and  digital  finance,  a  national  sustainable  finance  strategy  has  yet  to  be 
developed. The National Bank has started to raise awareness about environmental risks and 
sustainable finance by including it in its 2021 Financial Stability Report. Sustainable finance 
is considered in the strategic plan of the National Bank (NBM 2025) in  order to strengthen 
the NBM supervisory function and promote sustainable development.  

There  is  still  no  single  platform  or  body  to  coordinate  the  digitalisation  of  the  financial 
system, and the National Bank has yet to develop a digital finance strategy. Virtual assets are 
not  a  recognised  form  of  electronic  currency  under  the  Law  on  payment  services  and 
electronic  money,  and  any  activity  to  issue  or  trade  them  is  not  subject  to  regulation  and 
supervision  by  the  National  Bank.  The  national  Law  on  anti-money  laundering  and 
countering the financing of terrorism sets out certain restrictions on crypto assets.  

Chapter 28: Consumer and health protection  

EU rules protect consumers’ economic interests and in relation to product safety, dangerous 
imitations and liability for defective products. The EU also ensures high common standards 
for tobacco control, blood, tissues, cells and organs, and medicines for human and veterinary 
use. The EU also has rules for upholding patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare and in 
preparing  for  and  responding  to  cross-border  health  threats,  including  communicable 
diseases. 

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Moldova has some level of preparation in aligning with the EU acquis in this area. Limited 
progress was made during the reporting period, particularly on alignment with the acquis on 
tobacco control. 

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular: 

→  implement the national health strategy, including e-health; 

→  intensify  efforts  on  tobacco  control  by  implementing  the  provisions  of  the  Protocol  to 

Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products effectively; 

→  align the legal framework with the acquis on consumer protection and product safety, and 
improve cooperation between the public institutions dealing with consumer protection. 

Consumer protection 

The  AA/DCFTA  provides  for  aligning  national  consumer  and  health  protection  legislation 
and  standards  with  those  of  the  EU.  Moldova’s  Law  on  consumer  protection  is  partially 
aligned  with  the  EU  acquis.  It  provides  the  general  requirements  for  protecting  consumers 
and the framework for unrestricted access to products and services. It is not aligned with the 
acquis on consumer protection cooperation, with the new rules on digital content, or with the 
revised  rules  on  the  sale  of  goods  and  the  latest  changes  to  EU  consumer  legislation 
introduced by Directive (EU) 2019/2161. 

There  has  been  no  further  progress  in  aligning  with  the  acquis  on  consumer  protection. 
Moldova  is  not  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis  on  out-of-court  dispute  resolution  (ADR). 
Moldova  should  align  with  the  ADR  acquis  (Directive  2013/11)  in  order  to  establish  a 
competent  authority  for  ADR  to  ensure  that  ADR  entities  comply  with  the  given  quality 
requirements. 

On  product  safety,  Moldova’s  legal  framework  is  partly  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis.  In 
2022,  the  main  body  responsible  for  market  surveillance,  the  Agency  for  Consumer 
Protection  and  Market  Surveillance,  was  reorganised  and  became  the  State  Inspectorate  for 
Non-food  Products  Surveillance  and  Consumer  Protection  (ISSPNPC),  an  administrative 
authority  subordinate  to  the  Ministry  of  Economic  Development  and  Digitalization.  It 
currently  has  63  staff.  In  the  reporting  period  the  Inspectorate  conducted  2 178  inspections 
and  identified  1 862  cases  of  non-compliance.  The  highest  number  of  cases  of  non-
compliance  were  in  the  packaging  and  waste  packaging  sector.  On  27 January 2023,  the 
ISSPNPC  and  the  customs  service  signed  a  cooperation  action  plan  to  ensure  an 
interoperability mechanism between them which will allow joint inspections.  

Public health 

As  regards  public  health,  on  14  June  2023,  the  Government  approved  the  health  2030 
strategy,  oriented  towards  the  modernisation  and  long-term  development  of  the  health 
system.  There  was  some  progress  in  the  implementation  of  its  2016-2025  strategy  for  the 
development of human resources in health. In February 2023, Moldova joined the EU4Health 
programme.  Low  levels  of  digitalisation  in  the  sector  are  a  barrier  to  collecting  statistical 
data. There has been limited progress in developing an e-health legal framework, and there is 
no  e-health  strategy  in  place.  In  December  2022,  an  IT  system  for  the  surveillance  of 
communicable  diseases  and  public  health  events  was  introduced  to  improve  the  collection 
and  reporting  of  data  on  registered  cases.  The  prevalence  rate  of  modern  contraceptives 
among women is 38.1%, and the unmet family planning needs of women of reproductive age 
(15-49) is 16.9%. Women and girls, especially those in vulnerable situations, face stigma and 
discrimination,  which  hamper  realising  their  sexual  and  reproductive  health  rights.  Not  all 

83 

 
 
facilities  that  provide  sexual  and  reproductive  health  services  are  physically  accessible  to 
those women and often lack gynaecological examination rooms and equipment.  

The national development strategy ‘Moldova 2030’, aims to ensure universal access to sexual 
and  reproductive  health  services,  including  for  family  planning,  information  and  education 
and to include comprehensive sexual education in the school curriculum. 

On  tobacco  control,  Moldova  is  a  party  to  the  relevant  WHO  framework  convention  on 
tobacco  control  and  signed  the  Protocol  to  Eliminate  Illicit  Trade  in  Tobacco  Products.  In 
February 2023, Parliament adopted legislative amendments to ensure implementation of the 
protocol.  National  legislation  has  been  amended  to  partially  align  it  with  the  acquis  on 
tobacco products and on the withdrawal of certain exemptions for heated tobacco products. 

There  are  40  community  mental  health  centres  in  the  country,  offering  medical  assistance 
and psychosocial rehabilitation, support and mediation services.  

In  March  2023,  the  government  approved  the  2023-2027  national  programme  for  the 
prevention and control of priority non-communicable diseases. 

Moldova  has  a  system  in  place  to  ensure  patients’  rights  in  cross-border  healthcare  and 
has a legal basis that is partially aligned with the EU acquis on the rights of citizens receiving 
healthcare  abroad.  There  are  no  legal  provisions  on  healthcare  for  EU  Member  State 
nationals. 

On communicable diseases, Moldova is partially aligned with the EU acquis. In April 2023, 
the  government  approved  the  2023-2027  national  immunisation  programme  and  the  2023-
2027 action plan on the implementation of the international sanitary regulations. The 2022-
2025  national  programme  for  prevention  and  control  of  HIV  and  sexually  transmitted 
infections is being implemented.  

On cancer screening, Moldova has a national cancer control programme (2016-2025) which 
is  currently  being  implemented,  as  well  as  other  programmes  using  population-based 
screenings. The country does not yet have a national programme on rare diseases. 

National  legislation  is  partially  aligned  with  the  acquis  on  medicines  for  human  use  and 
medicines  for  veterinary  use.  National  procedures  for  the  state  registration  of  veterinary 
medical products are in place, and 977 items had been registered by March 2023. Moldova is 
partially aligned with the acquis on medical devices. Legislation is partially aligned with the 
acquis on cosmetics.  

The legal framework regulating blood, tissues, cells and organs is partially aligned with the 
EU acquis, although legislation on medically assisted reproduction is being redrafted. There 
are only two tissue banks, and a single private centre working with haematopoietic stem cells 
and assisted reproduction. 

Measures  on  drug  abuse  prevention  and  harm  reduction  are  set  out  in  the  Law  on  the 
circulation of narcotic and psychotropic substances and precursors. It lays down general rules 
and  restrictions  on  the  circulation  of  drugs  and  is  designed  to  be  aligned  with  the  UN 
conventions on drugs rather than the EU  acquis. National  legislation on preventing  alcohol 
abuse is partially aligned with the EU acquis. In addition, legislation to protect workers from 
adverse health effects from exposure to electromagnetic fields in their work environment is 
designed to be aligned with the EU acquis.  

On health inequalities, the law on mandatory health insurance provides for state-guaranteed 
insurance  for  certain  categories  of  unemployed  people  residing  in  Moldova  and  registered 
with  the  competent  institutions.  The  2022-2025 national  programme  for  the  prevention  and 

84 

 
 
control of HIV and sexually transmitted infections sets out provisions for universal access to 
rights-based and people-centred prevention, testing, diagnosis, treatment  and support. There 
are also some health-related provisions on LGBTQI people in the Law on equality. 

In  July  2022,  the  Ministry  of  Health  approved  an  anticorruption  action  plan  in  the  health 
sector, for the period 2022-2023, but health sector corruption remains widespread. 

CLUSTER 3: COMPETITIVENESS AND INCLUSIVE GROWTH 

This  cluster  covers:  digital  transformation  and  media  (Chapter  10);  taxation  (Chapter  16); 
economic  and  monetary  policy  (Chapter  17);  social  policy  and  employment  (Chapter  19); 
enterprise  and  industrial  policy  (Chapter  20),  science  and  research  (Chapter  25);  education 
and culture (Chapter 26); and customs union (Chapter 29).  

Moldova  has  achieved  some  level  of  preparation  in  digital  transformation  and  media, 
taxation,  economic  and  monetary  policy,  social  policy  and  employment,  enterprise  and 
industrial  policy  as  well  as  education  and  culture.  It  made  good  progress  in  digital 
transformation and media and taxation. In economic and monetary policy, social policy and 
employment,  enterprise  and  industrial  policy  and  education  and  culture  it  made  some 
progress. The country is moderately prepared in science and research where it has achieved 
some progress during the reporting period. In customs union, Moldova is between some and 
moderate levels of preparation and has achieved some progress.  

Chapter 10: Digital transformation and media   

for  electronic 
The  EU  supports 
communications, electronic commerce and audiovisual services. The rules protect consumers 
and support the universal availability of modern services. 

internal  market 

functioning  of 

the  smooth 

the 

Moldova has achieved some level of preparation in the area of digital transformation and 
media.  Good  progress  was  made  during  the  reporting  period.  The  comprehensive  digital 
transformation strategy for 2023-2030 was drafted through public consultation setting out a 
countrywide action plan. The Law on electronic identification and trust services has entered 
into force and is broadly aligned with the relevant EU acquis. The cybersecurity framework 
has  been  strengthened  through  passing  the  Law  on  cybersecurity,  adopted  during  the 
reporting period, but Moldova needs to start implementing the law. Moldova needs to align 
its  legal  framework  with  the  Electronic  Communications  Code,  and  EU  best  practice  on 
media  need  to  be  more  widespread.  Implementing  legislation  also  including  the  laws  on 
freedom  of  expression,  personal  data  protection  and  access  to  information,  need  to  be 
amended to align with the EU acquis.  

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular:  

→  align with and implement the EU Roaming Regulation and other relevant EU acquis in 

the field of telecoms; 

→  adopt  the  Digital  Transformation  Strategy  2023–2030  and  ensure  the  institutional 

capacity to implement it; 

→  adopt  and  implement  market  instruments  to  ensure  anti-cartel  measures  and  the  de-

oligarchisation of the media market. 

In  the  field  of  electronic  communications  and  information  and  communication  technology, 
Moldovan law needs to be aligned with the EU Electronic Communications Code.  

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Connectivity  gaps  remain,  and  approximately  39%  of  people  do  not  use  the  internet.  The 
national  development  strategy,  ‘Moldova  2030’,  has  the  specific  objective  of  ‘Ensuring 
universal access to the internet and electronic services’.  

On  information  society  services,  no  authority  currently  has  responsibility  for  open  data 
policies.  There  is  some  alignment  with  GDPR  and  eID  and  ePrivacy  legislation.  There  is 
broad  alignment  with  the  Directive  on  e-commerce.  Moldova  is  not  aligned  with  the  EU 
acquis  on  geo-blocking,  platform-to-business  relations  (P2B),  the  Digital  Services  Act  and 
the Digital Markets Act. 

In the area of  digital transformation,  implementation of the now expired Digital  Moldova 
2020 strategy has been only partially successful. Only 6 of the 12 targets set in the strategy 
have  been  achieved.  There  were  particularly  weak  results  in  the  share  of  public  services 
available  online  (12%  vs  the  100%  objective)  and  in  the  level  of  acceptance  of  electronic 
public  services  (49%  vs  the  70%  objective).  Several  reasons  have  led  to  these  results, 
including 
institutional 
implementation capacity. 

resources  and  project  management  and 

financial 

limited 

Moldova’s  comprehensive  digital  transformation  strategy  for  2023-2030  was  adopted  in 
September 2023. The strategy aims to create a resilient, innovative, and digital economy by 
targeting technology start-ups with international growth ambitions and businesses in the ICT 
sector.  To  support  the  implementation  of  the  new  strategy,  Moldova  should  also  set  up  a 
governance  body  (the  National  Digital  Transformation  Council)  with  public  and  private 
stakeholders, civil society and experts and a working group to draw up the programme for the 
further development of the ICT industry and the digital economy. 

Progress has been achieved in making electronic public services available through the Public 
Services Portal. It is a single point of access for individuals and organisations to information 
on the 252 online public administrative services. The e-Governance Agency is implementing 
a project, Unified Public Service Centres (CUPS), which offers  common access  points to  a 
wide range of public services in electronic format. 

Progress  has  been  made  on  ensuring  that  trust  and  security  services  for  creating  and 
validating  electronic  signatures  in  the  country  are  compatible  with  the  EU’s  electronic 
identification, authentication and trust services (eIDAS). The Law on electronic identification 
and trust services entered into force on 10 December 2022. It sets out the legal framework for 
electronic  signatures,  electronic  seals,  electronic  time  stamps,  electronic  documents, 
registered  electronic  distribution  services  and  certification  services  for  authenticating  web 
pages. It is partially aligned with EU Regulation on electronic identification and trust services 
for electronic transactions in the internal market. Moldova should join the “Third Countries’ 
trusted list,” which facilitates the validation of electronic signatures or seals created in Third 
Countries  as  advanced  electronic  signatures  and  seals  in  EU  Member  States,  as  a  first  step 
towards  pursuing  mutual  recognition  of  qualified  trust  services  once  the  new  eIDAS 
Regulation is adopted. 

the  Information  Technology  and  Cybersecurity  Service 

On  cybersecurity, 
the 
government’s  computer  security  incident  response  team.  It  provides  the  administration, 
and 
public 
maintenance 
telecommunications systems.  

infrastructure 

development 

authorities’ 

and 

IT 

of 

is 

The Law on cybersecurity, adopted on 16 March 2023, sets out a strengthened cybersecurity 
framework.  The  law  gives  the  government  nine  months  to  set  up  a  competent  authority  on 
cybersecurity  and  national  computer  incident  response  teams  and  will  enter  into  force  on 
1 January 2025.  

86 

 
 
On  audiovisual  policy,  the  Audiovisual  Council  is  the  only  regulatory  body  in  the  media 
sector and only covers TV and radio and not online media. 

Parliament  delayed  implementing  the  Council  of  Europe’s  recommendations  on  appointing 
and dismissing members of the boards of the Audiovisual Council and the public broadcaster 
(TRM). Currently, by rejecting the annual  report of the Audiovisual Council and TRM, the 
Parliament  can  dismiss  the  members  of  those  boards.  According  to  the  Council  of  Europe, 
this  could  create  a  de  facto  political  control  over  the  regulatory  council  and  public 
broadcaster. This is not in line with the EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive, which sets 
out  that  appointment  and  dismissal  procedures  must  ‘guarantee  the  requisite  degree  of 
independence’.  Parliament  should  implement  the  Council  of  Europe’s  recommendations  to 
strengthen the independence of the Audiovisual Council and TRM.  

There are no rules on online media ownership. On 2 June 2022, Parliament amended the Law 
on audiovisual media services to include the concept of ‘disinformation’. The prohibitions in 
the law on broadcast  or  retransmission of programmes with  informative  analytical,  military 
and political content are not in line with the EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive. 

Media literacy (or media education) is an optional subject in primary and secondary schools. 
It  is  mainly  promoted by media NGOs, such as  the  Independent  Journalism  Centre and the 
EU’s strategic communication and media support project.   

Chapter 16: Taxation   

EU rules on taxation cover value-added tax, excise duties and aspects of corporate taxation. 
They  also  deal  with  cooperation  between  tax  administrations,  including  the  exchange  of 
information to prevent tax evasion. 

Moldova has some level of preparation  in the area of taxation. Good progress was made 
by  harmonising  policies  to  prevent  and  fight  fraud  and  the  smuggling  of  excisable  goods 
and  providing  mutual  administrative  assistance.  Moldova  also  joined  the  EU  Fiscalis 
programme.  

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular: 

→  harmonise  excise  duties  and  VAT  regulations  with  the  EU  acquis,  particularly  the 

structure, exemptions and deductions, special schemes and scope of reduced rates; 

→  prepare to join the inclusive framework on base erosion and profit shifting to limit tax 

avoidance and increase tax revenue; 

→  strengthen  the  administrative  and  operational  capacity  of  the  tax  administration,  in 
particular  by  boosting  digitalisation  and  automation  to  ensure  a  proper  degree  of 
preparation for interconnection and interoperability with EU systems. 

On indirect taxation, the legislation on VAT and excise duties is partially aligned with EU 
acquis,  thanks  to  the  commitments  under  the  AA/DCFTA.  Goods  and  services  subject  to 
reduced  VAT  rates  or  exemptions  are  different  from  those  in  the  EU  VAT  Directive.  No 
alignment has been made with the 13th VAT Directive (refunds to non-EC taxable persons). 
Despite  improvements  made  through  amendments  to  the  Tax  Code  in  December  2022, 
arrears continue to accumulate in the VAT refund process. Moldova did process 3 241 claims 
by the set deadline, which shows some progress in this area. 

On 1 January 2023, excise duty rates on tobacco products increased by 25%, but they are still 
below the minimum rates the EU has set to be achieved by 2025. The weighted average retail 
price  for  excise  taxation  is  not  calculated  as  required  under  Directive  2011/64/EU.  Excise 

87 

 
 
duties on alcohol products are partially aligned with the EU as there has been a 15% increase 
in  the  rate.  There  has  been  no  progress  in  harmonising  excise  duties  on  energy  products, 
natural gas and electricity are not subject to any excise duty. Moldova has yet to implement 
fiscal  marking  of  gas  oils  and  kerosene.  Some  progress  was  made  in  counteracting  and 
fighting  fraud  and  the  smuggling  of  excisable  products.  Moldova  started  to  implement  the 
WHO Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, including aligning its tobacco 
control legislation with the EU Tobacco Products Directive, which included the introduction 
of licensing and record-keeping requirements for tobacco manufacturing. Moldova has yet to 
adopt  the  EU  system  of  tax  warehousing  for  excise  duty  suspension  and  the  Excise 
Movement Control System. 

On direct taxation, from January 2023 banks withhold a 12% tax from income in the form of 
interest  and/or  capital  growth  from  state  securities  obtained  by  individuals  and  7%  from 
income  in  the  form  of  interest  from  bank  deposits.  Moldova  does  not  provide  deferral  of 
taxation  for  status  changes,  such  as  those  set  out  in  the  Merger  Directive,  and  the  rules  on 
consolidation of companies for tax purposes differ from those in the EU. 

The  country  has  also  adopted  rules  on  transfer  pricing  (according  to  the  arm’s  length 
principle),  which  are  expected  to  enter  into  force  on  1 January 2024.  According  to  the  Tax 
Code, these rules must be applied in line with the OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines. 

On  administrative  cooperation  and  mutual  assistance,  Moldova  has  signed  double 
taxation  agreements  with  21  EU  Member  States  (except  Belgium,  Denmark,  Hungary, 
Sweden,  France  and  Germany).  It  has  also  ratified  the  Multilateral  Agreement  of  the 
Competent  Authorities  for  the  Automatic  Exchange  of  Information  on  Financial  Accounts. 
The  country  is  not  yet  a  member  of  the  inclusive  framework  on  base  erosion  and  profit 
shifting  and  has  not  signed  OECD’s  October  2021  Statement  on  a  Two-Pillar  Solution  to 
Address  the Tax Challenges Arising from  the Digitalisation of the Economy  and no formal 
steps for joining this framework have taken place so far.  

On  operational  capacity  and  computerisation,  the  tax  administration  has  improved  its 
communication  and  services  to  taxpayers  (including  electronic  tax  return  declarations). 
However,  significant  efforts  are  needed  to  tackle:  (i)  outdated  IT  systems;  (ii)  the  lack  of 
automated risk management and data exchange systems for compliance risk management and 
tax audits (e.g., no automated risk-based approach in VAT refunds); and (iii) the inadequate 
taxpayer  register,  which  relies  too  much  on  other  authorities.  There  is  still  no  technical 
capacity  or  IT  strategy  to  prepare  for  interconnectivity  and  interoperability  with  EU  IT 
systems (such as the Excise Movement Control System and the VAT Information Exchange 
System).  

Efforts to combat tax evasion, particularly VAT and excise duties, have led to improved tax 
collection in recent years. For example, in 2022, tax collection increased by 18.6% year-on-
year, also on the back of the high inflation. With the public management strategy for 2023-
2030  adopted  in  February  2023,  the  country  has  committed  to  strengthen  the  tax 
administration’s  capacity.  It  will  do  this  by  simplifying  processes  and  boosting  automation 
and  digitalisation  of  risk  management  and  services  for  taxpayers.  In  the  reporting  period, 
Moldova joined the EU’s 2023-2027 Fiscalis programme. 

Chapter 17: Economic and monetary policy 

EU  rules  require  the  independence  of  central  banks  and  prohibit  them  from  directly 
financing  the  public  sector.  Member  States  coordinate  their  economic  policies  and  are 
subject to fiscal, economic and financial surveillance. 

88 

 
 
The country has some level of preparation in the area of economic and monetary policy. 
Some  progress  was  made  in  the  reporting  period,  namely:  (i)  the  adoption  of  the  new 
public finance management reform programme; (ii) a new regulation on public investment 
management;  and  (iii)  a  package  of  legislative  amendments  to  strengthen  the  institutional 
autonomy and governance of the central bank. Moldova also strengthened the central bank’s 
capacity as part of the financial sector supervision reform. 

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular:  

→  strengthen the independence of the central bank and align the prohibition of monetising 

public debt with EU rules; 

→  improve budget execution, in particular of capital investments, by applying the project 

pipeline to identify public investment projects eligible for funding; 

→  improve budgetary transparency and macroeconomic decision-making by aligning with 
the  requirements  of  the  European  System  of  National  and  Regional  Accounts  (ESA 
2010) and take steps towards creating an independent fiscal council. 

On monetary and exchange rate policy the National Bank of Moldova (NBM) ensures and 
maintains price stability in line with the EU monetary policy framework. It is equipped with 
regulatory  powers  and  instruments,  including  the  ability  to  implement  its  monetary  policy 
objectives  through  direct  inflation  targeting  Moldova  adopted  a  number  of  legislative 
amendments  in  December  2022  to  further  safeguard  the  independence  of  the  NBM. 
Additional reforms should be introduced in this area, specifically to ensure that the mandates 
for members of the Supervisory Board are renewed in a staggered manner. The NBM may not 
monetise public debt by purchasing government securities or providing loans to state bodies. 
It  is nevertheless  required to  roll over a relatively  small  amount of legacy loans previously 
provided to the state, which is not in line with EU rules prohibiting the direct monetisation of 
public debt.  

In the area of economic policy, Moldova adopted a new 7-year public finance management 
development strategy. The medium-term budgetary framework covers a 3-year period, which 
supports  fiscal  discipline  and  accurate  macroeconomic,  budgetary  and  public  debt 
projections.  In  recent  years,  there  have  been  considerable  challenges  with  budget  planning 
and preparation. Moldova’s capital expenditure has persistently shown a significant level of 
under-execution, which weighs on the credibility of the budget and efficient use of resources. 
The project pipeline approach was adopted in October 2022 but has yet to be applied. 

Moldova  has  yet  to  set  up  an  independent  fiscal  council  to  improve  fiscal  policy-making, 
although its  creation was  promised by the authorities  as  a long-term  goal during the Public 
Finance Management Policy Dialogue in May 2023. The country is not yet fully in line with 
the  EU’s  integrated  surveillance  framework,  in  particular  regarding  the  identification  and 
assessment  of  fiscal  risks  stemming  from  the  large  state-owned  enterprises  sector. 
Furthermore,  insufficient  administrative  capacity  and  public  sector  transparency  weighs  on 
the effective implementation and coordination of economic policy. 

Moldova does not report general government sector data in line with ESA 2010, as national 
accounts  are  still  compiled  according  to  SNA  2008,  which  hinders  macroeconomic 
policymaking and budgetary transparency. The underlying statistical framework needs to be 
aligned  with  ESA  2010  requirements  and  definitions,  and  accounting  rules  and  procedures 
need to be consistently applied across general government subsectors.  

Moldova  has  requested  to  participate  in  the  2024-2025  economic  reform  programme 
process. This will require significant additional resources and coordination efforts.  

89 

 
 
Chapter 19: Social policy and employment   

EU rules in the social field include minimum standards for labour law, equality, health and 
safety at work and non-discrimination. They also promote social dialogue at EU level. 

The country has some level of preparation in the area of social policy and employment and 
has made some progress during the reporting period.  

In the coming year, the country should in particular: 

→  further  develop,  adopt  and  implement  the  measures  set  out  in  the  concept  paper  on 
reforming the National Employment Agency, ensuring adequate capacity and setting up a 
monitoring and evaluation system; 

→  reform social assistance, with stronger links to employment; 

→  take concrete steps to strengthen the mandate and administrative and institutional capacity 

of the State Labour Inspectorate. 

Over the last year Moldova adopted several changes in the area of labour law. In July 2022, 
Parliament  approved  amendments  to  the  Labour  Code  .  Newly  adopted  legislation 
introduced flexible working arrangements offering employees the chance to adapt their work 
schedule. In July 2022, the government unified the minimum wage for the private and public 
sectors.  On  1  January  2023,  the  minimum  wage  increased  from  MDL 3 500  to  MDL 4 000 
(EUR  175-200).  In  June  2023,  Moldova  also  adopted  a  Declaration  on  improving  social 
policy and on adhesion to the European Pillar of Social Rights. 

To reduce the rate of undeclared work, amendments were introduced to the Law on the status 
of occasional workers. The amendments shifted the obligation to pay social contributions for 
occasional workers from the worker to the employer and extended the maximum number of 
days that day labourers can work in a year, from 90 to 120. They also allow day labourers to 
simultaneously be registered as unemployed to encourage formal work and lay down that day 
labourers may not earn less than the legal minimum wage for one day of work (8 hours).  

On health and safety at work there have been no legislative developments.  

In  2022,  the  State  Labour  Inspectorate  only  detected  82  cases  of  undeclared  work  (80  in 
2021),  the  lowest  numbers  in  the  last  12  years.  As  of  March  2023,  the  State  Labour 
Inspectorate  has  been  given  additional  powers  including  the  right  to  conduct  unannounced 
visits,  although  only  limited  to  cases  of  undeclared  work,  under-declared  work,  human 
trafficking and labour exploitation. As of July 2023, the law also gave the Inspectorate back 
the right to impose penalties directly (without the need to transfer cases to court) for cases of 
undeclared work and under-declared work.  

In  July  2022,  the  social  partners  and  the  government  signed  a  new  national  tripartite 
agreement  on  the  development  and  promotion  of  social  dialogue.  In  the  agreement,  the 
government committed to consult social partners on all social and economic legislation and 
strengthen tripartite consultation. Capacity building of social partners needs to continue. 

Despite  economic  headwinds,  the  labour  market  recovered  from  the  pandemic,  although 
significant structural challenges persist. The number of employed people increased by 1.8% 
in  the  fourth  quarter  of  2022  from  a  year  before.  The  structurally  low  employment  rate 
(among  the population  aged 15 years and over) rose slightly to  40.5% in 2022  but  remains 
well  below  the  EU  average  of  54.1%  in  2022.  Informal  employment  in  agriculture, 
construction  and  trade  is  estimated  to  be  more  than  22%  of  the  total.  Moldova’s 
unemployment rate has been persistently low, which partly reflects the low participation in 

90 

 
 
the  labour  force  and  the  substantial  share  of  self-employed  workers.  Due  to  the  economic 
decline  and  the  increase  in  the  size  of  the  labour  force  in  2022  (including  people  fleeing 
Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine),  the  unemployment  rate  rose  to  4.6%  in  the 
fourth quarter of 2022, up from 2.6% a year before.  

On employment policy, the government adopted in November 2022 a national employment 
programme  for  2022-2026.  Among  others,  the  programme  aims  to  expand  the  number  of 
women  in  employment.  There  is  a  need  to  set  up  a  monitoring  and  evaluation  system  for 
employment services. Implementation began of some parts of the Youth Guarantee. 

The National Employment Agency has limited capacity to implement the 2019 employment 
law and some of the new active labour measures, notably the support to self-employment and 
support  for  creation  of  jobs  in  rural  areas.  Comprehensive  staff  development  programmes 
need to be established and applied as a regular activity of the Agency.  

Moderate progress  was made in the field of social inclusion and protection. In July 2022, 
the  Parliament  adopted  the  Law  on  the  Energy  Vulnerability  Reduction  Fund  to  tackle  the 
impact of the energy crisis on the population. Around 800 000 households (out of 1.2 million) 
registered  on  a  platform  and  received  compensation.  As  part  of  the  winter  aid  programme, 
approximately  273 000  people  benefited  from  financial  support  from  November  2022  to 
March 2023.  

In September 2022, the government changed the process for accessing social aid (including 
minimum  income  benefit)  to  stimulate  the  employment  of  people  available  to  work, 
encourage  formal  employment  and  target  families  with  children.  In  2022,  approximately 
70 000 families benefited from social aid. Although the absolute poverty rate is 24.5%, only 
3.4% of the population get the social benefit and only 12.8% get the cold season benefit. The 
child allowance  and social  benefit contribute only 4.1 percentage points to  the reduction of 
poverty among households with children. 24.4% of children are poor, and 8.9% suffer from 
extreme poverty. 

The government approved the national programme for child protection for 2022-2026 and its 
action  plan  in  June  2022.  It  aims  to  strengthen  the  child  protection  system  to  respond 
promptly and effectively to children’s needs. The programme is supported by a commitment 
to  increase  the  families  and  child  protection  budget  from  3.3%  of  the  national  budget  and 
1.1% of GDP in 2020 to 6.6% and 2.2%, respectively, in 2026. This aims to reduce the rate of 
extreme poverty among children from 11.3% in 2019 to 8.5% in 2026. 

A  social  assistance  IT  system  is  in  place,  managed  by  the  Ministry  of  Labour  and  Social 
Protection.  In  2022,  the  IT  system  was  integrated  into  Moldova’s  interoperability  platform 
mConnect,  which  automates  the  examination  of  social  and  winter  aid  applications.  In  June 
2022,  the  government  approved  plans  for  an  information  system  for  the  child  protection 
sector.  This  aims  to  digitalise  the  child  protection  authority’s  activities  and  facilitate 
exchanges between the relevant state institutions.  

In March 2023 the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection announced a reform of the social 
system  “RESTART”  for  2023-2026  in  order  to  reduce  poverty  and  prepare  the  system  for 
accession.  The  reform  also  includes  actions  related  to  increasing  the  efficiency  and 
performance  of  the  social  public  institutions  and  combating  corruption.  The  reform  should 
address the administrative capacity of the social assistance system, the regional inequalities in 
terms  of  providing  social  services,  increasing  access,  and  improving  cost-efficiency  of  the 
system.  This  reform  should  have  stronger  links  to  employment  activation.  On  equal 
treatment and non-discrimination there are around 168,000 persons with disabilities. The 
national program for the deinstitutionalisation of people with disabilities continued. 

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Concerning  equality  between  women  and  men  in  employment  and  social  policy.  The 
gender  pay  gap  in  Moldova  is  14%.  The  number  of  female  MPs  in  Parliament  fell  slightly 
from  41  in  2021  to  39  in  2023.  The  2023-2027  programme  for  promoting  and  ensuring 
equality between women and men was approved in April 2023. It aims to reduce the gender 
pay  gap,  increase  social  protection  for  people  involved  in  the  long-term  care  of  family 
members by creating new support services, promote women in management positions and in 
decision-making. In November 2022, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection approved 
the  Regulation  on  the  procedure  for  prevention,  examination  and  reporting  of  sexual 
harassment  cases.  In  July  2022,  Parliament  adopted  the  Law  on  regulating  flexible  work 
arrangements and extending the benefit period of parental leave. 

Chapter 20: Enterprise and industrial policy  

EU enterprise and industrial policy strengthens competitiveness, facilitates structural change 
and  encourages  a  business-friendly  environment  that  stimulates  small  and  medium-sized 
enterprises (SMEs). 

Moldova  has  some  level  of  preparation  in  the  area  of  enterprise  and  industrial  policy. 
Some progress was made during the reporting period. Moldova has adopted a new national 
development strategy until 2030 and a national development plan 2023-25 that expresses its 
industrial  strategy.  The  country  needs  to  better  align  its  legislation  with  the  EU  Late 
Payment Directive and make the business environment more attractive, notably for inward 
foreign direct investment.  

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular:  

→  start  implementing  the  national  programme  for  the  promotion  of  entrepreneurship  and 
increasing  competitiveness  for  2023-26  ,  the  national  industrialisation  programme  for 
2023-2027, and the national strategy for the development of the economy; 

→  reduce  the  administrative  burden  by  enacting  available  proposals  to  cut  red  tape, 

simplify, and digitalise processes; 

→  accelerate the implementation of the strategy on the management of state property, state 
enterprises  and  entities  with  state  capital,  and  delineate  the  role  of  the  Ministry  of 
Economic  Development  and  Digitalisation  in  regulatory  and  policy-making  functions 
and the role of the Public Property Agency in exercising corporate governance functions 
with respect to SOEs. 

On enterprise and industrial policy principles, Moldova bases its development strategy on 
the  twin  green  and  digital  transitions  and  the  driving  forces  of  foreign  direct  investment  in 
industry and on SMEs, notably innovative start-ups in manufacturing. Efforts are now geared 
towards  innovation,  where  it  performs  well  for  its  level  of  development,  digital 
transformation and the green economy. 
Moldova  has  adopted  a  new  national  development  strategy  until  2030  and  a  national 
development  plan  2023-25.  Both  express  the  country's  industry  strategy.  The  objectives  of 
these documents include elements of the association agenda and EU industry strategy adapted 
to the conditions of its industry. 
Investment aims mainly at infrastructure and internationalisation, support measures strongly 
focus  on  SMEs,  which  drive  industrial  development,  including  towards  the  twin  transition, 
social  entrepreneurship,  smart  specialisation  and  improving  their  innovation  capacity.  The 
extent to which the objective of reforming the judiciary includes its commercial part remains 
to be seen. Further objectives towards improving the business environment seem to be part of 
the  2030  strategy,  notably  the  reduction  of  the  informal  economy.  Proposals  to  reduce  the 
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administrative  burden,  in  consultations  notably  with  enterprises  and  by  exploiting 
digitalisation, are available.  
On enterprise and industrial policy instruments, in  the reporting  period, the government 
approved several new SME support programmes such as the re-technologisation and energy 
efficiency,  the  SMEs  digital  transformation  and  the  rural  tourism  programmes.  Other 
programmes  were  redesigned  to  better  correspond  to  SMEs’  needs,  such  as  the  PARE  1+1 
programme  for  bringing  remittances  into  the  economy,  the  START  FOR  YOUTH:  a 
sustainable  business  at  home,  the  SME  greening  and  the  women  in  business  programmes. 
Entrepreneurship  is  one  of  the  key  subjects  in  the  educational  system,  taking  the  European 
entrepreneurship  competence  framework  into  account.  Future  measures  to  support  SMEs 
should  focus  on  internationalisation,  access  to  finance  and  innovation  (including  the 
transition to the green market), fair competition and entrepreneurial learning.  
On  22 July 2023,  the  new  Organisation  for  Entrepreneurship  Development  (ODA)  was 
officially  launched,  replacing  the  previous  Organisation  for  the  Development  of  Small  and 
Medium  Enterprises  (ODIMM).  The  aim  is  to  set  a  modern  organisation  able  to  meet  new 
SME support requests. Its budget for 2022 was increased but then substantially reduced for 
2023  due  to  budget  constraints.  Its  staff  went  through  a  reappointment  procedure  based  on 
merits and skills. To further improve SMEs’ access to finance, the Guarantee Fund managed 
by  ODA  has  been  recapitalised.  Additionally,  the  new  Fund  for  Entrepreneurship  and 
Economic  Growth  (FACEM),  also  managed  by  ODA,  was  launched  to  provide  long-term 
loans in Moldova’s currency to SMEs in priority sectors, such as energy efficiency. 

There has been progress in harmonising the definition of an SME by amending the Law on 
SMEs  in  December  2022.  Considerable  work  remains  to  promote  entrepreneurial  learning, 
including meeting the specific skills requirements of SMEs and improving the data available. 

There is no dedicated law on combating late payments in commercial transactions. However, 
the relevant provisions of the Moldovan Civil Code are fairly aligned with the Late Payment 
Directive (2011/7/EU) but only as far as payment terms are concerned. Other key provisions 
still  require  alignment.  Monitoring  systems  to  assess  payment  performance,  especially  by 
public authorities, are needed. The protection of creditors in business-to-business transactions 
is suboptimal, which can lead to abusive practices.  

Internationalisation of SMEs is still limited and remains a long-term challenge despite efforts 
to  support  it.  Cooperation  based  on  a  clustering  concept  has  a  legal  basis  and  supports 
regional  development,  including  through  internationalisation.  A  pilot  initiative  led  to  the 
creation of 30 clusters in the automotive, food, textile and creative industries.  

Technical  negotiations  for  Moldova’s  accession  to  the  single  market  programme  were 
completed  and  the  agreement  was  signed  on  8  September.  The  two  submitted  strands  are 
competitiveness of SMEs, and market surveillance.  

To  reduce  the  role  of  the  state  in  the  economy  and  strengthen  the  quality  of  corporate 
governance in state bodies, the strategy on the management of state property, state enterprises 
and entities with state capital for 2023-2030 was approved and entered into force in February 
2023. The strategy sets out, as a priority action, the development of a sorting mechanism for 
state and commercial companies with state capital. In April 2023, two government decisions 
were  adopted.  They  aim  to  improve  the  management  and  corporate  governance  in  state-
owned  enterprises  (SOEs),  in  line  with  the  strategy  on  state  assets  and  OECD  guidelines, 
notably by professionalising the boards of directors and audit committees of SOEs. The law 
on  SOE  governance  includes  the  fundamental  step  forward  of  formulating  a  rationale  for 
public  ownership.  Moldova  should  clearly  delineate  the  competence  of  the  Ministry  of 

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Economic  Development  and  Digitalisation  in  regulatory  and  policy-making  functions, 
notably to prevent regulations privileging SOEs, and the role of the Public Property Agency 
in  exercising  corporate  governance  functions  with  respect  to  SOEs  in  line  with  OECD 
guidelines and the government’s own SOE strategy. 

The  SOE  privatisation  process  was  suspended  in  2022  amid  overlapping  crises  and  the 
complicated geopolitical situation in the region caused by the war against Ukraine. In 2022, a 
number of SOEs were reorganised and liquidated. This included two in the industrial sector, 
despite there only being a few active SOEs in that sector.  

In  sectoral  policies,  current 
dominating industries of food/beverages and textiles are part of the cluster initiative. 

incentives  prioritise  manufacturing,  whose 

investment 

Chapter 25: Science and research   

The  EU  provides  significant  support  for  research  and  innovation.  All  Member  States  can 
participate  in  the  EU’s  research  and  innovation  programmes  and  benefit  from  them, 
especially  where  there  is  scientific  excellence  and  solid  investment  in  research  and 
innovation. 

Moldova is  moderately  prepared in  the area of  science  and research.  Some progress was 
made in the reporting period. Moldova has been active in the European Research Area and is 
finalising a smart specialisation strategy. A more integrated approach to governing innovation 
would create economic  opportunities, investment  and start-ups. The  absorption capacity for 
research  and  innovation  is  still  limited,  and  infrastructure  development  is  required  to 
implement  open  science.  The  gender  dimension  in  research  needs  to  be  further  integrated, 
and careers in research need to be made more attractive.  

In the coming year, the country should in particular: 

→  adopt  the  smart  specialisation  strategy  and  develop  a  multiannual  action  plan  with 

measures for implementation; 

→  ensure sufficient financing for research and innovation (R&I) under national programmes 
and  adopt  measures  to  promote  innovation  in  line  with  the  new  European  innovation 
agenda. 

In summer 2022, the Moldovan authorities adopted a reform to consolidate higher education 
and  research,  including  merging  most  research  institutes  with  university  departments  in  a 
broader effort  to  improve  efficiency and increase the education-research  nexus. The  reform 
also  provides  for  better  remuneration  for  researchers,  particularly  those  involved  in  EU-
funded R&I projects. The authorities are drafting the new national R&I programme for 2024-
2028. 

Moldova is associated to Horizon Europe, the EU’s R&I programme. Its success rate in the 
programme was 31.68% (of proposals that receive funding) as of May 2023, which is above 
the EU average of 21.47%. Moldova opened a National Horizon Europe Office in May 2023. 

On the European Research Area, Moldova committed to  9 of 18 actions of the European 
Research Area policy agenda for 2022-2024.  

Moldovan law provides for open access to publications when research activities are publicly 
funded,  although  a  comprehensive  open  science  strategy  is  still  in  development.  Gross 
domestic expenditure on R&D was only 0.23% of GDP in 2022.  

There  is  no  formal  national  strategy  for  promoting  gender  equality  in  R&I  or  reducing  the 
brain-drain.  The number of scientists  is  in  decline, and the outflow of  researchers is  higher 
94 

 
 
than the inflow. There is a need for a strategy to reduce this brain-drain, attract talent to R&I, 
in particular from the diaspora, and give more support to researchers’ careers.  

Moldova  has  advanced  in  the  design  of  a  national  smart  specialisation  strategy.  The 
strategy  is  now  in  the  final  phase,  and  the  formal  adoption  procedure  is  expected  to  be 
launched by the end of 2023. 

Moldova  should  make  the  most  of  the  opportunities  available  by  the  European  Institute  of 
Innovation and Technology (EIT). 

Chapter 26: Education and culture  

The  EU  supports  cooperation  in  education  and  culture  by  funding  programmes  and  the 
coordination of Member State policy through the ‘open method of coordination’. The EU and 
the  Member  States  must  also  prevent  discrimination  and  ensure  quality  education  for 
children of migrant workers, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds.  

Moldova  has  some  level  of  preparation  in  the  area  of  education  and  culture.  Some 
progress  was  made  in  the  reporting  period.  The  country’s  education  system  is  broadly 
aligned  with  EU  policy  and  practice,  although  students’  learning  outcomes  lag  behind  the 
European average. The accessibility and inclusiveness of education vary across the country’s 
urban and rural areas, as does the quality of teaching and learning. Further efforts are needed 
to  better  match  the  vocational  education  and  training  (VET)  skills  on  offer  with  labour 
market needs. Cultural policies generally suffer from a lack of funding. 

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular: 

→  promote  reforms  to  consolidate  quality  and  efficiency  of  the  school  network  in  both 

general education and VET; 

→  strengthen  the  continuous  professional  development  of  teachers  and  school  leaders  in 

line with the recently adopted national education strategy for 2030; 

→  implement the youth strategy and ensure efficient funding for sport and culture. 

Moldova’s education and training system has been undergoing a continuous modernisation 
since the adoption of the Education Code in 2014, which sets the legal basis for this area. The 
legislative framework is generally in line with the acquis. 

In  March  2023,  the  government  adopted  the  national  education  strategy  for  2030  and  its 
implementation plan after a comprehensive consultation throughout 2021 and 2022. The 2023 
allocation  for  education  and  training  in  the  state  budget  has  been  increased  by  nearly  25% 
compared with 2022. 

The school network is distributed in a suboptimal manner across the country and affected by 
demographic  trends.  More  attention  needs  to  be  paid  to  vulnerable  groups,  such  as  Roma, 
where half the children are not in school.  

The  average  pupil/teacher  ratio  has  been  consistently  between  11  and  13  in  the  years  from 
2017 to 2022, with significant differences across levels and urban vs rural schools. 

In  2023,  the  National  Program  on  learning  Romanian  by  national  minorities,  including  the 
adult  population,  for  2023-2025  was  approved  by  the  Government,  which  will  improve 
multilingualism and inclusiveness of education in Moldova.  

Overall access to education is an issue for Ukrainian children in Moldova, which is hosting 
large  number  of  Ukrainian  refugees.  Limited  numbers  of  asylum  applications,  as  well  as 
other constraints such as insufficient number of teachers and school infrastructure, impact the 
95 

 
 
integration  of  Ukrainian  students.  There  is  a  lack  of  oversight  on  the  part  of  Moldovan 
authorities.  

In VET, Moldova continued to develop a reform of the governance system and the quality of 
to  assume 
the  education  provided.  Centres  of  excellence  have  gradually  begun 
responsibilities as coordinators of the school network in their sectoral domains. The national 
qualification  framework  services  have  strengthened  cooperation  with  the  European 
Qualification  Framework  Advisory  Group.  The  Ministry  of  Education  and  Research 
approved the regulatory framework for dual VET in March 2023 (implementing the Law on 
dual education). This should facilitate matching skills provision with labour market demands 
by enhancing interaction between schools and industry, and between pupils and employers. In 
2022-2023,  the  VET  centres  of  excellence  have  increased  their  activity  as  providers  of 
continuing education, and the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Education have recently 
engaged  in  a  dialogue  to  improve  non-formal  education.  Validation  of  non-formal  and 
informal learning continues at accredited institutions, in national policies and targets.  

In  higher  education,  in  July  2022,  the  government  adopted  a  higher  education  reform  to 
consolidate the national network of universities and strengthen integration between education 
and research. In 2023 five Moldovan universities have been accredited at European level, and 
Moldova benefits from the European dimension of the Erasmus+ programme. 

In digital teaching and learning, the national authorities have held several rounds of public 
consultations  to  prepare  the  2023-2027  strategy  for  digital  transformation  of  Moldova. 
Moldova makes use of SELFIE, an EU online tool for digital self-assessment, in all general 
and VET schools.  

In 2022, the government has created the National Agency for the Development of Programs 
and  Activities  for  Youth.  Its  core  mandate  is  to  implement  national  grant  programmes  for 
youth  organisations  and  implement  policies  targeting  youth  empowerment  and  youth 
dialogue.  At  present  the  Agency  is  understaffed  and  lacks  operational  capacity.  A 
comprehensive youth strategy and implementation plan were approved in 2023 to set up 22 
youth  centres.  Youth  sector  financing  remains  limited,  due  to  the  country’s  multiple 
competing  priorities.  Moldova  benefits  from  youth  exchanges  and  volunteering  projects 
under the Erasmus+ programme and the European solidarity corps. 

In  what  concerns  sport,  in  2022-2023,  the  number  of  students  in  special  sports  schools 
increased and grants for high performers were doubled and the national teams sports centre in 
Chişinău  was  refurbished  in  2022.  Public  budgetary  restrictions  weaken  the  possibility  to 
provide  better  opportunities  for  the  inclusion  of  disadvantaged  groups  in  sport  activities 
despite  regulatory  provisions  in  place.  Moldova  is  a  signatory  to  the  conventions  against 
doping, match-fixing and violence. The national anti-doping law is in final stages of approval 
by Parliament. 

Moldova’s  cultural  policies  and  programmes  reflect  the  general  priorities  of  the  new 
European agenda for culture. Moldova was an associate member of the 2014-2020 Creative 
Europe programme but has not yet renewed its association to the successor programme  that 
runs until  2027. There is limited public financing  for the cultural  sector, which undermines 
the access to opportunities for artists and other cultural practitioners.  

Chapter 29: Customs union  

All Member States are part of the EU customs union and follow the same customs rules and 
procedures.  This  requires  legislative  alignment  as  well  as  adequate  implementing  and 
enforcement capacity and access to the common computerised customs systems.  

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Moldova is in between some and moderate level of preparation in the area of the customs 
union.  The  country  made  some  progress  in  the  reporting  period,  notably  on  harmonising 
tobacco control regulations and further aligning the new Customs Code with the EU acquis. 
Moldova  joined  the  EU  customs  programme,  which  will  lead  to  additional  capacity  and 
knowledge  for  the  enlargement  process.  Moldova  and  the  EU  have  signed  a  Mutual 
Recognition  of  Authorised  Economic  Operators  programs,  facilitating  the  trade  and 
ensuring security for both sides.   

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular:  

→  complete all the implementing standards, IT systems, staff training and communication 

activities so that the new Customs Code fully enters into force on 1 January 2024; 

→  prepare  an  IT  strategy  and  further  develop  IT  systems  to  enable  a  full  paperless 

environment and interconnection and interoperability with EU IT systems; 

→  finalise  the  development  of  the  IT  system  necessary  to  enter  the  Common  Transit 

Convention and ensure smooth and secured transit of goods via its territory. 

Moldova’s  customs  legislation  is  broadly  aligned  with  the  EU  customs  regulations. 
Amendments  to  the  new  Customs  Code  were  adopted  in  March  2023  to  ensure  further 
alignment with the relevant acquis. The government adopted the implementing regulation for 
the new Customs Code but postponed its entry into force until 1 January 2024.  

The  new  Customs  Code  integrates  certain  provisions  of  EU  regulations  on  intellectual 
property rights and customs duty reliefs and provisions to implement the New Computerised 
Transit System. In July 2023, the Parliament adopted the amendments to the free economic 
zone  regime  and  customs  duty  relief  (cancelling  the  provisions  allowing  customs  duties 
circumvention) to align it with the EU acquis. Moldova still needs to align its Customs Code 
with  other  parts  of  the  EU  acquis.  It  should  adopt  all  the  implementing  standards,  IT 
applications,  ensure  staff  training  and  communication  with  businesses.  Alignment  with  the 
EU  system  of  tax  warehousing  for  excise  duty  suspension  is  still  outstanding.  The  country 
still has to work to introduce the Excise Movement Control System. 

Moldova  obtained  the  mutual  recognition  of  Authorised  Economic  Operators  (AEO) 
programme  with  the  EU  in  November  2022.  Currently,  Moldova  has  already  issued  AEO 
authorisations  to  119  operators,  28  of  them  authorised  for  security  and  safety,  which  are 
recognised  in  EU  Member  States.  Moldova  is  party  to  the  Pan-Euro  Mediterranean 
Convention on rules of origin and benefits  from  the diagonal  cumulation of origin between 
Convention  member  countries.  Rules  on  customs  enforcement  of  cultural  goods  remain 
broadly in line with the EU acquis.  

On  administrative  and  operational  capacity,  the  customs  service  was  reorganised  at  the 
end  of  2022.  This  aims  to  introduce  an  organisational  structure,  adjusted  to  EU  customs 
requirements  and  ensure  a  higher  degree  of  integrity.  Moldova  still  needs  to  automate  the 
customs  clearance  process,  to  shift  cargo  clearance  from  the  border  to  inland,  and  to 
implement post-clearance controls (e.g., audits). The country has not yet fully implemented a 
paperless  environment  for  customs  processing  or  introduced  an  automated  validation  of 
customs  declarations.  It  would  need  a  new  IT  strategy  and  IT  systems  to  enable  a  full 
paperless environment and interconnection and interoperability with EU IT systems. 

Moldova joined the EU customs programme which will create new opportunities to exchange 
information, develop capacity and provide technical assistance. 

97 

 
 
 
CLUSTER 4: GREEN AGENDA AND SUSTAINABLE CONNECTIVITY 

This  cluster  covers:  transport  (Chapter  14);  energy  (Chapter  15);  trans-European  networks 
(Chapter 21); and environment and climate change (Chapter 27).  

Moldova  is  at  the  early  stage  of  preparedness  in  environment  and  climate  change  and  has 
made  some  progress  during  the  reporting  period  by  passing  cross-cutting  environmental 
legislation and implementing regulations on nature protection and industrial emissions. Some 
level  of  preparation  with  limited  progress  was  achieved  on  transport  policy  and  some 
progress in trans-European networks, while the country is in between some to moderate level 
of  preparedness  for  energy.  On  energy,  Moldova  made  good  progress,  having  the  highest 
progress  performance  rate  among  contracting  parties  in  the  Energy  Community  Annual 
Implementation Report 2022.  

Chapter 14: Transport policy   

The EU has common rules on technical and safety standards, security, social standards, State 
aid  and  market  liberalisation  in  road  transport,  railways,  inland  waterways,  combined 
transport, aviation and maritime transport. 

Moldova has achieved some level of preparation in transport policy. Limited progress was 
made in the reporting period. Progress was severely hampered by Russia's continued war of 
aggression  against  Ukraine,  which  had  a  direct  impact  on  Moldova's  ability  to  progress. 
Moldova was granted observer status in the Transport Community Treaty that will facilitate 
closer integration in the EU transport market. The country needs to continue alignment with 
the EU acquis on all modes of transport and implement it effectively.  

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular: 

→  progress  to  get removed from  the blacklist  of the Paris  Memorandum  of Understanding 

on Port State Control; 

→  timely implement of the Railway Transport Code; 

→  adopt  the  new  national  mobility  strategy  2023-2030,  covering  all  transport  modes  and 

prepare an action plan to implement it, and a new road safety strategy.  

On general transport, Moldova is currently preparing a Mobility Strategy for 2023-2030 to 
be adopted by the end of 2023 and replace the 2013-2022 Strategy on transport and logistics. 
On  public  services  Moldova  is  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis  on  rail  but  not  road  transport. 
Moldova  has  plans  to  increase  the  administrative  capacity  for  the  rail  and  maritime  sectors 
while aviation authorities have implemented some measures already. Those include upgraded 
IT devices for inspectors, new sets of equipment for RAMP and in-flight inspections. During 
the  reporting  period,  the  government  approved  the  creation,  organisation  and  working 
methods  of  the  Transport  Accident  and  Incident  Investigation  Bureau  and  the  Railway 
Agency. 

In 2022, Moldova was granted observer status in  the Transport Community Treaty  as  basis 
for  further  integration  of  the  country  in  the  EU  transport  market  and  is  collaborating  pro-
actively  with  the  treaty's  structures.  Closer  association  with  the  Transport  Community  can 
support  Moldova  on  its  European  path  and  facilitate  closer  alignment  with  the  relevant  EU 
transport acquis.  

On  road  transport,  national  legislation  is  partially  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis  on  road 
safety.  Moldova’s  new  road  safety  strategy  needs  to  be  aligned  with  the  EU  Road  safety 
Policy Framework 2021-2030 and be based on Safe System Approach and Key Performance 

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Indicators defined by the EU. Road safety is still a concern as the number of casualties is far 
above  the  EU  average.  A  National  Road  Safety  Observatory  was  created  as  a  coordination 
centre. The use of funds for maintenance and repair of roads has become more efficient and 
resources allocated for road safety better absorbed. 

The  legislation  on  dangerous  goods  is  partially  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis.  Although  the 
existing  regulations  do  not  include  rules  for  transporting  hazardous  substances,  they  do 
include  references  to  applicable  provisions  of  the  European  Agreement  concerning  the 
International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR).  

Legislation on market access, the profession of road transport operators, digital tachographs 
and access to the haulage market is partially aligned. The rights of passengers are regulated 
by the Road Transport Code, which is partially aligned with EU legislation. The EU  acquis 
on  maximum  weights  and  dimensions  of  heavy-duty  vehicles  is  partially  harmonised  by  a 
government  decision.  Access  to  the  international  market  for  coach  and  bus  services  is 
regulated by bilateral agreements or multilateral agreements to which Moldova has acceded. 
No timeline has been produced to align each relevant piece of legislation with the EU social 
and market legislation, including amendments introduced in Mobility Package 1. The current 
national  regulatory  framework  does  not  provide  for  the  implementation  of  the  Intelligent 
Transport  Systems  Directive  (ITS),  and  the  country  also  has  insufficient  capacity  and 
resources  to  implement  it.  A  concept  for  developing  an  integrated  system  exists,  which 
includes  subsystems  like  e-tickets,  e-GPS,  and  a  registry  of  transport  operators.  A  road 
transport  agreement  to  liberalise  bilateral  and  transit  road  transport  between  the  EU  and 
Moldova was signed in June 2022 and has been extended up to 2024.  

On rail transport, the adopted Railway Transport Code, which will enter into force in 2024, 
is  partially  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis.  It  includes  provisions  on:  (i)  separating  train 
operations from infrastructure management; (ii) the independence of infrastructure managers 
to make decisions; (iii) railway safety; (iv) the roles of those involved in the rail system; (v) 
the  supervision  of  safety  management  systems;  (vi)  safety  certificates  and  safety 
authorisations;  (vii)  train  drivers;  and  (viii)  regulation  of  the  railway  market.  A  railway 
agency reporting to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development was created as 
the  safety  authority  and  will  become  operational  when  the  new  Code  enters  into  force. 
Railway  safety  legislation,  including  safety  management  systems,  safety  responsibilities  of 
railway  companies  and  infrastructure  managers,  and  licensing  of  train  drivers  are  partially 
aligned with the EU acquis through the Railway Transport Code. Efforts are needed to adopt 
legislation  on  railway  interoperability.  Legislation  is  also  not  aligned  with  EU  rules  on 
passengers’ rights. 

On  maritime  transport,  a  ship  register,  that  includes  merchant  vessels  operating 
internationally,  has  been  set  up.  The  Moldovan  flag  vessel  is  on  the  blacklist  of  the  Paris 
Memorandum  of  Understanding  on  Port  State  Control.  Authorities  should  put  in  place  a 
roadmap in order to get its vessels removed from this list. Legislation on port services is not 
aligned with the EU acquis.  

The  country  has  observer  status  to  the  Black  Sea  Memorandum  of  Understanding  on  Port 
State Control. Moldova does not have a maritime coastline, but it has access to the maritime 
sector of the Danube River. The country is not a party to the Maritime Labour Convention. 
Moldova  also  participates  in  the  Black  and  Caspian  Sea  (BCSEA  II)  technical  assistance 
project implemented by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). 

The  country  has  two  inland  waterways  of  international  importance,  the  Nistru  and  Prut 
Rivers. Moldova also has access to the Danube River and participates in the EU strategy for 

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the  development  of  the  Danube  region.  Moldova  has  also  signed  an  agreement  on  inland 
waterway  navigation  with  Romania.  The  inland  waterways  normative  framework  is  not  in 
line with the EU acquis. Currently, a draft government decision for the approval of the rules 
and standards regarding the technical examination of connected inland navigation vessels and 
the recognition of Inland navigation classification societies is in the approval process. In the 
approved  2023-2025  government  national  plan  for  development,  an  increase  in  the 
administrative capacity of the Naval Agency is envisaged. 

There  is  no  legislation  on  training  navigation  personnel  and  no  relevant  educational 
institutions  in  Moldova.  The  legislation  on  the  recognition  of  crew  qualifications  is  not 
aligned  with  EU  legislation  and  Moldova  should  continue  working  on  fulfilling  the 
preconditions for recognition of navigation certificates in the EU.  

On  aviation,  the  country  is  partially  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis,  having  harmonised  more 
than  half  of  the  legal  acts  in  the  EU-Moldova  Common  Aviation  Area  Agreement  with  its 
legislation.  This  covers  aviation  acquis  in  the  areas  of  personnel  licensing,  air  operators’ 
certification,  airworthiness  and  aerodromes,  aviation  safety  and  security,  and  passenger 
rights. The acquis on air navigation services is at an advanced stage of implementation. The 
national legal framework has been harmonised with several EU regulations under the single 
European sky framework. 

There are no legal and technical provisions on intermodal transport in Moldova. 

Moldova needs to apply EU passenger rights acquis for all forms of transport.  

Chapter 15: Energy 

EU  energy  policy  covers  energy  supply,  infrastructure,  the  internal  energy  market, 
consumers, renewable energy, energy efficiency, nuclear energy and nuclear safety, radiation 
protection and nuclear safeguards. 

Moldova  is  in  between  some  and  moderate  level  of  preparation  in  the  area  of  energy. 
Moldova has made good progress during the reporting period. The diversification of gas and 
electricity  supply  routes  has  reduced  Russian  energy  supplies,  replacing  them  with  western 
supplies. 

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular:  

→  align with  and implement  the ‘Clean energy for all Europeans’ package, including  with 
the EU Renewable Energy Directive and the Electricity Integration Package adopted by 
the  Energy  Community  Ministerial  Council  in  December  2022,  and  start  setting  up  an 
electricity market operator; 

→  adopt  the Energy Strategy for 2050  finalise and adopt  the National  Energy and Climate 

Plan (NECP), in line with the Energy Community 2030 energy and climate targets; 

→  set up the national energy efficiency fund with a focus on interventions in the residential 

sector, considering the best regional practices.  

On security of supply, Moldova follows an energy strategy (launched in 2013) with a vision 
to safeguard energy security by strengthening gas and electricity transmission networks and 
increasing their role for transit, by developing gas storage capacity, modernising the district 
heating  systems  available  in  the  country  and  promoting  sustainability  through  energy 
efficiency  and  renewables.  In  line  with  EU  Regulation  on  the  Governance  of  the  Energy 
Union  and  Climate  Action,  the  process  of  drafting  the  National  Energy  and  Climate  Plan 
(NECP)  is  ongoing.  The  final  NECP  will  have  to  be  aligned  with  the  Energy  Community 

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2030  energy  and  climate  targets  and  take  due  account  of  recommendations  issued  by  the 
Energy Community Secretariat.  There are still delays in aligning legislation with the EU Oil 
Stocks  Directive.  Despite  the  available  draft  bill,  Moldovan  authorities  are  delaying  the 
adoption of national legislation which would align with the EU Oil Stocks Directive. On the 
security of supply of gas, a state-owned trader, Energocom, purchased and stored more than 
300 million m3 of gas in 2022, using a loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and 
Development. 

On  the  internal  energy  market,  legislation  aligning  with  the  third  energy  package  was 
adopted.  Certain  parts  that  still  need  to  be  implemented,  including:  (i)  unbundling  of  the 
second  gas  transmission  system  operator,  Moldovatransgaz,  which  is  part  of  Moldovagaz 
(controlled by Gazprom); (ii) applying gas network codes; (iii) redesigning the public service 
obligation scheme, and (iv) allowing all customers to switch their suppliers without having to 
pay  the  “equity  fee”  currently  imposed.  The  electricity  transmission  system  operator 
Moldelectrica  was  certified  by  the  National  Energy  Regulatory  Agency  (NAER)  in  July 
2023,  considering  the  opinion  of  the  Energy  Community  Secretariat.  Gas  and  electricity 
distribution and supply companies were successfully unbundled. Alignment with the ‘Clean 
energy for all Europeans’ legislative package is pending.  

The  implementing  legislation  needed  for  the  gas  and  electricity  markets  was  issued  by  the 
national  energy  regulator.  Only  for  gas,  National  Agency  for  Energy  Regulation  (ANRE) 
aligned the REMIT Regulation in July 2022 and started the alignment with the gas balancing 
network code, in line with the acquis. Legislative changes are required to enable alignment 
for electricity. Market opening in electricity reached almost 10% in 2021, but due to Russia’s 
war against Ukraine and the energy crisis, the market was reregulated. The market opening, 
from legal perspective, reached 100% both in  electricity and gas and procedures for supply 
switching are in place, even if in practice, the vast majority of gas customers are still under 
regulated  prices.  Electricity  balancing  mechanisms  and 
imbalance  payments  were 
successfully  introduced  in  2022  but  were  operated  under  a  transitional  mechanism  with 
capped prices. There are no balancing services provided by any parties in Moldova. The day-
ahead market and the intra-day market are still to be set up and a nominated electricity market 
operator (NEMO) is  still  to  be designated.  In gas, a  real market  opening  has  yet  to happen 
despite there being 25 licensed suppliers. New generation capacity can be built using a simple 
authorisation procedure in place. The connection to the grid and licensing procedures appears 
to be operational.  

Most  retail  consumers  are  at  regulated  tariffs  set  by  the  national  energy  regulator.  Cross-
subsidies  between  customer  categories  and  between  voltage  levels/pressure  levels  were 
eliminated.  Moreover,  the  regulator  approves  transmission  and  distribution  tariffs  using 
transparent methodologies. All regulated retail prices are adjusted at least once a year.  

There is no social tariff for vulnerable energy consumers. Instead, the legal aspects of energy 
poverty  are  currently  covered  by  energy  and  social  assistance  legislation.  Energy  sector 
legislation (Energy Act, Natural Gas Act, Electricity Act) identifies vulnerable consumers as 
socially disadvantaged categories in line with social assistance legislation. Assistance is then 
addressed  through  specific  support  schemes  under  the  social  protection  system.  For  these 
consumers,  a  dedicated  Energy  Vulnerability  Fund  was  created  in  2022,  and  direct  support 
for gas, electricity and heating bills was provided in winter with the level of subsidies initially  
tailored to five vulnerability categories and extended to six categories in 2023. A new action 
plan, following on from the NECAP in previous years, to prepare for the winter 2023-2024 is 
to be developed.    

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Access  to  gas  and  electricity  transmission  systems  is  fully  open  and  based  on  regulated 
tariffs.  The  third-party  access  principle  is  implemented.  Moldovatransgaz  has  not  been 
unbundled  yet,  hindering  the  correct  application  and  implementation  of  the  legislation. 
Preparatory  activities  for  the  unbundling  and  certification  of  any  of  the  TSOs  are  ongoing, 
with the involvement of the Energy Community Secretariat.  

On  hydrocarbons,  the  Ministry  of  Environment  has  not  aligned  legislation  with  the 
Hydrocarbons Licensing Directive. Moldova does not have any offshore geographical areas. 

The last national renewable energy action plan covered 2013-2020 and is to be substituted 
by  the  upcoming  NECP.  The  17%  target  of  gross  final  energy  consumption  in  2020  to  be 
covered by renewable sources was achieved and surpassed (23.57%). For 2030, the target for 
the share of renewables is 27%. 

The  country  partially  aligned  itself  with  the  Renewable  Energy  Directive  through  national 
legislation  on  the  promotion  of  renewable  energy  sources.  Alignment  with  the  revised 
Renewable Energy Directive, part of the ‘Clean energy for all Europeans package’, is under 
way with support from the Energy Community Secretariat.  

The main obstacle to the large-scale development of wind and solar electricity generation is 
the  limited  capacity  of  the  transmission  system  operator  to  ensure  balancing  the  system. 
Another obstacle is the postponed organisation  of the first round of tenders for renewables, 
which has been on the government’s agenda since 2019. Under government decision in force, 
the  capacity  to  be  installed  until  2025,  that  can  benefit  from  both  support  schemes  –  fixed 
prices and FiT for small-scale projects,  is limited to 120 MW in wind, 200 MW in solar, and 
90  MW  in  non-intermittent  sources.  This  is  expected  to  contribute  to  the  country’s  recent 
commitment  and  draft  NECP  objective  to  reach  a  30%  target  of  renewable  electricity  by 
2030. 

Guarantees of origin are currently issued by the Central Electricity Supplier, a single buyer of 
electricity  produced  at  feed-in  tariffs  and  feed-in  prices.  Amendments  to  the  Renewables 
Law,  which  are  currently  under  development,  should  make  it  possible  to  organise  the  first 
auctions  for  renewable  energy  projects.  For  renewable  heat,  there  are  currently  no  specific 
support  mechanisms  beyond  support  for  energy  efficiency  projects.  The  national  energy 
efficiency action plan for 2019-2021 is now incorporated into the upcoming national energy 
and climate plan. This plan is currently being developed and will have to implement the 2030 
energy  and  climate  targets  agreed  at  the  Energy  Community.  The  capacity  of  the  Energy 
Efficiency  Agency,  reporting  to  the  Ministry  of  Energy,  that  oversees  promoting  energy 
efficiency  and  renewable  policies  and  managing  energy  efficiency  projects  must  be 
strengthened. To do so, the Ministry of Energy is currently reorganising the Agency to extend 
its scope and expertise by amending the Agency’s institutional setup and related regulation.  
The only existing national fund that finances energy efficiency projects is the Fund for Local 
and  Regional  Development.  The  Energy  Efficiency  Agency,  once  reorganised,  should 
become  responsible  for  financing  energy  efficiency  projects  in  residential  and,  at  a  later 
stage, public buildings.  

Moldova achieved the 2020 target and progressed with the alignment of national legislation 
with the Energy Efficiency Directive, which was adopted in May 2023.   

Implementation of the Buildings Directive is still incomplete. The 2014 Law on the energy 
performance  of  buildings  is  partially  aligned  with  the  Directive.    A  long-term  building 
renovation  strategy  has  been  developed  and  needs  to  be  adopted.    Chisinau  and  Balti  have 
functional  municipal heating systems.  Head distribution network has been rehabilitated  and 
the generating units are gas fired, producing both electricity and heat.  

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On nuclear energy, nuclear safety and radiation protection, Moldova does not have and 
does not intend to build any nuclear power plants. Moldova has developed a national strategy 
on  radioactive  waste  management  aligned  with  the  Radioactive  Waste  Directive.  The  Law 
regarding main requirements in radiological safety has been adopted. Moldova still needs to 
align  with  and  fully  implement  the  Euratom  Directives  on  nuclear  safety,  management  of 
spent fuels and nuclear waste, basic safety standards and drinking water. Moldova is not yet a 
member of ECURIE system.  

On nuclear safeguards, upon accession, the existing systems of accountancy and control of 
nuclear  materials  in  Moldova  would  need  to  be  adapted  to  accommodate  for  the  safeguard 
provisions (chapter 7) of the Euratom Treaty. 
Chapter 21: Trans-European networks   

The  EU  promotes  Trans-European  networks  (TENs) 
transport, 
telecommunications  and  energy  to  strengthen  the  internal  market  and  contribute  to  growth 
and employment. 

the  areas  of 

in 

Moldova  has  achieved  some  level  of  preparation  in  trans-European  networks.  Some 
progress was made in the reporting period. On energy, Moldova succeeded in diversifying its 
electricity  and  gas  supply  routes.  It  did  so  through  the  emergency  synchronisation  with  the 
European Network of Transmission System Operators (ENTSO-E) continental grid. Moldova 
needs to align its legislative framework with the Trans-European Network for Transport and 
the Trans-European Network for Energy regulations and develop its infrastructure.  

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular: 

→  make  progress  in  completing  the  urgent  priority  infrastructure  projects  on  Solidarity 
Lanes,  in  particular  rehabilitating  the  north-south  railway  corridor  and  mobilising 
resources  to  absorb  Connecting  Europe  Facility  funds  to  support,  in  particular,  the 
alignment to the EU gauge; 

→  speed-up the construction of the Vulcănești-Chişinău 400 kV power line; secure project 
financing  for and  start  building  a  new  400  kV  electricity  interconnection  between 
Suceava in Romania and Bălți in Moldova.  

On transport networks, the current strategic framework for transport infrastructure is set out 
in  the  2030  national  strategy  for  development.  A  new  national  mobility  strategy  for  2023-
2030  is  being  developed.  The  priority  transport  corridors  are  outlined  in  the  EU-Moldova 
Association Agreement. In addition, the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T) were 
extended to the Eastern Partnership, including Moldova.  

In  May  2023,  Moldova  was  the  first  non-EU  country  to  be  associated  to  the  Connecting 
Europe Facility (CEF) that will support the implementation of the extended TEN-T networks.  

The road fund is the main source of funding from the national budget for the maintenance of 
public roads. Road works, which include TEN-T network, are advancing with some delays on 
sections where the contracts for works were terminated and new tenders launched.  

The  administrative  capacity  of  the  authorities  responsible  for  implementing  major  projects 
needs to be improved. Moldova is a key transit route under the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes 
initiative. The EU provided a EUR 20 million grant in 2022 for the rehabilitation of part of 
the north-south railway corridor. This is planned to be finished by the end of 2024, but some 
effort is needed to ensure the smooth implementation of the project. Following a landslide in 
August  2022,  Moldova  must  ensure  urgent  repairs  to  the  Cahul-Giurgiulești  railway  line, 

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which  is  part  of  the  TEN-T  network.  For  the  rehabilitation  of  the  railway  segment 
Basarabeasca-Giurgiulesti, works are currently ongoing.  

On energy networks, gas and electricity transmission infrastructure developments are set out 
in  the  Ten-Years  Network  Development  Plans  developed  by  transmission  system  operators 
and approved by the energy regulator in line with EU practice.       

On  electricity,  the  emergency  synchronisation  with  the  ENTSO-E  continental  Europe  grid 
took place during the reporting period. Several projects are under way: the 400 kV overhead-
line interconnection between Vulcănești (Moldova) and Isaccea (Romania), the extension of 
the  400  kV  overhead  line  between  Vulcănești  and  Chişinău.  The  Romania-Moldova  gas 
interconnector  (Iași-Ungheni)  and  the  bidirectional  flow  on  the  Trans-Balkan  corridor 
Moldova-Ukraine  have  been  finalised.  Backhaul  legislation  was  adopted  in  January  2023, 
providing for financial and customs declarations of reverse gas flows. 

The  Regulation  on  guidelines  for  trans-European  energy  networks  is  in  the  final  stage  of 
alignment through a dedicated amendment to the national Law on energy.  

Chapter 27: Environment and climate change  

The  EU  promotes  strong  climate  action,  sustainable  development  and  protection  of  the 
environment. EU rules contain provisions addressing climate change, water and air quality, 
waste  management,  nature  protection,  industrial  pollution,  chemicals,  noise  and  civil 
protection. 

Moldova  is  at  an  early  stage  of  preparation  in  the  area  of  the  environment  and  climate 
change.  Some  progress  was  achieved  in  cross-cutting  environmental  legislation,  nature 
protection and industrial emissions regulation. Moldova is encouraged to be more ambitious 
and  strengthen  its  coordinated  action  on  the  green  transition,  especially  by  prioritising  the 
mainstreaming of the European Green Deal in all policy areas. Climate-related commitments 
under  the  Energy  Community  in  view  of  moving  towards  carbon  pricing  require  urgent 
action. 

In the coming year, the country should in particular: 

→  strengthen  implementation  and  enforcement  of  legislation  with  a  focus  on  horizontal 

legislation, nature protection, water management and waste management; 

→  allocate the necessary human and financial resources to the Ministry of Environment and 

to subordinated bodies; 

→  implement commitments under the Energy Community’s Decarbonisation Roadmap.  

Environment 

On  horizontal  legislation,  Parliament  adopted  amendments  to  the  Law  on  environmental 
impact  assessment  to  fully  align  it  with  the  Environmental  Impact  Assessment  Directive. 
Parliament  also  passed  amendments  to  the  Law  on  strategic  environmental  assessments 
(SEA). The aim was to improve consistency with the SEA Directive and the UN Economic 
Commission  for  Europe  Protocol  on  SEA,  particularly  on  public  consultations,  quality 
assurance and monitoring. Further alignment is needed in the areas of environmental liability 
and  environmental  crime.  In  light  of  the  ongoing  revising  and  replacement  of  Directive  on 
Environmental  Crime  with  a  new  version  an  adaptive  response  to  the  alignment  with  this 
changing body of acquis would be welcome. The country needs to strengthen implementation 
and enforcement in most areas. In addition, more sectoral involvement and responsibility in 
developing an integrated environmental and climate policy is required. It is also important for 

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Moldova  to  build  capacity  in  the  Ministry  and  the  bodies  reporting  to  it,  mobilise  enough 
resources,  and  continue  to  strengthen  transparency,  public  consultations  and  dialogue  with 
civil society. 

On  air  quality,  Moldova  has  aligned  its  legislation  with  several  EU  directives.  There  is  a 
need  to  revise  the  legislation  on  the  sulphur  content  of  certain  liquid  fuels  and  harmonise 
legislation  with  the  EU  Directive  on  the  reduction  of  national  emissions  of  certain  air 
pollutants. The current air quality monitoring system is fragmented, and the country needs to 
invest heavily in technical equipment, develop air quality plans and build capacity to collect, 
process and report data. 

On waste management and the circular economy, Moldova put in place a number of the key 
parts of legislation relevant to the EU acquis. The country still needs to harmonise legislation 
with several directives, including the directives on ship recycling and managing waste from 
extractive  industries.  Moldova  is  making  significant  investments  in  its  solid  waste 
management  infrastructure.  To  promote  the  circular  economy,  the  government  adopted  a 
regulation on eco-labelling.  

On  water  quality  management,  Moldova  has  aligned  its  legislation  with  the  Water 
Framework Directive and entered the second cycle of river basin management planning. This 
included the government approving the river basin management plan of the Danube-Prut and 
Black Sea hydrographic basin district cycle II (2023-2028). Further alignment is needed with 
several  other  parts  of  the  EU  acquis.  Significant  parts  of  the  population  still  lack  access  to 
quality water supply and sanitation services. Systemic investments are required, especially in 
wastewater  treatment  infrastructure.  The  sector  would  benefit  from  a  clear  division  of 
responsibilities and improved coordination between the authorities concerned.  

On nature protection, Moldova amended its Law on ecological networks in October 2022. 
The amended law includes a chapter on the Emerald Network. In February 2023, the national 
forest extension and rehabilitation programme for 2023-2032 was adopted. Efforts are needed 
to  align  legislation  with  other  parts  of  EU  law  on  nature  protection  and  sustainable  forest 
management.  The  country  must  also  build  capacity  for  more  efficient  management  in  this 
sector. 

On  industrial  pollution  control  and  risk  management,  Parliament  approved  a  new 
legislative framework on industrial emissions in September 2022. This harmonises legislation 
with EU directives on industrial emissions and on the limitation of atmospheric emissions of 
certain  pollutants  from  medium  combustion  plants.  During  the  reporting  period,  several 
amendments to the legal framework on risk management came into force, which improve the 
level  of  harmonisation  in  the  area.  Created  in  2016,  the  Pollutant  Release  and  Transfer 
Register  is  not  fully  operational.  Overall,  Moldova  should  strengthen  the  coordination  of 
interinstitutional  actions  and  build  capacity  to  check  and  validate  data,  check  companies’ 
reporting, and improve legal liability. 

On chemicals, Moldova has partially aligned its legislation with EU acquis in this area. The 
country must also strengthen implementation and enforcement of the sustainable management 
of chemicals. It would benefit from creating a national helpdesk as a first point of contact for 
questions  on  the  CLP  and  REACH  regulations.  It  should  also  permanently  strengthen 
cooperation with the European Chemicals Agency.  

No significant progress on noise legislation was made during the reporting period.  

On civil protection and disaster risk management, the country made significant progress. 
In October 2022, the government submitted an expression of interest and in September 2023 

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Moldova joined the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM). Moldova’s existing sectoral 
development  Action Plan, adopted in December 2022, sets clear priorities and provides  for 
proactively  participating  in  UCPM  exercises  and  training.  Moldova  requested  and 
participated in a UCPM Peer review of its civil protection system on a voluntary basis. 

Moldova  should  continue  its  efforts  in  strengthening  its  civil  protection  and  disaster  risk 
management system, particularly on disaster prevention and preparedness. It should develop 
national disaster risk assessments based on a nationally approved methodology. To increase 
resilience to natural disasters and crises, Moldova should also boost its operational capacity, 
infrastructure,  early  warning 
its 
hydrometeorological service. Moldova should also set up secure trans-European services for 
telematics  between  administrations  (TESTA)  to  connect  to  the  Common  Emergency 
Communication  and  Information  System  (CECIS).  This  should  be  done  to  facilitate  a 
coordinated  communication  with  the  Commission’s  Emergency  Response  Coordination 
Centre (ERCC).  

step-up  efforts 

strengthening 

system  and 

in 

Climate change 

On climate change, Moldova is a signatory to the Paris Climate Agreement under the United 
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The low-emission development strategy 
for 2030, which is currently being revised and will be complemented by the National Energy 
and  Climate  Plan,  is  the  main  decarbonisation  strategy.  Moldova  updated  its  nationally 
determined  contribution  in  2020  with  the  unconditional  target  to  reduce  its  net  greenhouse 
gas  emissions  by  64-67%  in  2030  compared  with  1990  levels  and  the  conditional  target  to 
reduce emissions by up to 88% if international climate finance is secured. Moldova has not 
submitted  either  a  long-term  low-emission  strategy  or  a  national  adaptation  plan  under  the 
Paris Agreement.  

Moldova  has  a  national  system  for  monitoring,  verifying  and  reporting  greenhouse  gas 
emissions.  The  national  greenhouse  gas  emissions  inventory  and  reporting  is  donor-based. 
Some parts of the ETS Directive are partially aligned as provisions on monitoring, reporting 
and  verification  for  industrial  entities  are  included  in  national  legislation  on  industrial 
emissions. Provisions on monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) for the aviation sector 
are not harmonised, and a national greenhouse gas permitting system has yet to be set out.  

A law on fluorinated gases was adopted in March 2023. From January 2024, the import and 
use of fluorinated gases will gradually decrease in favour of greener, energy-efficient options, 
as per the EU standards. The Ozone Regulation on substances that deplete the ozone layer is 
incorporated  into  national  law.  The  Fuel  Quality  Directive  is  partially  incorporated  into 
national law.  

The main obstacles and challenges to implementation include limited administrative capacity, 
fragmented  sectoral  policies  and  absence  of  a  whole-of-government  oversight  on 
implementation of climate policies and commitments, and insufficient monitoring and checks 
of greenhouse gas emissions, including the reliability of data across the country.   

CLUSTER 5: RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE AND COHESION 

This  cluster covers: agriculture and rural  development (Chapter 11); food safety,  veterinary 
and  phytosanitary  policy  (Chapter  12);  fisheries  and  aquaculture  (Chapter  13);  regional 
policy and coordination  of structural  instruments (Chapter 22); and financial  and budgetary 
provisions (Chapter 33).  

Moldova is at an early stage of preparations for all chapters except for food safety, veterinary 
and  phytosanitary  policy  where  it  has  some  level  of  preparation.  Some  progress  was  

106 

 
 
achieved  on  agriculture  and  rural  development  as  well  as  food  safety,  veterinary  and 
phytosanitary  policy.  In  fisheries  and  aquaculture,  regional  policy  and  coordination  of 
structural instruments and financial and budgetary provisions limited progress was achieved. 
Further efforts are needed in all these areas.  

Chapter 11: Agriculture and rural development  

The EU’s common agricultural policy supports farmers and ensures Europe’s food security. 
It  helps  tackle  climate  change  and  the  sustainable  management  of  natural  resources; 
maintains rural areas and landscapes across the EU; and keeps the rural economy alive by 
promoting jobs in farming, agri-food industries and associated sectors. This requires strong 
management and control systems. There are also common EU rules for marketing standards, 
quality policy, and organic farming. 

Moldova  is  at  an  early  stage  of  preparation  in  agriculture  and  rural  development.  Some 
progress was made during the reporting period, with the adoption of the national strategy for 
in 
agriculture  and  rural  development,  by  supporting 
implementing local development strategies through the LEADER programme.  

local  action  groups  (LAGs) 

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular:  

→  draw  up  an  action  plan  to  set  up  an  Integrated  Administration  and  Control  System 

(IACS), progress in creating the farm register; 

→  take  concrete  steps  to  strengthen  the    administrative  capacity  of  the  Ministry  of 
Agriculture  and  Food  Industry,  and  of  the  Agency  for  Interventions  and  Payments  in 
Agriculture (AIPA). 

On horizontal issues, the national  strategy for agriculture and rural  development  for 2023-
2030  was  adopted  in  February  2023.  It  is  aligned  with  the  general  principles  of  the  new 
common  agricultural  policy.  The  authorities  must  develop  a  multi-annual  financing  plan  as 
well as a monitoring and reporting system.  

Further efforts are required to set up an integrated administration and control system (IACS). 
An  interinstitutional  coordination  task  force  for  e-governance  in  agriculture  was  created  in 
2022.  A  feasibility  study  to  create  a  farm  registry  was  conducted,  and  a  roadmap  for  its 
implementation  drawn  up.  An  animal  register  is  in  place  and  is  undergoing  further 
developments.  No  system  to  identify  agricultural  parcels  exists.    There  is  no  Farm 
Accountancy Data Network (FADN) in  place. Strategies for collecting and monitoring data 
need to be further developed.  

Regarding common market organisation  (CMO), efforts are needed to prepare and set  up 
the regulatory framework in line with the EU acquis.  

The  framework  policy  document  governing  rural  development  is  the  national  strategy  for 
agriculture and rural development 2023-2030, and the National Fund for the Development of 
Agriculture and the Rural Areas provides for the financial support to measures improving the 
standard of living and working in rural areas.  The National Fund for Agriculture and Rural 
Development supports the implementation of the LEADER. 

As regards quality policy, Moldova has  legislation regulating the protection of geographical 
indications,  protected  designation  of  origin,  and  traditional  specialities  guaranteed  and 
maintains a  publicly available register of protected products.  

Moldova  is  partially  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis  on  organic  farming.  A  new  law  further 
aligned with the EU acquis is in adoption process. The competent authority, the Ministry of 

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Agriculture  and  Food  Industry,  has  appointed  the  official  control  body,  while  the 
accreditation and certification systems are in place and operational. The new Law on organic 
production and labelling, aligned with EU policy was adopted in July 2023. 

Chapter 12: Food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy  

EU hygiene rules for foodstuff production ensure a high level of food safety. Animal health 
and welfare and the safety of food of animal origin are safeguarded together with the quality 
of  seeds,  plant  protection  material,  protection  against  harmful  organisms  and  animal 
nutrition. 

Moldova has some level of preparation on food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy. 
During  the  reporting  period,  some  progress  was  made  strengthening  the  institutional  and 
diagnostic  capacity  of  competent  authorities  (especially  reference  laboratories).  Monitoring 
and enforcement of the domestic market food quality need to be strengthened. 

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular:  

→ strengthen the diagnostic resources of competent authorities and broaden the scope of the 
national  monitoring  and  surveillance  programme  for  food  safety,  animal  feed  and 
veterinary drugs to increase the level of assurance for animal origin products; 

→ draw up a human resource development strategy for the National Food Safety Agency and 

a specialised training programme for inspectors from territorial subdivisions. 

In the area of general food safety, food safety rules and specific rules for feed, Moldova’s 
administrative  capacity  has  been  strengthened  through  the  reorganisation  of  the  National 
Food Safety Agency (NFSA). 

In 2022, after taking over the laboratory system from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food 
Industry,  the  food  safety  laboratory  based  in  Bălți  was  incorporated  into  NFSA  thus 
increasing the network to seven national reference laboratories. More resources and training 
are needed for the agency’s inspectors, particularly at the local level. 

On  veterinary  policy,  Moldova  has  further  increased  its  surveillance  system  and  the 
diagnostic  resources  of  the  competent  authorities.  It  continued  to  successfully  implement 
active  surveillance  of  EU  programmes  for  African  swine  fever  and  rabies  prevention  and 
control.  Throughout  2022,  avian  bird  flu  detection,  response  times  and  effectiveness  have 
improved by e.g., setting up surveillance and protection zones, laboratory testing and use of 
confirmatory methods. Measures for the prevention and control of rabies in animals have also 
been put in place.  

The use of veterinary drugs with antimicrobial effects was restricted. Training for inspectors 
from territorial subdivisions was intensified, covering topics such as hazard analysis critical 
control points audits in farms and food businesses and risk analysis. 

The  animal  state  register  was  completed  by  including  the  registration  of  non-professional 
poultry  holdings  (backyards)  and  interconnecting  it  with  the  laboratory  digital  information 
system.  The  policy  for  the  non-commercial  movement  of  pets  is  harmonised  with  the  EU 
acquis.  

On  food  safety  rules,  the  country’s  laboratories  have  sufficient  capacity.  It  was  increased 
during  the  reference  period  through  the  accreditation  of  new  methods  at  the  food  product 
testing  laboratories.  In  March  2023,  Moldova  was  authorised  to  export  processed  poultry 
meat and eggs for consumption (class A), this reflects the effectiveness of official controls. 

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On  the  placing  of  food,  feed  and  animal  by-products  on  the  market,  raw  milk  was 
included in the 2022 national monitoring and surveillance programme. The country has yet to 
expand  residue  monitoring  to  new  products  and  increase  the  number  of  samples  of  official 
controls obtained at farms, processors and distributors. Progress has been made to harmonise 
national  legislation  with  EU  regulations  on  the  obligatory  labelling  of  substances  or 
ingredients that cause allergies or intolerances, country of origin of primary ingredients, and 
information  on the presence of gluten. Regulations on maximum limits for  trans-fatty acids 
(transfats) in food products are aligned with the relevant EU regulations.  

State  legislation  on  phytosanitary  policy  is  partially  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis.  Further 
progress  is  needed  to  implement  actions  on  sustainable  use  of  pesticides.  This  includes 
activities  on  the  online  training  platform  launched  in  February  2023  to  strengthen  the 
information flow and increase the knowledge and application of good practice. 

Equivalence  of  field  inspection  for  crops  that  produce  cereal,  vegetables,  oleaginous  plants 
and  fibres  seeds,  in  line  with  EU  acquis,  was  granted  by  the  European  Commission  for 
assessments carried out by the authorities. 

The  Law  on  genetically  modified  organisms,  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis,  was  adopted  in 
June  2022  and  will  enter  into  force  in  2024.  Official  controls,  production  and  placing  are 
performed according to the 2023 national monitoring and surveillance programme. 

Chapter 13: Fisheries  

The  common  fisheries  policy  lays  down  rules  on  fisheries  management,  protects  living 
resources  of  the  sea  and  limits  the  environmental  impact  of  fisheries.  This  includes  setting 
catch quotas, managing fleet capacity, rules on control and inspection, rules on markets and 
aquaculture  and  support  for  fisheries  and  coastal  communities.  Further,  it  promotes  a 
sustainable aquaculture.   

Moldova  is  at  an  early  stage  of  preparation  in  the  area  of  fisheries.  During  the  reporting 
period,  limited  progress  was  made  in  strengthening  the  legal  framework  and  institutional 
capacity,  notably  by  strengthening  inspections  and  controls.  However,  the  multiannual 
strategy and national legislation on aquaculture have not been adopted or implemented.  

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular:  

→  adopt a national strategy dedicated to aquaculture;  

→  progress  on  aligning  quality  and  marking  standards  with  those  under  the  EU  common 

market organisation;  

→  improve  the  traceability  of  fishery  and  aquaculture  products  and  strengthen  import 
inspections to prevent importation of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing; 

Moldova needs to further strengthen the capacity to develop, implement and enforce fisheries 
policy.  It  also  needs  to  boost  overall  coordination  of  the  authorities  on  biodiversity 
protection.  

The  adoption  of  a  multiannual  national  strategy  dedicated  to  aquaculture  and  a  national 
legislation on aquaculture aligned with EU acquis is pending. 

On  resource  and  fleet  management,  Moldova  has  no  vessels  engaged  in  sea  fishing. 
Authorities  need  to  improve  the  data  available  on  fisheries  and  aquaculture.  Commercial 
fishing is not authorised in order to protect fish species in natural water basins, and a system 
for recording and checking the use of fishing opportunities has not been developed. 

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Inspections and controls were strengthened through provisions on fish farms, the transport 
of  live  animals,  and  fish  and  fishery  product  processing  facilities.  Intensified  sanitary  and 
veterinary  inspections  of  live  fish  consignments  by  the  National  Food  Safety  Agency 
strengthened compliance with sanitary and veterinary requirements including for imports.  A 
control  system  to  prevent  importation  of  fishery  products  from  illegal,  unreported  and 
unregulated (IUU) fishing is needed. 

Moldova  has  no  specific  structural  actions  for  small-scale  fisheries.  The  data  collection 
framework has not been harmonised with the EU acquis.  

Concerning  market  policy,  there  is  no  legal  framework  on  producer  organisations  and 
market  requirements  specific  to  fishery  and  aquaculture  products  (consumer  information, 
marketing standards, market intelligence). No progress was made during the reporting period 
on  aligning  quality  and  marking  standards  with  those  under  the  EU  common  market 
organisation.  

No State aid support measures are provided for fisheries and aquaculture sectors.  

International cooperation activities should be further strengthened, including as part of the 
common  maritime  agenda  for  the  Black  Sea  and the  General  Fisheries  Commission  for the 
Mediterranean.  EU-Moldova  cooperation  dialogue  takes  place  on  the  fight  against  illegal, 
unreported  and  unregulated  (IUU)  fishing.  No  further  progress  has  been  made  in  adopting 
and  integrating  in  national  law  the  international  fisheries  agreements,  nor  finalising 
legislation  covering  the  definition  of  fishing  vessel  in  line  with  international  fisheries 
instruments and rules with regards to the registration and deregistration of vessels engaging 
in illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. 

As regards the wider blue economy, Moldova participates in the Common Maritime Agenda, 
the  EU  sea-basin  strategy  for  the  development  of  a  sustainable  blue  economy  in  the  Black 
Sea. It is moderately active in the implementation of its priorities, with a strong commitment 
at  the grassroots  level.  Moldova is  encouraged to continue its  positive regional cooperation 
under  the  Common  Maritime  Agenda  with  the  other  participating  countries,  as  well  as  to 
strengthen its ownership of and commitment to the initiative. 

Chapter 22: Regional policy and coordination of structural instruments  

Regional  policy  is  the  EU’s  main  tool  for  reducing  regional  disparities  and  investing  in 
sustainable  and  inclusive  socio-economic  growth.  It  is  operating  through  “shared 
management”  between  the  Commission  and  EU  Member  States.  The  implementation  of 
cohesion  policy  programmes  requires  appropriate  administrative  capacity  on  programme 
and  project  level,  the  establishment  of  systems  of  sound  financial  management  and  control 
and  also  the  fulfilment  of  other  EU  acquis  elements  such  as  environmental  or  public 
procurement legislation. 

110 

 
 
Moldova is at an early stage of preparation in the area of regional policy. Limited progress 
was made in the reporting period. Moldova's legislative framework is partially aligned with the 
EU  acquis  in  areas.  Moldova’s  administrative  capacity  and  experience  is  insufficient  to  meet 
the  requirements  of  EU  regional  policy  in  implementing  large-scale  funds.  Regional 
development and cohesion are hampered by the inefficient administrative-territorial structure.  

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular: 

→  operationalise  the  IT  system  through  which  mature  investment  projects  are  submitted  for 

approval; 

→  ensure sufficient administrative capacity for the whole implementation of the cross border 

and transnational cooperation (Interreg) programmes; 

→  set up audit structures specialised in auditing European funds. 

On the legislative framework, the country still needs to align itself with the core legislative 
parts of the EU cohesion policy framework. 

The current institutional framework is outlined in the Law on regional development but is 
to  be  aligned  to  the  needs  of  cohesion  policy.  The  National  Coordination  Council  for 
Regional and Local Development is responsible for regional development policy at national 
level. The regional development councils are responsible for regional development policy at 
local level. 

The Ministry of Finance is the national coordinating authority for external assistance with the 
State  Chancellery  being  responsible  for  monitoring  technical  assistance  projects.  Sectoral 
coordination takes place at ministry level. A definition of tasks and responsibilities among the 
bodies involved in managing external assistance is in place. In order to ensure that the needs 
are most efficiently addressed through external assistance, cooperation between the Ministry 
of Finance and the State Chancellery should be further strengthened.  

The  Ministry  of  Finance  has  set  up  the  necessary  administrative  structures  for  the 
implementation of the cross border and transnational cooperation (Interreg) programmes. For 
the  effective  functioning  of  national  authority  structures  for  Interreg  programmes,  the 
Ministry  of  Finance  should  ensure  sufficient  administrative  capacity  during  the  whole 
implementation of these multiannual programmes.  

Overall, administrative capacity is still low. Specific expertise on planning, implementation 
and monitoring under shared management (beyond cross-border cooperation) is very limited. 
The  country  does  not  have  a  comprehensive  plan  to  build  and  maintain  administrative 
capacity  to  implement  cohesion  policy,  including  capacity-building  needs  assessments  and 
training measures. The significant disparities in the provision of basic services between urban 
and rural areas persisted during the reporting period.  

Multiannual  programming  takes  place  via  the  government-approved  medium-term  budget 
framework.  This  sets  the  financial  resources  for  three  years  for  the  National  Fund  for 
Regional  and  Local  Development  and  for  contributions  to  projects  financed  by  external 
sources.  

A national regional development strategy for 2022-2028 and a separate national programme 
for  the  development  of  cities  as  growth  poles  exist.  The  National  Fund  for  Regional  and 
Local  Development  is  the  main  source  of  funding  for  regional  and  local  development 
projects. 

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In  February  2023,  the  government  adopted  the  national  development  plan  for  2023-2025. 
Implementation of this plan is based on the national development strategy ‘Moldova 2030’, 
and  considers  recommendations  made  in  the  context  of  Moldova’s  accession  to  the  EU. 
Instruments  to  finance  local  and  regional  projects  by  the  government  are  fragmented.  The 
pipeline of mature investment projects is being made operational with the support of an EU-
funded  project.  It  will  involve  a  first  set  of  public  investment  project  proposals  being 
appraised  in  line  with  the  eligibility  criteria  set  out  in  a  newly  adopted  regulation.  New 
regulation defining the procedure for submission was adopted during the reporting period, but 
the IT system through which the project proposals are to be submitted is not yet operational. 
Moldova does not  monitor and evaluate public investment  programmes  as laid down in  the 
Common Provisions Regulation. 

There  is  limited  financial  management  and  control  system  for  EU  funds  in  place  with 
exception of Moldova’s regulation on the implementation of EU-funded Interreg programmes 
for which the national structures are being set up for the 2021-2027 programming period. On 
audit, Moldova does not have an audit structure specialised only in auditing European funds, 
a  requirement  for  alignment  with  the  EU  acquis,  except  for  the  audit  of  the  Interreg 
programmes.  The Court of Accounts monitors the planning, management and use of public 
financial  resources  and  has  been  part  of  the  group  of  auditors  performing  audit  of  cross-
border  and  transnational  cooperation  programmes  but  lacks  sufficient  resources  or  targeted 
training.  

Chapter 33: Financial and budgetary provisions  

This  chapter  covers  the  rules  governing  the  funding  of  the  EU  budget  (‘own  resources’). 
These resources mainly consist of: (i) contributions based on the gross national income of 
each Member State; (ii) customs duties; (iii) the non-recycled plastic resource; and (iv) a 
the  appropriate 
resource  based  on  value-added 
administrative  capacity  to  adequately  coordinate  and  ensure  the  correct  calculation, 
collection, payment and control of own resources. 

tax.  Member  States  must  have 

Preparations under this chapter are at an early stage. Limited progress was achieved in the 
reporting  period.  Amendments  adopted  in  March  2023  to  the  customs  legislation  will 
increase  alignment  with  the  EU  acquis.  The  institutional  environment  required  for  an 
efficient own resources system has yet to be set up. 

In the coming year Moldova should in particular: 

→  engage in capacity-building activities on the traditional own resources system in the EU;  

→  set  up  a  coordinating  body  to  implement  the  administrative  processes  for  an  own 

resources system. 

Basic principles and institutions in the underlying policy areas affecting own resources are 
linked  to  progress  under  other  chapters  such  as  16:  Taxation,  18:  Statistics,  29:  Customs 
union and 32: Financial control. 

Some  progress  was  made  on  traditional  own  resources  with  amendments  to  the  customs 
legislation, which is  now largely  aligned with  the EU  acquis and will enter into force on 1 
January  2024.  This  will  help  prepare  traditional  own  resources,  namely  customs  duties. 
Moldova has electronic systems in place for levying customs duties (and VAT) at the point of 
import,  as  well  as  for  accounting  and  management  of  debts.  It  operates  a  national  VAT 
system.  Nevertheless,  the  IT  infrastructure  should  be  upgraded  as  a  basis  for  creating  a 
traditional own resources system. 

112 

 
 
On  the  VAT-based  resource,  calculation  of  the  VAT  base  and  the  weighted  average  rate  is 
partial. The country does not have adequate measures in place to combat VAT and customs 
duties fraud, in particular those affected by the non-observed economy (non-VAT taxpayers 
trading  goods,  etc.).  Legislation  on  structure,  exemptions,  deductions,  special  schemes  and 
the scope of reduced rates is not fully aligned with the EU acquis.  

On  gross  national  income,  Moldova  compiles  national  accounts  and  calculates  gross 
national income, including an estimation of the non-observed economy. It also makes some 
estimates  on  plastic  waste  generation  and  the  quantity  of  plastic  waste  recycled  at  national 
level, which is based on reports provided by authorised waste management companies. The 
underlying  policy  is  not  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis,  especially  the  compilation  of  the 
national  accounts  and  gross  national  income  currently  based  on  the  definitions  and 
accounting  rules  of  the  UN  System  of  National  Accounts  2008  and  not  the  European  ESA 
2010  standards.  There  has  been  no  progress  on  the  changeover  to  ESA  2010,  national  data 
collection or the calculation of non-recyclable plastic.  

On  administrative  infrastructure,  the  Ministry  of  Finance  has  overall  responsibility  for 
financial  and  budgetary  issues.  Moldova  has  yet  to  set  up  the  institutions  for  the  own 
resources system, an own resource coordination body and implementing rules for alignment 
with  EU  requirements.  No  training  has  been  organised  on  implementing  the  own  resources 
system. 

CLUSTER 6: EXTERNAL RELATIONS 

There are two chapters in this cluster: External relations (Chapter 30); Foreign, security and 
defence policy (Chapter 31).  

In this cluster, Moldova is moderately prepared in the chapter of external relations where it 
made some progress during the reporting period. In the chapter of common, foreign, security 
and  defence  policy,  the  country  is  in  between  moderate  and  good  level  of  preparation  and 
made good progress. Moldova’s alignment with declarations by the High Representative on 
behalf of the EU and Council Decisions was 54% and has increased to 78% in 2023.  

Chapter 30: External relations 

The  EU  has  a  common  commercial  policy 
third  countries,  based  on 
multilateral and bilateral agreements and autonomous measures. There are also EU rules in 
the field of humanitarian aid and development policy. 

towards 

Moldova is moderately prepared in the area of external relations and made some progress 
during  the  reporting  period.  On  bilateral  trade,  free  trade  agreement  negotiations  with  the 
European  Free  Trade  Association  were  concluded.  Further  action  is  expected  on 
administrative  capacity  and  alignment  with  the  EU  acquis  on  dual-use  export  controls  and 
export credits. 

In the coming year, Moldova should in particular:  

→  finalise aligning the national legislation on export controls for dual-use items with the EU 

acquis; 

→  set out legal framework on international cooperation, development and humanitarian aid 

towards non-EU countries, aligned with EU policies and principles. 

On the common commercial policy, Moldova coordinated its positions and aligned itself to 
the initiatives promoted or supported by the EU in the WTO. This includes alignment with all 
joint  statement  initiatives,  namely  the  Joint  Initiative  on  Electronic  Commerce,  the  Joint 

113 

 
 
Initiative  on  Investment  Facilitation  for  Development,  the  Joint  Initiative  on  Micro,  Small 
and  Medium-Sized  Enterprises,  and  the  Joint  Initiative  on  Services  Domestic  Regulation. 
Additionally,  Moldova  aligned  itself  with  the  Trade  and  Environmental  Sustainability 
Structured Discussions and the Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender. Moldova also 
made  progress  in  meeting  its  commitments  in  trade  facilitation  and  intellectual  propriety 
rights.  

Under  the  decision  of  the  Commission  for  Extraordinary  Situations,  starting  from  1  March 
2022,  sugar  exports  were  banned  to  ensure  food  security  amid  the  multiple  crises  in  the 
region.  Moldova  is  examining  the  possibility  to  remove  the  ban  and  resume  sugar  exports; 
export restrictions previously imposed on certain agricultural products (wheat and corn) and 
medical  products  have  been  lifted.  Amendments  to  the  Law  on  internal  trade,  introducing 
50%  local  content  requirements  and  discriminating  against  foreign  manufacturers,  were 
repealed in June 2022. 

On export controls of dual-use items, some progress has been noted with Moldova starting to 
align  its  legislation  with  the  EU  Regulation  on  the  control  of  exports,  brokering,  technical 
assistance, transit and transfer of dual-use items.  

On  trade  defence  instruments,  Moldova  has  legislation  in  place  on  anti-dumping, 
countervailing  and  safeguard  measures.  During  the  reporting  period,  the  country  did  not 
apply  any  trade  defence  instruments.  On  export  credits,  Moldova  does  not  grant  export 
subsidies or export credit, and it has no export insurance programmes.  

On bilateral trade agreements with third countries, in March 2023, Moldova concluded free 
trade  agreement  (FTA)  negotiations  with  the  European  Free  Trade  Association.  This  is 
expected to enter into force on 1 January 2024.  

In total Moldova has 43 bilateral investment treaties in force, including with 19 of which are 
with  EU Member States. The legislative framework for screening foreign direct investment 
to protect investments in areas of importance for state security is in place. 

On development policy and humanitarian aid, Moldova is a recipient of aid rather than a 
donor. It does not have a development policy or provide structured technical assistance to any 
partner  countries.  Although  Moldova  has  legislation  on  humanitarian  aid,  there  is  no 
dedicated  structure  or  budget  to  implement  it.  There  is  also  no  legal  framework  for  non-
governmental  organisations  to  provide  humanitarian  assistance.  During  the  state  of 
emergency  following  Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine,  special  conditions  for 
providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine were adopted by the Parliament and are supported by 
the  June  2023  adoption  of  temporary  protection  measures.  Following  the  February 
earthquakes  and  on  Türkiye’s  request,  Moldova  delivered  in-kind  assistance  and  a  team  of 
rescuers, emergency vehicles and search dogs. 

Chapter 31: Foreign, security and defence policy  

Member States must be able to conduct political dialogue under the EU foreign, security and 
defence  policy,  align  with  EU  statements,  take  part  in  EU  actions,  and  apply  agreed 
sanctions and restrictive measures.  

Moldova  is  in  between moderate  and good level  of preparedness  in  the area of common 
foreign,  security  and  defence  policy.  Good  progress  was  made  in  the  reporting  period. 
Moldova’s alignment rate with relevant declarations by the High Representative on behalf of 
the  EU  and  Council  decisions  increased.  Following  Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against 
Ukraine,  Moldova  aligned  with  EU  positions  in  international  fora,  including  in  the  UN 
General Assembly (UNGA). In 2023, Moldova started its gradual alignment with some of the 
114 

 
 
EU  restrictive  measures  related  to  Russia/  Russian  activities  abroad.  Moldova  continued  to 
participate in EU crisis management missions and operations under the common security and 
defence policy. 

In the coming year, the country should in particular: 

→  continue to further increase the alignment rate with the EU common foreign and security 
policy (CFSP) and ensure the implementation of restrictive measures stemming from EU 
alignment; 

→  continue  its  efforts  to  counter  hybrid  threats  and  enhance  its    resilience,  including  by 
following  up  on  the  recommendations  from  the  hybrid  risk  survey  and  implementing 
actions in line with a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. 

The  political  dialogue  between  the  EU  and  Moldova  on  foreign  and  security  policy 
continued, including in the framework of the EU-Moldova Association Council. The annual 
consultations  on  security  and  defence  took  place  in  autumn  2022,  and  the  second  EU-
Moldova high-level political and security dialogue was held in Brussels in March 2023. 

On  the  common  foreign  and  security  policy  (CFSP),  in  2022,  Moldova’s  alignment  rate 
with  relevant  statements  of  the  High  Representative  on  behalf  of  the  EU  and  Council 
decisions on restrictive measures was 54%. As of August 2023, the alignment rate improved 
to  78%  Moldova  expelled  22  Russian  diplomats  and  23  Russian  embassy  support  staff 
members, limiting the embassy’s staff by two thirds. 

Moldova’s  Ministry  of  Foreign  Affairs  and  European  Integration  has  the  appropriate 
structures  in  place  to  participate  in  the  common  foreign  and  security  policy.  Within  the 
ministry, Moldova has a state secretary for security and horizontal issues, and another state 
secretary for EU integration.  

On  restrictive  measures,  following  Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine,  Moldova 
did  not  align  with  the  EU  restrictive  measures  against  Russia  and  Belarus  and  related 
statements  by  the  High  Representative  on  behalf  of  the  EU,  but  the  authorities  have 
committed  not  to  allow  the  EU  sanctions  to  be  circumvented.  In  2023,  Moldova  started  its 
gradual  alignment  with  some  of  the  EU  restrictive  measures  targeting  Russia/  Russian 
activities abroad, such as two EU Council decisions targeting the Wagner group under the EU 
Global Human Rights Sanctions regime, as well as the restrictive measures in response to the 
illegal  recognition,  occupation  or  annexation  by  the  Russian  Federation  of  certain  non-
government  controlled  areas  of  Ukraine.  More  work  is  needed  to  align  with  EU  restrictive 
measures and enhance the robustness of their implementation including by strengthening the 
national authorities in charge of this action.  

Moldova  has  aligned  itself  with  international  and  EU  initiatives  in  support  of  Ukraine, 
including  on  Resolutions  adopted  by  the  United  Nations  General  Assembly,  the  Human 
Rights Council, the Council of Europe.  

Moldova  cooperates  constructively  in  international  fora  and  is  a  member  of  multiple 
international  organisations  Moldova  ratified  the  Rome  Statute  of  the  International 
Criminal Court. 

On  disarmament  and  non-proliferation,  Moldova  participates  in  some,  but  not  all, 
international export control arrangements and instruments on non-proliferation. It participates 
in the Proliferation Security Initiative and the Hague Code of Conduct. Moldova is party to 
the Arms  Trade Treaty.  Moldova is  not  a participant  to  Wassenaar Arrangement, neither to 

115 

 
 
other multilateral export control nor non-proliferation regimes and is yet to join the Australia 
Group. Moldova does not have a separate national strategy for small arms and light weapons.  

On security measures, the EU-Moldova Agreement on security procedures for the exchange 
and protection of classified information  was operationalised prior to  the reporting period in 
January 2021.  

Security and defence cooperation has substantially increased over the past year, including in 
the framework of the European Peace  Facility, addressing hybrid threats  and cybersecurity, 
countering disinformation and strengthening strategic communication.  

As regards common security and defence policy (CSDP), Moldova has participated in EU 
crisis  management  missions  and  operations  under  CSDP  since  2014,  notably  in  the  EU 
Military  Advisory  Mission  in  Central  African  Republic,  and  the  EU  Training  Mission  in 
Mali.  Moldova  has  expressed  interest  to  contribute  to  operation  ALTHEA  in  Bosnia  and 
Herzegovina, and in the EU Training Mission in Somalia and was invited to do so. Moldova 
actively contributes to UN missions. Moldova continues to contribute to NATO-led and UN 
mandated KFOR mission in Kosovo. 

Regarding hybrid threats, Moldova completed the relaunched the EU hybrid risk survey in 
2023 with the objective of identifying systemic vulnerabilities and streamlining the assistance 
provided by the EU in this field. Moldova initiated the implementation of a range of measures 
to  increase  its  resilience  and  improve  its  ability  to  counter  hybrid  threats,  in  line  with  the 
recommendations from the hybrid risk survey.  

116 

 
 
 
 
ANNEX I – RELATIONS BETWEEN THE EU AND MOLDOVA 

On 3 March 2022, the Republic of Moldova presented its application for membership of the 
European Union. The European Council granted European perspective and candidate status 
to Moldova  in June 2022, on the understanding that nine steps identified in the Commission's 
opinion on the membership application, are taken.  

The  EU  and  Moldova  signed  an  Association  Agreement,  including  a  Deep  and 
Comprehensive Free Trade Area, in 2014, which fully entered into force in July 2016. The 
AA/DCFTA is the bilateral legal instrument serving as the basis for political association and 
economic integration between the EU and Moldova. Overall, Moldova continued to broadly 
implement  its  obligations.  Regular  political  and  economic  dialogue  between  the  EU  and 
Moldova  has  continued  through  the  AA/DCFTA  structures,  which  alsoinclude  various  sub-
committees. The last EU-Moldova Association Committee meeting took place in June 2022 
and the latest EU-Moldova Association Council in February 2023. The 9th meeting of the EU-
Moldova Association Committee in Trade Configuration took place on 29 November 2022, 
The EU-Moldova Parliamentary Association Committee held a meeting in March 2023.  

Trade  relations  with  the  EU  improved  after  the  entry  into  force  of  the  DCFTA  and  have 
intensified since the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, a Moldova has re-
oriented many exports towards the EU. With the application of autonomous trade measures 
since July 2022, the EU unilaterally granted additional tariff rate quotas for a number of all 
agricultural products for 12 months and in July 2023 this measure was extended to remove all 
outstanding tariffs under the DCFTA for another year. 

In light of Moldova’s candidate status, the EU and Moldova agreed on a Priority Action Plan 
in June 2023 with the objective of accelerating implementation of the DCFTA and improving 
Moldova’s  access  to  the  EU  internal  market,  paving  the  way  towards  full  accession  in  the 
future.  

In addition to the AA/DCFTA structures, a Human Rights Dialogue with Moldova is in place 
since 2010 and convenes annually. The High-Level Energy Dialogue continued its biannual 
meetings  during  the  reporting  period,  and  the  High-Level  Strategic  and  Security  Dialogue 
was held in March 2023. 

The  EU  remains  fully  committed  to  support  a  comprehensive,  peaceful  and  sustainable 
settlement  of the Transnistrian conflict,  based on the sovereignty  and territorial  integrity of 
the Republic of Moldova in its internationally recognised borders, with a special status for the 
Transnistrian region. The DCFTA applies to the entire territory of Moldova. 

Citizens of Moldova enjoy visa free travel  to the Schengen area as of April 2014. As part of 
the visa liberalisation monitoring mechanism, the Commission  has been regularly  assessing 
the  progress  made  by  the  country  in  implementing  reforms  introduced  under  the  visa 
roadmap. The Commission’s sixth report  under the Visa Suspension Mechanism, published 
in  October  2023,    concluded  that  Moldova  continues  to  take  action  to  address  the 
recommendations  from  the  previous  year’s  report.  A  readmission  agreement  entered  into 
force  in  January  2018.The  EU  has  deployed  considerable  resources  under  the  common 
foreign and security policy by launching an EU Partnership Mission to Moldova (EUPM) in 
May  2023  and  providing  assistance  to  the  Moldovan  Armed  Forces  through  the  European 
Peace  Facility.  In  addition,  the  EU  has  put  in  place  a  dedicated  sanctions  regime  targeting 
individuals who try to destabilise Moldova. 

Regarding bilateral financial assistance, the indicative bilateral allocation for Moldova for 
the period 2021-2024 amounts to EUR 260 million under the Neighbourhood, Development 

117 

 
 
and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe 2021-2027 (NDICI-GE). As part 
of  the  2022  bilateral  envelope,  the  Action  EU4  Resilience  and  Governance  was  adopted  in 
December 2022 with an amount of EUR 40 million and focuses on good governance, stability 
and  peace,  as  well  as  providing  opportunities  for  all  in  an  inclusive  manner.  The  bilateral 
annual  programmes  are  complemented  by  a  package  of  multi-country  and  regional 
programmes,  supporting  the  energy  sector,  strengthening  border  management  and  assisting 
with  migration,  security  more  widely,  as  well  as  TAIEX  and  competitiveness  programmes 
together with International Financial Institutions and International Organisations. To facilitate 
the  development  of  a  robust  labour  market,  and  of  public  procurement  in  the  country, 
Moldova  is  participating  as  an  observer  in  two  pilot  projects  under  the  Technical  Support 
Instrument. 

Since its launch in 2009, Moldova has participated in the Eastern Partnership (EaP). This 
overarching  framework  has  further  boosted  bilateral  and  regional  relations  with  the  EU. 
Under  the  Eastern  Partnership  Economic  and  Investment  Plan  (EIP),  the  EU  aims  to 
mobilise  up  to  EUR  1.6  billion  in  public  and  private  investments  for  flagship  projects  in 
Moldova. The EIP accompanies the recovery, resilience and reform priorities as agreed after 
the  2021  Eastern  Partnership  Summit.  The  core  of  these  investments  support  the  five 
flagships  identified  in  cooperation  with  the  Moldovan  government.  These  include  direct 
support  to  Moldovan  SMEs,  supporting  the  construction  of  an  inland  Freight  Terminal  in 
Chisinau, refurbishment of district heating systems in residential buildings (in Chisinau and 
Balti),  anchoring  Moldova  in  the  Trans-European  Network  for  Transport  and  modernising 
school  infrastructure.  The  EU  is  committed  to  progressing  under  these  flagships  in  close 
cooperation with Moldovan authorities. So far, EUR 600 million have been allocated in key 
sectors such as supporting SMEs, energy efficiency and investments in Solidarity Lanes.  

These  aforementioned  activities  are  built  on  and  added  to  the  regional  programmes  under 
European  Neighbourhood  Instrument  2014-2020,  which  was  replaced  by  the  NDICI 
instrument. 

Since  2014,  Moldova  has  progressively  extended  its  participation  in  EU  programmes.  It 
has joined EU Customs, Fiscalis, LIFE, EU4Health, Horizon Europe and Connecting Europe 
Facility  (CEF).  Organisations  and  individuals  from  Moldova  can  also  benefit  from  certain 
actions of the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps Programmes. Moldova participates in 
several  Interreg  programmes  and  is  a  member  of  the  EU  macro-regional  Strategy  for  the 
Danube region. Moldova’s participation fee for EU programmes has been waived as a result 
of the impact on Moldova of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. 

118 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
STATISTICAL DATA (as of 31/08/2023) 
Moldova 

Basic data 
Population (thousand) 
Total area of the country (km²) 

National accounts 
Gross domestic product (GDP) (million national currency) 
Gross domestic product (GDP) (million euro) 
GDP (euro per capita) 
GDP per capita (in purchasing power standards (PPS)) 
GDP per capita (in PPS), relative to the EU average (EU-27 = 100) 
Real GDP growth rate: change on previous year of GDP volume (%) 
Employment growth (national accounts data), relative to the previous year (%) 
Labour productivity growth: growth in GDP (in volume) per person employed, relative to the 
previous year (%) 
Unit labour cost growth, relative to the previous year (%) 
**3 year change (T/T-3) in the nominal unit labour cost growth index (2015 = 100) 
Labour productivity per person employed: GDP (in PPS) per person employed relative to 
EU average (EU-27 = 100) 
Gross value added by main sectors 
Agriculture, forestry and fisheries (%) 
Industry (%) 
Construction (%) 
Services (%) 
Final consumption expenditure, as a share of GDP (%) 
Gross fixed capital formation, as a share of GDP (%) 
Changes in inventories, as a share of GDP (%) 
Exports of goods and services, relative to GDP (%) 
Imports of goods and services, relative to GDP (%) 
Gross fixed capital formation by the general government sector, as a percentage of GDP 
(%) 

Note 

1) 2) 
3) 

Note 
4) 
4) 
4) 
4) 

5) 

4) 
4) 

4) 
4) 
4) 
4) 
4) 
4) 
4) 
4) 
4) 

2010 
3 564 s 
33 846 w 

2017 
2 780 s 
33 847 w 

2018 
2 730 s 
33 847 w 

2019 
2 686 s 
33 847 w 

2020 
2 640 s 
33 847 w 

2021 
2 597 ps 
33 849 w 

2010 
86 275 w 
5 261 w 
1 477 w 
4 981 w 
: 
: 
-  3 sw 
11 w 

-  9 w 
128.8 sw 
: 

13.0 w 
15.9 w 
7.8 w 
63.3 w 
108.4 w 
22.5 w 
1.3 w 
27.8 w 
60.1 w 
: 

2017 
176 007 w 
8 450 w 
3 067 w 
11 410 w 
: 
4.2 w 
-  3 sw 
8 w 

0 w 
126.0 sw 
: 

14.1 w 
15.7 w 
8.6 w 
61.5 w 
101.6 w 
22.4 w 
-  0.5 w 
32.5 w 
56.1 w 
: 

2018 
189 063 w 
9 527 w 
3 519 w 
12 375 w 
: 
4.1 w 
3 sw 
1 w 

14 w 
130.5 sw 
: 

11.8 w 
15.7 w 
10.0 w 
62.5 w 
99.5 w 
23.3 w 
3.2 w 
30.7 w 
56.8 w 
: 

2019 
206 256 w 
10 484 w 
3 935 w 
13 361 w 
: 
3.6 w 
-  12 sw 
17 w 

-  4 w 
126.7 sw 
: 

11.7 w 
15.2 w 
10.1 w 
63.0 w 
100.1 w 
23.4 w 
1.7 w 
31.2 w 
56.4 w 
: 

2020 
199 734 w 
10 116 w 
3 839 w 
12 977 w 
: 
-  8.3 w 
-  4 sw 
-  4 w 

15 w 
144.8 sw 
: 

10.8 w 
15.2 w 
11.5 w 
62.5 w 
99.6 w 
24.9 w 
-  1.1 w 
27.9 w 
51.4 w 
: 

2021 
242 079 w 
11 569 w 
4 424 w 
16 069 w 
: 
13.9 w 
1 sw 
13 w 

: 
110.1 sw 
: 

12.3 w 
14.7 w 
9.3 w 
63.6 w 
100.3 w 
24.1 w 
2.8 w 
30.6 w 
57.8 w 
: 

Business 
Industrial production volume index (2015 = 100) 
Number of active enterprises (number) 
Birth rate: number of enterprise births in the reference period (t) divided by the number of 
enterprises active in t (%) 

Note 
6) 

2010 
79.6 w 
45 904 w 
13.0 w 

2017 
107.5 w 
33 718 w 
16.3 w 

2018 
111.8 w 
35 372 w 
13.7 w 

2019 
113.9 w 
36 299 w 
: 

2020 
107.1 w 
37 228 w 
: 

2021 
120.3 w 
38 783 w 
: 

 119 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Death rate: number of enterprise deaths in the reference period (t) divided by the number of 
enterprises active in t (%) 
People employed in SMEs as a share of all persons employed (within the non-financial 
business economy) (%) 
Value added by SMEs (in the non-financial business economy) (EUR million) 
Total value added (in the non-financial business economy) (EUR million) 

Inflation rate and house prices 
Consumer price index (CPI), change relative to the previous year (%) 
**Annual change in the deflated house price index (2015 = 100) 

Balance of payments 
Balance of payments: current account total (million euro) 
Balance of payments current account: trade balance (million euro) 
Balance of payments current account: net services (million euro) 
Balance of payments current account: net balance for primary income (million euro) 
Balance of payments current account: net balance for secondary income (million euro) 
Net balance for primary and secondary income: of which government transfers (million 
euro) 
**3 year backward moving average of the current account balance relative to GDP (%) 
**Five year change in share of world exports of goods and services (%) 
Net balance (inward - outward) of foreign direct investment (FDI) (million euro) 
Foreign direct investment (FDI) abroad (million euro) 
of which FDI of the reporting economy in the EU-27 countries (million euro) 
Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the reporting economy (million euro) 
of which FDI of the EU-27 countries in the reporting economy (million euro) 
**Net international investment position, relative to GDP (%) 

Year on year rate of change in gross inflow of remittances (in national currency) from 
migrant workers (%) 

Public finance 
General government deficit / surplus, relative to GDP (%) 
General government gross debt relative to GDP (%) 
Total  government revenues, as a percentage of GDP (%) 
Total government expenditure, as a percentage of GDP (%) 

Financial indicators 
Gross external debt of the whole economy, relative to GDP (%) 

6.5 w 

22.2 w 

22.1 w 

: 

: 

: 

7) 

58.7 sw 

70.6 sw 

70.3 sw 

69.4 sw 

69.9 sw 

71.1 sw 

: 
: 

2010 
7.4 w 
: 

2010 
-  363.1 w 
- 1 754.8 w 
54.0 w 
381.3 w 
956.4 w 
: 

: 
: 
218.7 w 
5.2 dw 
: 
224.0 dw 
: 
-  30.7 w 

: 
: 

2017 
6.6 w 
: 

2017 
-  493.0 w 
- 2 271.6 w 
270.1 w 
493.4 w 
1 015.0 w 
: 

: 
: 
123.1 w 
9.6 dw 
: 
132.7 dw 
: 
-  30.5 w 

: 
: 

2018 
3.0 w 
: 

2018 
- 1 026.2 w 
- 2 789.2 w 
301.4 w 
453.7 w 
1 007.9 w 
: 

: 
: 
219.7 w 
29.0 dw 
: 
248.8 dw 
: 
-  36.7 w 

: 
: 

2019 
4.8 w 
: 

2019 
-  987.8 w 
- 2 958.3 w 
326.5 w 
549.4 w 
1 094.7 w 
: 

: 
: 
418.4 w 
34.7 dw 
: 
453.1 dw 
: 
-  40.7 w 

: 
: 

2020 
3.8 w 
: 

2020 
-  778.0 w 
- 2 714.4 w 
349.1 w 
342.3 w 
1 245.0 w 
: 

: 
: 
133.4 w 
5.0 dw 
: 
138.4 dw 
: 
-  40.4 w 

: 
: 

2021 
5.1 w 
: 

2021 
- 1 435.9 w 
- 3 540.6 w 
399.1 w 
225.0 w 
1 480.7 w 
: 

: 
: 
322.7 w 
7.9 dw 
: 
330.6 dw 
: 
-  39.9 w 

14.5 dsw 

8.4 dsw 

8.0 dsw 

8.1 dsw 

9.2 dsw 

9.0 dsw 

2010 
-  2.1 ew 
22.0 w 
31.9 ew 
34.0 ew 

2017 
-  0.6 ew 
29.1 w 
29.8 ew 
30.5 ew 

2018 
-  0.8 ew 
27.2 fw 
30.2 ew 
31.0 ew 

2019 
-  1.4 ew 
25.1 w 
30.0 ew 
31.4 ew 

2020 
-  5.1 ew 
33.1 w 
30.4 ew 
35.5 ew 

2010 
67.7 sw 

2017 
67.7 sw 

2018 
66.3 sw 

2019 
61.6 sw 

2020 
65.5 sw 

2021 
0.0 ew 
32.6 w 
32.0 ew 
33.9 ew 

2021 
66.9 sw 

Note 
8) 

Note 

9) 
9) 10) 

9) 10) 

11) 
12) 
13) 
14) 

Note 

Note 
15) 
11) 

 120 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Gross external debt of the whole economy, relative to total exports (%) 
Money supply: M1 (banknotes, coins, overnight deposits, million euro) 
Money supply: M2 (M1 plus deposits with maturity up to two years, million euro) 
Money supply: M3 (M2 plus marketable instruments, million euro) 
Total credit by monetary financial institutions to residents (consolidated) (million euro) 
**Annual change in financial sector liabilities (%) 
**Private credit flow, consolidated, relative to GDP (%) 
**Private debt, consolidated, relative to GDP (%) 
Interest rates: day-to-day money rate, per annum (%) 
Lending interest rate (one year), per annum (%) 
Deposit interest rate (one year), per annum (%) 
Euro exchange rates: average of period (1 euro = … national currency) 
Trade-weighted effective exchange rate index, 42 countries (2015 = 100) 
**3 year change (T/T-3) in the trade-weighted effective exchange rate index, 42 countries 
(2015 = 100) 
Value of reserve assets (including gold) (million euro) 

241.9 w 
976.1 w 
1 538.1 w 
2 300.7 w 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
10.00 w 
4.00 w 
16.400 w 
: 
: 

206.7 w 
1 697.6 w 
2 598.9 w 
3 778.1 w 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
9.50 w 
3.50 w 
20.828 w 
: 
: 

216.0 w 
2 006.5 w 
2 989.0 w 
4 261.7 w 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
9.50 w 
3.50 w 
19.844 w 
: 
: 

197.4 w 
2 213.3 w 
3 278.1 w 
4 670.2 w 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
8.50 w 
2.50 w 
19.674 w 
: 
: 

234.4 w 
2 617.3 w 
3 592.2 w 
5 094.3 w 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
5.15 w 
0.15 w 
19.744 w 
: 
: 

218.3 w 
3 027.9 w 
4 135.3 w 
5 960.7 w 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
8.50 w 
4.50 w 
20.926 w 
: 
: 

16) 
16) 

11) 

1 296.3 w 

2 348.7 w 

2 630.2 w 

2 733.8 w 

3 082.9 w 

3 445.8 w 

External trade in goods 
Value of imports: all goods, all partners (million euro) 
Value of exports: all goods, all partners (million euro) 
Trade balance: all goods, all partners (million euro) 
Terms of trade (export price index / import price index * 100) (number) 
Share of exports to EU-27 countries in value of total exports (%) 
Share of imports from EU-27 countries in value of total imports (%) 

Demography 
Crude rate of natural change of population (natural growth rate): number of births minus 
deaths (per thousand inhabitants) 
Infant mortality rate deaths of children under one year of age (per thousand live births) 
Life expectancy at birth: male (years) 
Life expectancy at birth: female (years) 

Labour market 
Economic activity rate for persons aged 20–64: proportion of the population aged 20–64 
that is economically active (%) 
*Employment rate for persons aged 20–64: proportion of the population aged 20–64 that 
are in employment (%) 
Male employment rate for persons aged 20–64 (%) 

Note 

17) 

17) 
17) 

Note 

Note 
18) 
19) 5) 
18) 
19) 5) 
18) 
19) 5) 

2010 
2 916 w 
1 161 w 
- 1 755 sw 
103.0 sw 
41.9 sw 
43.0 sw 

2017 
4 266 w 
2 138 w 
- 2 128 sw 
103.6 sw 
60.1 sw 
48.3 sw 

2018 
4 886 w 
2 294 w 
- 2 592 sw 
99.4 sw 
65.9 sw 
48.4 sw 

2019 
5 222 w 
2 483 w 
- 2 739 sw 
98.8 sw 
64.1 sw 
48.5 sw 

2020 
4 732 w 
2 160 w 
- 2 572 sw 
113.5 sw 
66.4 sw 
45.6 sw 

2021 
6 085 w 
2 670 w 
- 2 166 sw 
110.4 sw 
62.5 sw 
46.6 sw 

2010 
-  0.9 

11.8 
64.9 
73.5 

2017 
-  0.1 ep 

2018 
-  0.9 e 

2019 
-  1.6 e 

2020 
-  3.8 ep 

2021 
: 

: 
: 
: 

: 
: 
: 

: 
: 
: 

8.7 
: 
: 

: 
: 
: 

2010 
51.2 w 

2017 
53.4 w 

2018 
54.9 w 

2019 
52.9 bw 

2020 
51.1 w 

2021 
52.8 w 

47.5 w 

51.3 w 

53.3 w 

50.2 bw 

49.1 w 

51.1 w 

48.8 w 

54.4 w 

55.9 w 

53.9 bw 

53.1 w 

55.6 w 

 121 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
18) 
19) 5) 
18) 
19) 5) 

18) 
19) 5) 
19) 5) 
19) 5) 
19) 5) 
19) 5) 

19) 
20) 5) 
19) 5) 
19) 5) 
19) 5) 
19) 5) 

Female employment rate for persons aged 20–64 (%) 

Employment rate for persons aged 55–64: proportion of the population aged 55–64 that are 
in employment (%) 
Employment by main sectors 
Agriculture, forestry and fisheries (%) 

Industry (%) 
Construction (%) 
Services (%) 
People employed in the public sector as a share of total employment, persons aged 20–64 
(%) 
People employed in the private sector as a share of total employment, persons aged 20–64 
(%) 
Unemployment rate: proportion of the labour force that is unemployed (%) 
Male unemployment rate (%) 
Female unemployment rate (%) 
Youth unemployment rate: proportion of the labour force aged 15–24 that is unemployed 
(%) 
Long-term unemployment rate: proportion of the labour force that has been unemployed for 
12 months or more (%) 
Unemployment rate for persons (aged 25–64) having completed at most lower secondary 
education (ISCED levels 0-2) (%) 
Unemployment rate for persons (aged 25–64) having completed tertiary education (ISCED 
levels 5-8) (%) 

Social cohesion 
Average nominal monthly wages and salaries (national currency) 

Index of real wages and salaries (index of nominal wages and salaries divided by the 
inflation index) (2016 = 100) 
GINI coefficient 

Poverty gap 

*Early leavers from education and training: proportion of the population aged 18–24 with at 
most lower secondary education who are not in further education or training (%) 

46.2 w 

48.4 w 

50.9 w 

46.8 bw 

45.5 w 

46.9 w 

41.6 w 

46.0 w 

48.5 w 

40.5 bw 

40.5 w 

42.6 w 

27.5 w 

35.5 w 

39.3 w 

21.0 bw 

21.1 w 

21.5 w 

12.8 w 
5.9 w 
53.8 w 
28.7 w 

11.2 w 
4.5 w 
48.8 w 
25.5 w 

11.0 w 
4.6 w 
45.1 w 
23.9 w 

14.7 bw 
7.0 bw 
57.3 bw 
29.4 bw 

14.6 w 
7.2 w 
57.1 w 
29.6 w 

14.4 w 
7.7 w 
56.4 w 
28.6 w 

71.3 w 

74.5 w 

76.1 w 

70.6 bw 

70.4 w 

71.4 w 

7.4 w 
9.1 w 
5.7 w 
17.8 w 

19) 5) 

2.3 w 

19) 5) 

6.2 w 

19) 5) 

5.2 w 

3.9 w 
4.6 w 
3.2 w 
11.9 w 

0.9 w 

3.7 w 

3.1 w 

2.9 w 
3.5 w 
2.4 w 
7.1 w 

0.8 w 

2.8 w 

5.1 bw 
5.8 bw 
4.4 bw 
10.4 bw 

0.9 bw 

8.5 bw 

3.8 w 
4.3 w 
3.3 w 
10.9 w 

0.7 w 

5.8 w 

2.9 w 

2.5 bw 

2.0 w 

3.2 w 
3.9 w 
2.5 w 
9.2 w 

0.8 w 

4.2 w 

1.7 w 

Note 
20) 
21) 

22) 
23) 
22) 
23) 
5) 

2010 
2 972 w 

2017 
5 587 w 

2018 
6 268 w 

2019 
7 234 w 

2020 
7 943 w 

2021 
8 980 w 

: 

105 w 

114 w 

126 w 

133 w 

143 w 

35 w 

35 w 

34 w 

34 bw 

35 w 

36 w 

23.5 w 

20.0 w 

19.7 w 

17.4 bw 

26.3 w 

26.1 w 

22.1 w 

19.5 w 

21.1 w 

19.0 bw 

16.9 w 

19.6 w 

Standard of living 
Number of passenger cars relative to population size (number per thousand population) 
Number of mobile phone subscriptions relative to population size (number per thousand 
population) 
Mobile broadband penetration (per 100 inhabitants) 

Note 
24) 
25) 

2010 
113.4 sw 
888.1 w 

2017 
165.6 sw 
1 633.9 w 

2018 
: 
1 656.4 w 

2019 
: 
1 678.7 w 

2020 
: 
1 564.0 w 

2021 
276.0 psw 
1 807.4 w 

25) 

: 

89.0 w 

80.8 w 

90.1 w 

90.3 w 

103.3 w 

 122 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fixed broadband penetration (per 100 inhabitants) 

25) 

: 

21 w 

23 w 

25 w 

27 w 

29 w 

Infrastructure 
Density of railway network (lines in operation per thousand km²) 

Length of motorways (kilometres) 

Innovation and research 
Public expenditure on education relative to GDP (%) 
*Gross domestic expenditure on R&D relative to GDP (%) 
Government budget appropriations or outlays on R&D (GBAORD), as a percentage of GDP 
(%) 
Percentage of households who have internet access at home (%) 

Environment 
*Index of greenhouse gas emissions,  CO2 equivalent (1990 = 100) 
Energy intensity of the economy (kg of oil equivalent per 1 000 euro GDP at 2015 constant 
prices) 
Electricity generated from renewable sources relative to gross electricity consumption (%) 
Road share of inland freight transport (based on tonne-km) (%) 

Energy 
Primary production of all energy products (thousand TOE) 
Primary production of crude oil (thousand TOE) 
Primary production of solid fuels (thousand TOE) 
Primary production of gas (thousand TOE) 
Net imports of all energy products (thousand TOE) 
Gross inland energy consumption (thousand TOE) 
Gross electricity generation (GWh) 

Agriculture 
Agricultural production volume index of goods and services (at producer prices) (2010 = 
100) 
Utilised agricultural area (thousand hectares) 
Livestock numbers: live bovine animals (thousand heads, end of period) 
Livestock numbers: live swine (thousand heads, end of period) 
Livestock numbers: live sheep and live goats (thousand heads, end of period) 
Raw milk available on farms (thousand tonnes) 
Harvested crop production: cereals (including rice) (thousand tonnes) 

Note 
26) 
27) 

Note 
4) 
4) 

22) 
23) 

Note 

Note 

Note 

28) 
28) 

2010 
34.2 sw 

2017 
34.0 sw 

2018 
34.0 sw 

2019 
34.0 sw 

2020 
34.0 sw 

2021 
34.0 sw 

: 

: 

: 

: 

: 

: 

2010 
7.7 sw 
0.37 sw 
: 

2017 
5.5 sw 
0.26 sw 
: 

2018 
5.6 sw 
0.26 sw 
: 

2019 
: 
0.24 sw 
: 

2020 
: 
0.24 sw 
: 

2021 
: 
0.23 sw 
: 

16.5 w 

54.4 w 

54.2 w 

60.8 bw 

64.6 w 

66.8 w 

2010 
29.4 ew 
: 

1.8 
: 

2010 
523 
11 
0 
0 
1 967 s 
2 538 
1 064 

2010 
: 

1 940.1 w 
216.0 w 
478.5 w 
: 
: 
: 

2017 
29.2 ew 
: 

2.1 
: 

2017 
769 
5 
0 
0 
2 086 s 
2 850 
896 

2017 
: 

: 
167.4 w 
406.4 w 
: 
: 
: 

2018 
30.7 ew 
: 

2.6 
: 

2018 
798 
5 
0 
0 
2 219 s 
2 988 
954 

2018 
: 

: 
144.8 w 
397.3 w 
: 
: 
: 

2019 
30.5 ew 
: 

3.0 
: 

2019 
668 
5 
0 
0 
2 174 s 
2 840 
941 

2019 
: 

: 
123.7 w 
396.6 w 
: 
: 
: 

2020 
30.5 ew 
: 

3.1 
: 

2020 
682 
5 
0 
0 
2 103 s 
2 715 
983 

2020 
: 

: 
108.9 w 
339.5 w 
: 
: 
: 

2021 
: 
: 

3.6 
: 

2021 
762 
5 
0 
0 
2 306 s 
3 009 
1 131 

2021 
: 

: 
104.1 w 
347.9 w 
: 
: 
: 

 123 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Harvested crop production: sugar beet (thousand tonnes) 
Harvested crop production: vegetables (thousand tonnes) 

28) 
28) 

837.6 w 
341.2 w 

876.3 w 
309.7 w 

707.2 w 
283.3 w 

607.0 w 
307.2 w 

423.2 w 
226.8 w 

757.8 w 
232.0 w 

Source: Eurostat and/or the statistical authorities in Moldova 

  b = break in series 
  d =  definition differs 
  e = estimated value 

f = forecast 
  p = provisional 

s = Eurostat estimate 

  w= data supplied by and under the responsibility of the national statistical authority and published on an "as is" basis and without any assurance as regards their quality 

and adherence to EU statistical methodology 
* = Europe 2020 indicator 
** = Macroeconomic Imbalance Procedure (MIP) indicator 

  Footnotes: 

Including data from the Transnistrian region. 
Including wetlands. 

1)  As of the end of the year. 
2) 
3) 
4)  Based on 2008 SNA. 
5)  From 2019 LFS is carried out on a new sampling plan and according to the revised definition of employment. 
6)  Starting with 2016 the Industrial production volume index are adjusted seasonally by number of working days and seasonality, the time series was corrected 
7) 

In accordance with the Law no. 206 of July 7, 2006 'Regarding support of small and medium-sized enterprises', Small and medium-sized enterprises includes enterprises with less than 
250 persons employed (annual average) and annual turnover of not more than 50 million Lei and with total assets (fixed assets and current assets) of not more than 50 million lei. 

8)  Consumer price inflation 
9)  Converted from USD to EUR using annual average exchange rates, according to the National Bank of Moldova. 

10)  The definition of direct investment corresponds to the definition provided by Eurostat, but these flows shouldn't be called "inward" and "outward", because the definition actually 

describes assets and liabilities. 

11)  Converted from USD to EUR using end-of-year exchange rates, according to the National Bank of Moldova. 
12)  GDP according to SNA 2008 
13)  Personal transfers. 

Based on 2008 SNA. 

14)  Personal transfers. 
15)  Converted from USD to EUR using end-of-year exchange rates, according to the National Bank of Moldova. 

Based on 2008 SNA. 

16)  The rate is established by the National Bank of Moldova (NBM) starting from 2001. The NBM applies the interest "corridor" method: the highest rate is applied on overnight credits, the 

lowest one on overnight deposits. End-of year values. 
January to August. 
17) 
18) 
Including persons producing goods for own consumption. 
19)  From 2014 data estimated using the usually resident population 
20) 
21) 
22)  Data was recalculated for number of population with usual residence 
23)  Based on the estimation of the indicators was used the number of population with usual residence. Starting with 2019, the data are not comparable to the previous period, as the HBS 

Includes economic units in the real sector with 20 or more employees and all institutions in the budgetary sector regardless of the number of employees. 
Includes units with 1 and more employee. 

methodology was modified. 

 124 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Including other sources (liquefied gas, compressed natural gas, others). 

24) 
25)  The data presented for the years 2014-2020 have been revised, especially following the adjustment of some data from administrative sources used to produce statistics. 
26) 

27) 

Including the Transnistrian region. 
As of the end of the year. 
Including the Transnistrian region. 
As of the end of the year. 
Including wetlands. 

28)  Without the data from the Transnistrian region 

 125 

 
 
 126