COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Republic of Moldova 2025 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 2025 Communication on EU enlargement policy
Date: 2025-11-04
Institutions: Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood, European Commission
Subjects: Moldova, accession criteria, accession negotiations, pre-accession strategy, regional cooperation

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 4.11.2025  SWD(2025) 758 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Republic of Moldova 2025 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 2025 Communication on EU enlargement policy                                     {COM(2025) 690 final} - {SWD(2025) 750 final} - {SWD(2025) 751 final} - {SWD(2025) 752 final} - {SWD(2025) 753 final} - {SWD(2025) 754 final} - {SWD(2025) 755 final} - {SWD(2025) 756 final} - {SWD(2025) 757 final} - {SWD(2025) 759 final}  
 
 
Contents 

1. 

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

1.1 Context .............................................................................................................................................3 
1.2  Main findings of the report .........................................................................................................3 
Cluster 4: The Green agenda and sustainable connectivity .................................................................. 17 
State of play of the accession negotiations ............................................................................... 20 
1.3 

2 

CLUSTER 1: THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE ACCESSION PROCESS...................................... 22 

2.1 

2.2 

Functioning of democratic institutions and public administration reform................................ 22 
2.1.1 Democracy ...................................................................................................................... 22 
2.1.2. Public administration reform .......................................................................................... 25 
Rule of law and fundamental rights ......................................................................................... 28 
Chapter 23: Judiciary and fundamental rights ......................................................... 28 
2.2.1 
Chapter 24: Justice, freedom and security ............................................................... 46 
2.2.2 
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 ... 61 
2.4. Public procurement, statistics; financial control ........................................................................... 63 
Chapter 5 - Public procurement................................................................................................ 63 
Chapter 18 - Statistics .............................................................................................................. 64 
Chapter 32 - Financial control .................................................................................................. 65 

3. GOOD NEIGHBOURLY RELATIONS AND REGIONAL COOPERATION ....................................... 67 

4. ABILITY TO ASSUME THE OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERSHIP....................................................... 68 

Chapter 1 - Free movement of goods ....................................................................................... 68 
Chapter 2 - Freedom of movement for workers ....................................................................... 69 
Chapter 3 - Right of establishment and freedom to provide services ....................................... 69 
Chapter 4 - Free movement of capital ...................................................................................... 70 
Chapter 6 - Company law ......................................................................................................... 71 
Chapter 7 - Intellectual property law ........................................................................................ 71 
Chapter 8 - Competition policy ................................................................................................ 72 
Chapter 9 - Financial services .................................................................................................. 73 
Chapter 28 - Consumer and health protection .......................................................................... 74 
Cluster 3: Competitiveness and inclusive growth ................................................................................ 76 
Chapter 10 - Digital transformation and media ........................................................................ 76 
Chapter 16 - Taxation ............................................................................................................... 77 
Chapter 17 - Economic and monetary policy ........................................................................... 78 
Chapter 19 - Social policy and employment ............................................................................ 80 
Chapter 20 - Enterprise and industrial policy ........................................................................... 82 
Chapter 25 - Science and research ........................................................................................... 83 
Chapter 26 - Education and culture .......................................................................................... 84 
Chapter 29 - Customs union ..................................................................................................... 86 
Cluster 4: The Green agenda and sustainable connectivity .................................................................. 87 
Chapter 14 - Transport policy .................................................................................................. 87 
Chapter 15 - Energy ................................................................................................................. 89 
Chapter 21 - Trans-European networks .................................................................................... 90 
Chapter 27 - Environment and climate change ........................................................................ 91 
Cluster 5: Resources, agriculture and cohesion.................................................................................... 93 

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Chapter 11 - Agriculture and rural development ...................................................................... 93 
Chapter 12 - Food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy ................................................ 94 
Chapter 13 - Fisheries and aquaculture .................................................................................... 95 
Chapter 22 - Regional policy and coordination of structural instruments ................................ 96 
Chapter 33 - Financial and budgetary provisions ..................................................................... 97 
Cluster 6: External Relations ............................................................................................................... 98 
Chapter 30 - External relations ................................................................................................. 98 
Chapter 31 - Foreign, security and defence policy ................................................................... 99 

ANNEX I – RELATIONS BETWEEN THE EU AND MOLDOVA ......................................................... 101 

ANNEX II – STATISTICAL ANNEX ....................................................................................................... 103 

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1. 

INTRODUCTION1 

1.1 CONTEXT  

On 3 March 2022, the Republic of Moldova (‘Moldova’) applied for EU membership. Following the 
Commission’s recommendation in November 2023, the European Council decided in December 2023 
to  open  accession  negotiations  with  Moldova.  The  first  Intergovernmental  Conference  marking  the 
formal  launch  of  the  accession  negotiations  was  held  on  25 June  2024.  Moldova  has  continued  to 
progress  on the  path  to  EU  accession.  The  bilateral  screening  meetings,  which  began  in  July  2024, 
finished in September 2025.  

The October 2024 constitutional referendum anchored EU integration in the Moldovan Constitution. 
The  country  held  parliamentary  elections  on  28 September.  Moldova  has  continued  to  face 
unprecedented  challenges  as  a  result  of  Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine,  attempts  by 
Russia and its proxies to destabilise the country, and threats to its energy supply and security. Despite 
this, Moldova has shown resilience and commitment to reforms. The first ever EU-Moldova Summit 
was held in Chișinău on 4 July 2025, highlighting the strategic importance of Moldova’s future within 
the EU. 

As part of the Moldova Growth Plan to support economic transformation and EU integration, the EU 
has committed a substantial support package of EUR 1.9 billion from 2025-2027 through the Reform 
and Growth Facility for Moldova1, adopted in March 2025. Moldova continues to implement the EU-
Moldova  Association  Agreement  (AA),  including  the  Deep  and  Comprehensive  Free  Trade  Area 
(DCFTA). 

The EU remains fully committed to Moldova’s territorial integrity and to the peaceful resolution of 
conflict,  based  on  the  sovereignty  and  territorial  integrity  of  Moldova  within  its  internationally 
recognised borders. The DCFTA applies to the entire territory of Moldova. 

1.2  MAIN FINDINGS OF THE REPORT 

CLUSTER 1: THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE ACCESSION PROCESS  

Democracy 

The  existing  framework  provides  an  adequate  foundation  for  holding  democratic  elections,  in  line 
with  international  standards.  Both  rounds  of  the  presidential  elections  held  on  20 October  and 
3 November  2024,  the  constitutional  referendum  on  EU  accession  on  20  October,  and  the 
parliamentary  elections  on  28 September  2025  were  well-managed  despite  unprecedented  foreign 
interference, according to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)/Office for 
Democratic  Institutions  and  Human  Rights  (ODIHR).  OSCE/ODIHR  concluded  that  the  2025 
parliamentary  elections  were  competitive  and  offered  voters  a  clear  choice  among  political 
alternatives,  despite  the  aforementioned  foreign  interference.  In  addition,  extensive  disinformation, 
particularly on social media, and partisan coverage in most media hindered voters’ ability to make an 
informed decision, and decisions to ban two parties on the eve of elections limited legal certainty. The 
elections  were  held  under  the  new  provisions  of  the  Electoral  Code,  in  force  since  January  2023, 

1 This report covers the period from 1 September 2024 to 1 September 2025. It is based on input from a variety of sources, 
including contributions from the government of Moldova, 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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which was deemed a sound basis for democratic elections. Foreign interference in electoral processes 
remains a concern and Moldova worked to address it, including by strengthening legal tools such as 
the  Law  on  Combating  Electoral  Corruption,  which  needs  to  be  brought  in  line  with  European 
standards.  However,  frequent  changes  to  the  legislation  reduced  legal  certainty,  including  in  the 
context of the September elections, and are a challenge to effective implementation. Moldova should 
nevertheless  further  align  its  legislation  pertaining  to  elections  and  its  electoral  processes  with 
European and international standards and implement all unaddressed recommendations by the Venice 
Commission and OSCE/ODIHR. The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) should be provided with 
the  necessary  resources  to  ensure  it  can  function  properly,  in  particular  for  monitoring  online 
campaigning.  

Parliament can overall exercise its powers in an effective way. Further efforts are needed to increase 
parliamentary  transparency,  accountability,  integrity  and  overall  effectiveness.  This  includes 
enhancing  the  use  of  oversight  tools  and  ensuring  the  timely  and  comprehensive  publication  of 
activities,  decisions,  draft  laws  and  accompanying  documents.  Moldova  should  accelerate  the 
adoption of the Code on the Organisation and Functioning of Parliament and of the Law on the status, 
conduct  and  ethics  of  MPs.  Moldova  should  set  up  a  specialised  standing  committee  on  European 
integration  and  adopt  annual  legislative  plans.  A  broader  regulation  of  Parliament’s  responsibilities 
concerning  European  integration  efforts  is  needed,  particularly  in  relation  to  its  oversight  of  the 
government. 

The  institutional  arrangements  for    EU  integration  are  mostly  in  place.  In  May  2025,  Moldova 
adopted  the  2025-2029  National  Programme  for  the  Accession  of  Moldova  to  the  EU,  the  main 
document  for  planning  and  monitoring  the  fulfilment  of  the  obligations  arising  from  the  accession 
negotiations.  The  government  needs  to  further  strengthen  the  capacity  of  its  EU  coordination 
structures. 

The  government  continued  implementing  EU  integration  policies,  while  countering  foreign  hybrid 
activities  and  destabilisation  attempts.  Steps  were  taken  to  improve  coordination  mechanisms  for 
policy  planning  and  to  mainstream  EU  accession-related  policy  making  into  government  planning. 
Legislative  provisions  on  the  transparency  of  decision  making  should  be  implemented  more 
efficiently.  Despite  some  improvement,  the  limited  capacity  of  public  administration  impedes  fully 
efficient  policy  implementation.  The  capacity  of  ministries  to  systemically  oversee  policy 
implementation  and  address  recommendations  of  the  independent  institutions  should  be  further 
strengthened. Implementation of the local government reform should be accelerated. 

Civil  society  organisations  (CSOs)  operate  in  an  overall  enabling  environment.  The  regulatory 
framework governing the establishment and functioning of CSOs is in line with European standards, 
but  continuous  efforts  to  improve  the  transparency  in  decision-making  processes  and  public 
participation,  at  both  central  and  local  levels,  are  essential  for  the  sustainable  development  of  civil 
society. 

Public administration reform 

Moldova  has  some  level  of  preparation  in  the  area  of  public  administration  reform  and  some 
progress has been made. The Parliament approved the first two voluntary amalgamation processes by 
amending  the  law  on  territorial  organisation  of  the  country,  after  many  preparatory  and 
complementary activities undertaken at the local level in 2024/2025. Some improvements in the areas 
of  civil  service,  strategic  planning  and  policy  design,  accountability,  and  service  delivery  were 
achieved at the central level of administration. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  adopt a consistent and transparent regulatory framework for central public institutions, supported 

by effective implementing legislation; 

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→  enhance the capacities of local public administrations through consolidation mechanisms, notably 

voluntary territorial amalgamation; 

→  strengthen  the  human  resource  capacity  of  the  Ministry  of  Finance  and  consolidate  the  internal 

audit subdivisions across ministries and other central public authorities. 

 Chapter 23: Judiciary and fundamental rights 

Moldova  has  some  level  of  preparation and  has made  some  progress  in the area  of judiciary, the 
fight against corruption and fundamental rights. 

Functioning of the judiciary 

Moldova has some level of preparation in the area of the judiciary. The country made good progress 
in reforming the justice sector. The vetting and appointment of top judges and prosecutors continued. 
The  specialised  bodies  of  the  Superior  Council  of  Prosecutors  are  in  full  composition  with  vetted 
members,  while  appointments  to  the  specialised  bodies  of  the  Superior  Council  of  Magistracy  are 
ongoing.  Sufficient  resources  for  these  bodies  must  be  guaranteed  to  ensure  their  effective 
functioning. Appointments to the Supreme Court of Justice from vetted candidates are still ongoing. 
This is delaying the implementation of the new regulatory framework on the reform of the Supreme 
Court of Justice. In parallel, the vetting process for other categories of top judges and prosecutors is 
ongoing. The new judicial and prosecutorial maps have entered into force, and their implementation is 
ongoing. More efforts are needed to reduce the length of proceedings across all areas and improve low 
clearance rates, in particular in criminal cases. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and therefore remain 
valid. In the coming year, Moldova should in particular: 

→  finalise the vetting and appointment of judges especially the Supreme Court of Justice, as well as 
specialised  bodies  of  the  Superior  Council  of  Magistracy,  the  Courts  of  appeal,  and  continue 
vetting prosecutors from prosecutorial institutions including specialised prosecutors’ offices; 

→  improve the functioning of the National Institute of Justice by implementing all the outstanding 
2022  TAIEX  recommendations,  develop  human  resource  strategies  for  the  judiciary  and 
prosecution  services,  including  a  comprehensive  salary  reform,  and  implement  the  judicial  and 
prosecutorial maps;  

→  introduce  a  randomised  case  allocation  system  for  prosecutors  based  on  strict  and  objective 

criteria; 

→  significantly improve clearance rates and disposition time in courts. 

Fight against corruption 

Moldova  has  some  level  of  preparation  in  the  fight  against  corruption  and  has  achieved  some 
progress.  The  track  record  in  the  fight  against  corruption  has  improved.  On  the  prevention  of 
corruption,  Moldova  adopted  amendments  which  strengthened  the  powers  of  the  National  Integrity 
Authority  to  enhance  asset  declarations,  verifications  and  confiscations.  However,  interoperability 
between automated verification systems and state registries must still be strengthened and the services 
sufficiently staffed. A draft law to dissolve the two anti-corruption and organised crime prosecution 
institutions  and  create  a  new  specialised  prosecutor’s  office  was  discussed  in  Parliament  but  never 
adopted.  The  capacities  of  the  relevant  anti-corruption  institutions  should  be  strengthened  and  their 
cooperation  reinforced,  including  clarifying  the  respective  jurisdiction  of  territorial  prosecutor’s 
offices and the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office. Targeted risk assessments and specific measures 
are needed to address corruption in the most vulnerable sectors.  

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should in particular: 

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→  continue proactive and efficient anti-corruption investigations leading to a positive track record of 
investigations,  prosecutions  and  final  judgements  at  all  levels;  and  further  strengthen  the 
independence, integrity and operational capacity of prosecution services; 

→  amend  legislation  to  provide  for  the  mandatory  vetting  of  all  judges  of  the  specialised 
anticorruption  panels,  including  in  the  first  instance  panels  by  the  relevant  vetting  commission, 
step up cooperation between the Anti-corruption Prosecutor’s Office, the National Anti-corruption 
Centre  and  law  enforcement  agencies  and  continuously  monitor  the  capacity  of  all  institutions 
engaged  in  anti-corruption  processes  to  exercise  their  competences  and  provide  sufficient 
resources for their functioning; 

→  implement  the  ODIHR  opinion  and  guidance  on  transparency  and  accountability,  and  pending 
including  as  regards 
Group  of  States  against  Corruption  (GRECO)  recommendations 
strengthening the capacity and functioning of the National Integrity Authority (NIA) to effectively 
verify the assets and personal interests of high-level public officials and reach full alignment of 
the legal framework on whistleblower protection with the EU acquis. 

Fundamental rights 

The legislative and institutional framework is largely in place. Implementation of the national human 
rights action programme is ongoing. Detention conditions remain a concern, as does the treatment of 
people  with  disabilities  in  specialised  institutions.  Efforts  to  combat  gender-based  violence  should 
continue. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and therefore remain 
valid. In the coming year, Moldova should in particular: 

→  improve  interinstitutional  cooperation,  especially  with  the  Equality  Council  and  the  People’s 

Advocate Office, and ensure that adequate resources are available; 

→  improve  detention  conditions  to  implement  judgments  of  the  European  Court  of  Human  Rights 
and address all the recommendations of the 2023 report of the Committee on the Prevention of 
Torture, including by improving medical treatment of persons deprived of their liberty; 

→  adopt  the  National  Social  Inclusion  Programme  of  People  with  Disabilities,  step  up  safe 
deinstitutionalisation of adults and children with disabilities through community-based solutions; 
strengthen  the  institutional  capacities,  data  management,  funding  and  implementation  of  the 
national programmes on gender equality and gender-based violence.  

Freedom of expression 

Moldova between having some and a moderate level of preparation in freedom of expression and 
has made good progress, notably in adopting new legislation on access to information, implementing 
the law on the Media Subsidy Fund, amending the audiovisual media services code (AVMSC) and on 
advertising,  as  well  as  on  the  protection  of  journalists.  Rules  for  selecting  members  of  the  public 
service broadcaster and the Audiovisual Council have been reviewed. Media ownership concentration 
and political influence persist. The intimidation of journalists by private actors has increased, and no 
notable  progress  has  been  made  on  the  protection  of  journalists  in  practice.  Moldova  worked 
intensively to address  foreign interference and information manipulation (FIMI), however continuous 
vigilance  is  needed  to  ensure  that  efforts  to  counter  FIMI  are  aligned  with  European  standards  on 
freedom of expression and opinion. 

The  Commission’s  recommendations  from  last  year  were  partly  implemented  and  therefore  remain 
valid. In the coming year, Moldova should in particular: 

→  review  the  mechanism  allowing  the  withdrawal  of  the  licences  of  TV/radio  channels  under  the 
law on strategic investment to bring it in line with the EU acquis and international standards and 
extend the ownership transparency requirements to online and print media; 

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→  adopt a new Law on mass media to improve the regulatory framework on freedom of expression, 

including print and online media (transparency); 

→  ensure adequate protection of journalists against intimidation and attacks, including thorough law 

enforcement investigations. 

Chapter 24: Justice, freedom and security 

Moldova has some level of preparation in aligning with the EU acquis in the area of justice, freedom 
and security. Some progress was made during the reporting period by continuing to improve the legal 
alignment  and  to  strengthen  the  strategic  and  institutional  frameworks,  including  by  revising  the 
general  home  affairs  strategy  for  2022-2030,  as  well  as  interinstitutional  cooperation  and 
coordination. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and therefore remain 
valid. In the coming year, Moldova should in particular: 

→  adopt the Integrated State Border Management Programme 2025 – 2030 in line with the European 
IBM  methodology  to  improve  legal  and  irregular  migration  management  capacities  and 
coordination mechanisms, as well as border management; 

→  further  align  the  legal  framework  with  EU  acquis  on  preventing  and  combating  trafficking  in 

human beings and protecting victims. 

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

enabled crime. 

Fight against serious and organised crime 

Moldova  is  between  having  some  and  a  moderate  level  of  preparation  and  has  made  good 
progress  in  implementing  the  EU  acquis  in  this  area.  In  particular,  Moldova  increased  operational 
cooperation including through data exchange via SIENA. It also continued fighting against firearms 
and drugs trafficking. The objectives of the EU action plan on firearms trafficking continue to be met, 
while  the  country  also increased  the  physical  security  and stockpile  safety.  The 2026-2030  national 
policy  document  for  small  arms  and  light  weapons  control  was  adopted  in  August  2025.  Moldova 
made  progress  on  putting in  place  the legal  framework  for the  National  Drugs Observatory and  the 
national early warning system on the information exchange of new psychoactive substances. Further 
efforts are needed to ensure full operationality. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and therefore remain 
valid. In the coming year, Moldova should in particular: 

→  align relevant legislation on fight against organised crime with the EU  acquis, including on the 
investigation  and  criminalisation  of  money  laundering  as  well  as  on  asset  recovery  and 
confiscation; 

→  continue  improving  the  cooperation  with  EU  Member  States  and  EU  institutions  and  agencies 
(including data exchange via SIENA and related collection, analysis and sharing across services, 
supported  through  the  proactive  use  of  information  exchange  tools)  to  address  international 
cooperation requests; 

→  continue to operationalise the national focal point on  firearms and put in place a National Early 
Warning System on new psychoactive substances and an operational National Drugs Observatory. 

ECONOMIC CRITERIA 

The existence of a functioning market economy 

Moldova  has  some  level  of  preparation  and  has  made  good  progress  in  creating  a  functioning 
market  economy.  Despite  a  challenging  external  environment,  the  authorities  remain  committed  to 
pursuing macroeconomic stability and submitted the second economic reform programme in January 

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2025. The adoption of a law on strengthening economic governance is still pending. Economic growth 
in 2024 has stalled, with the current account deficit experiencing a significant widening as it continues 
to be affected by structural vulnerabilities. Moldova has continued advancing fiscal structural reforms, 
notably to improve public investment management and spending efficiency, while no decisive steps 
have  been  taken  to  consolidate  tax  expenditures.  The  banking  sector  remains  well  capitalised  and 
stable, and credit growth expanded; however, financial intermediation remains low. A large informal 
economy and slow progress on the reform of state-owned enterprises limits the quality of the business 
environment. Employment growth started to lose steam due to economic slowdown, while reforms to 
support female participation helped to mitigate the effect on female employment. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  pursue fiscal policy aimed at achieving prudent medium-term fiscal positions and ensuring debt 
sustainability, while increasing public investments, notably through the Growth Plan, broadening 
the  tax  base  including  through  reducing  the  scope  of  tax  expenditures  and  improving  spending 
efficiency; 

→  ensure  a  timely  implementation  of  economic  policy  reforms,    with  the  support  of  international 
financial  organisations,  encompassing  all  Growth  Plan,  EU  enlargement  and  other  economic 
policy commitments, reduce vulnerability to external shocks including through efforts to extend 
and  diversity  the  export  base  and  improve  business  regulations  and  competition  in  key  sectors 
while speeding up the state-owned enterprise reform including by finalising the digitalisation of 
the public property registry, selecting independent board members and launching the preparations 
for the privatisation of selected SOEs to implement the triage; 

→  continue  efforts  to  address  informal  employment,  including  by  identifying  ways  to  incentivise 

formal employment. 

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

Moldova is between an early stage of preparation and having some level of preparation and has 
made  some  progress  to  cope  with  competitive  pressures  and  market  forces  within  the  EU.  The 
government  has  taken  steps  to  improve  the  quality  of  education  and  expand  vocational  and 
educational training offers; however, the shortage of both low and high skilled labour, low levels of 
FDI and innovation negatively affect the country’s competitiveness. Significant efforts were made to 
improve  energy  security,  particularly  through  domestic  renewable  energy  production,  and 
in  quality 
digitalisation 
infrastructure,  remain  significant.  Integration  with the  EU  continues  to  deepen  but  Moldova’s  trade 
performance continues to be affected by its narrow export base. 

investment  needs,  notably 

increase.  However, 

levels  continue 

to 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  address the skills mismatch, notably by advancing on the curriculum and dual-education reform 

and setting up regular public-private dialogues to better assess labour market needs;  

→  increase  public  investment,  including  through  the  Growth  Plan,  especially  in  infrastructure,  to 
further  improve  energy  security,  climate  resilience  and  to  facilitate  domestic  and  cross-border 
trade;  

→  step  up  measures  to  promote  foreign  direct  investment,  especially  in  the  tradable  sectors,  and 

increase efforts to promote innovation, including by technology transfers. 

Chapter 5 - Public procurement 

Moldova has some level of preparation in the area of public procurement, and  some progress has 
been  made.  Implementation  of  the  National  Programme  for  the  Development  of  the  Public 

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Procurement System for 2023-2026 is ongoing. Legislation on concessions was adopted, and the Law 
on public-private partnerships was amended. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  develop  implementing  legislation  in  anticipation  of  the  entry  into  force  of  the  Law  on  public 

procurement in January 2027); 

→  implement the National Programme for the Development of the Public Procurement System, with 

a focus on professionalisation and centralisation; 

→  speed up the design and development of the new electronic procurement system. 

Chapter 18 - Statistics 

Moldova  has  some  level  of  preparation  on  statistics.  The  country  made  good    progress  over  the 
reporting period, in particular by presenting the results of the 2024 population and housing census and 
increasing  institutional  capacity.  The  National  Bureau  of  Statistics  (NBS)  has  strengthened  the 
integration of administrative and privately held data into statistical production. Data transmission to 
Eurostat remains limited, but with a clear upward trend continuing. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  align the produced statistics with the EU acquis, in particular the macro-economic domain;  

→  increase the use of administrative and privately held data in producing official statistics; 

→  set  up  a  functional  statistical  geodatabase  on  the  basis  of  the  2024  Population  and  Housing 

Census. 

Chapter 32 - Financial control 

Moldova  has  some  level  of  preparation  in  the  area  of  financial  control.  Good  progress  was 
achieved,  notably  with  the  ratification  of  the  1929  Geneva  Convention  on  the  suppression  of 
counterfeiting of currency. Moldova also finalised the appointment of an anti-fraud coordination body 
and  set  up  an  anti-fraud  coordination  network.  The  efficiency  of  parliamentary  oversight  of  public 
funds management needs to improve. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  ensure  the  full  organisational,  functional,  and  financial  independence  of  the  Court  of  Accounts 

(CoA) by adopting necessary legislation  

→  implement  the  newly  ratified  1929  Geneva  Convention  on  the  suppression  of  counterfeiting  of 

currency; 

→  ensure the full operationalisation of the anti-fraud coordination service (AFCOS) and the national 

anti-fraud coordination network, making them effective in practice.  

CLUSTER 2: INTERNAL MARKET 

Chapter 1 - Free movement of goods 

Moldova  is  moderately  prepared in  the  area  of  the  free movement  of  goods.  Some  progress  was 
made during the reporting period, with Moldova adopting further legislation related to the principle of 
mutual recognition of goods legally traded in the EU. Additionally, operational assessment of several 

9 

 
 
 
institutions  from  the  quality  infrastructure  sector  was  carried  out  and  Moldova  made  progress  on 
capacity building.   

The Commission’s recommendation from last year were partially implemented and remain valid.  In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  continue to screen legislation and administrative practices in 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 (CJEU) case law; 

→  align with the EU acquis on tractors (agricultural, forestry); 
→  strengthen quality infrastructure, in line with Action Plan for implementing the Industrialisation 
Program  in  standardisation,  conformity  assessment  and  accreditation.  quality  infrastructure,  in 
line  with  Action  Plan  for  implementing  the  Industrialisation  Program  in  standardisation, 
conformity assessment and accreditation. 

Chapter 2 - Freedom of movement for workers 

Moldova  has  some  level  of  preparation  in the freedom  of movement for  workers.  Good  progress 
was  made  during  the  reporting  period  by  signing  further  bilateral  agreements  on  social  security 
coordination  with  EU  Member  States  and  continuing  the  preparatory  work  to  join  the  European 
Network  of  Employment  Services  (EURES)  upon  accession.  Moldova  also  signed  a  cooperation 
agreement with the European Labour Authority. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  align national legislation with the EU acquis on access for EU citizens to the labour market 

→  conclude  additional  agreements  on  social  security  coordination,  in  particular  with  EU  Member 
States,  and  develop  IT  infrastructure  for  the  European  Health  Insurance  Card  (EHIC)  and 
Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information (EESSI), as well as administrative capacity 
in view of joining the future EESSI Network; 

→  continue the preparatory work for joining EURES upon accession, including  by reinforcing the 

Public Employment Service's IT infrastructure. 

Chapter 3 - Right of establishment and freedom to provide services 

Moldova  has  some  level  of  preparation  in  the  area  of  the  right  of  establishment  and  freedom  to 
provide services. Good progress was made, notably by further aligning with the Services Directive. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  align  its  legal  framework  with  the  Directive  on  the  recognition  of  professional  qualifications, 
especially  with  the  minimum  training  requirements  for  professions  benefiting  from  automatic 
recognition;  

→  align national legislation with the Proportionality Test Directive; 

→  align national sectoral legislation with the EU Services Directive. 

Chapter 4 - Free movement of capital 

Moldova is moderately prepared in the area of free movement of capital. Good progress was made 
during the reporting period, particularly, by strengthening the capacities of the AML Office within the 
Financial Intelligence Unit and by upgrades on three FATF recommendations. Moldova’s application 
to join the geographical scope of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) schemes was also approved 
by the European Payments Council. 

10 

 
 
The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  continue  the  gradual  liberalisation  of  capital  movements  including  on  foreign  exchange 

operations; 

→  continue strengthening the institutional capacity  of the Office for Prevention and Combating of 
Money  Laundering  within  the  Financial  Intelligence  Unit  and  enforce  sanctions  for  non-
compliance with beneficial ownership obligations; 

→  continue  addressing 

the  FATF 
Recommendations  and  introduce  further  legislative  and  institutional  reforms  to  facilitate 
AML/CFT regulation and supervision of virtual asset service providers. 

technical  deficiencies 

remaining 

identified 

the 

in 

Chapter 6 - Company law 

Moldova  has  some  level  of  preparation  in  company  law.  Good  progress  was  made  during  the 
reporting  period,  including  advancing  on  the  implementation  of  the  roadmap  for  strengthening  the 
administrative capacity of the Public Services Agency, the updated State Register of Legal Entities, 
amendments  to  national  legislation  on  shareholder  rights,  single  member  companies,  financial 
reporting and audit legislation, company reporting and transparency on capital markets. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  revise legislation on insolvency and bankruptcy procedures.  

→  align with the EU acquis on takeover bids, cross-border conversions, mergers and divisions,  

→  improve the capacity and independence of the audit oversight systems. 

Chapter 7 - Intellectual property law 

Moldova is moderately prepared in the area of intellectual property rights (IP). Some progress was 
made  during  the  reporting  period,  notably  on  copyright  and  related  rights.  The  State  Agency  on 
Intellectual  Property (AGEPI)  continued  cooperation with  the  European  Union  Intellectual  Property 
Office (EUIPO).  

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  adopt legislation to improve the enforcement of IPR; 

→  improve collective rights management to safeguard appropriate royalty payments; 

→  increase the administrative and institutional capacity of the AGEPI and continue to take advantage 
of collaboration with the EUIPO to improve aligning legislation and enhancing enforcement. 

Chapter 8 - Competition policy 

Moldova has some level of preparation in the area of competition policy. Some progress was made 
during the reporting period, notably with the further amendments to the Law on competition and to 
the legislative framework on antitrust, mergers and State aid through the adoption of regulations on 
the Competition Council and merger control. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→ 

further align the legislative framework with the EU acquis on antitrust and mergers, in particular 
on the dismissal of the members of the Board of the Competition Council and the level of fines 
which  can  be  imposed  and  the  overall  empowerment  of  the  Competition  Council  to  be  more 
effective enforcers;  

11 

 
 
→ 

further align the legislative framework with the EU acquis on State aid, increase the transparency 
of State aid, further align State aid schemes in place with the EU acquis and ensure the state aid 
registry is updated and fully operational, requiring all state aid, including de minimis aid, to be 
reported digitally; 

→  continue to  strengthen  the administrative  and  institutional  capacity  of  the  Competition  Council 
including  by  deploying  an  e-case  management  system  and  integrating  forensic  IT  tools  for 
inspections consistent with EU standards while also by ensuring adequate resources, training, and 
autonomy to effectively enforce competition laws. 

Chapter 9 - Financial services 

Moldova has some level of preparation in the area of financial services. It made some progress in 
the reporting period by adopting central bank regulations to partially align with the EU Solvency II 
Directive. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  continue efforts to align legislation with the EU  acquis related to the regulation of the banking 

sector, including bank recovery and resolution and bank deposit guarantee schemes; 

→  advance  efforts  for  alignment  with  the  EU  acquis  on  insurance  and  occupational  pensions, 

including Solvency II and the Motor Insurance Directive; 

→  continue efforts to align legislation with the EU acquis on securities markets, investment funds 

and investment services, financial market infrastructure and digital finance. 

Chapter 28 - Consumer and health protection 

Moldova  is  between  having  some  and  a  moderate  level  of  preparation  in  consumer  and  health 
protection.  Some  progress  was  achieved  by  launching  the  European  Consumer  Centre  and 
developing  digital  tools  for  improving  the  collaboration  between  the  authorities,  such  as  the  single 
phone number for consumers and the e-petitions platform. The national legislation was aligned with 
General Product Safety Regulation. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

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

→ 

improve the quality of healthcare by implementing the National Health Strategy, with a focus on 
the digitalisation of health services and protection of personal data; 

→  continue tackling the geographical and socio-economic divide in health services and ensure access 
for  the most  vulnerable  groups  (people  with  disabilities,  older  people,  Roma,  women,  as  well  as 
people  with  multiple  layers  of  vulnerability)  by  continuing  to  invest  in  rural  healthcare  and  in 
retaining human capital. 

CLUSTER 3: COMPETITIVENESS AND INCLUSIVE GROWTH 

Chapter 10 - Digital transformation and media 

Moldova  has  some  level  of  preparation  in  the  area  of  digital  transformation  and  media.  Good 
progress was made during the reporting period as the government continued to implement the Digital 
Transformation Strategy 2023-2030 (MDTS) and notable progress was made on all key performance 
indicators.  Legislative  advancements  were  made  in  alignment  with  the  EU  roaming  acquis  and  EU 

12 

 
 
 
electronic  identification  requirements,  while  a  normative  framework  for  the  implementation  of  the 
cybersecurity law was approved. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→ 

implement  the  secondary  legislation  of  the  EU  roaming  acquis,  including  the  European 
Electronic Communication Code, to allow for the integration of Moldova into the EU ‘roam like 
at home’ area; 

→  ensure institutional capacity to continue implementing the priority areas under the MDTS 2023-
2030, in particular to align legislation with data protection and cybersecurity standards, including 
with the EU’s Toolbox for 5G cybersecurity; 

→  adopt and implement media and digital services legislation in line with the EU acquis, including 

the EU Media Freedom Act and the Digital Services Act. 

Chapter 16 - Taxation 

Moldova  has  some  level  of  preparation  in  taxation.  Good  progress  was  made  in  further  aligning 
national legislation with the EU acquis in the areas of indirect and direct taxation, excise duties, and 
the  digitalisation  of  tax  administration  services.  Moldova  further  improved  its  capacity  in 
administrative cooperation and mutual assistance. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partly implemented and remain valid. In the 
coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  further  align  excise  and  VAT  legislation  with  EU  standards  to  minimise  competitive  distortions 
and legal uncertainties, and prevent issues such as non-taxation, double taxation, tax evasion, and 
fraud; 

→  step  up  procedures  to  limit  tax  avoidance  and  increase  tax  revenue,  in  particular  by  aligning 
legislation  with  the  Anti-Tax  Avoidance  Directive  (CFC  rules)  by  developing  a  roadmap  and 
implementing of BEPS provisions and by concluding a thorough, comprehensive review of the tax 
system; 

→  continue  modernising  the tax  administration,  notably by  implementing  an  automated  compliance 

risk management system that supports voluntary and enforced compliance. 

Chapter 17 - Economic and monetary policy   

Moldova has some level of preparation in economic and monetary policy and made some progress 
in  the  reporting  period.  Steps  to  further  strengthen  central  bank  independence  are  still  pending  and 
recent  amendments  to  the  Single  Central  Securities  Depository  law  raise  concerns  about  monetary 
financing.  Moldova  advanced  significantly  on  the  ongoing  public  investment  management  reform 
which  could  help  address  the  recurrent  under-execution  of  planned  expenditure  and  strengthen  the 
reliability  of  fiscal  planning.  In  January  2025,  the  country  submitted  its  second  Economic  Reform 
Programme, which for the first time included an alternative macroeconomic scenario and estimates of 
the general government structural balance.  

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and therefore remain 
valid. In the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  continue  strengthening  central  bank  independence  to  prevent  the  interference  from  the 
government,  Parliament  and  other  third  parties  and  also  strengthen  its  governance  and  decision-
making structure by adoption of the amendments to the central bank law;  

→  amend  its  legal  framework  to  fully  comply  with  the  prohibition  of  monetary  financing,  notably 

preventing the NBM’s majority ownership of the stock exchange; 

13 

 
 
→  improve  the  capacity  to  produce  macroeconomic  and  fiscal  forecasts,  including  for  long-term 
projections of expenditures required to conduct a debt sustainability analysis and in the areas of the 
labour market and the external sector.  

Chapter 19 - Social policy and employment   

The  country  is  between  having  some  and  a  moderate  level  of  preparation  in  social  policy  and 
employment and made good progress during the reporting period. Measures were taken to increase 
employment  and  to  strengthen  cooperation  between  social  assistance  authorities  and  employment 
authorities.  

The Commission's recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should in particular:  

→ 

implement  the  measures  set  out  in  the  concept  paper  on  reforming  the  National  Employment 
Agency to ensure adequate capacity; 

→  ensure that the State labour inspectorate has the power to conduct unannounced inspection visits 
and  eliminate  limitations  linked  to  the  current  law,  in  line  with  ILO  conventions,  also  making 
sure that a monitoring system for inspection visits’ recommendations is in place; 

→  continue  the  reform  of  social  assistance  with  a  focus  on  the  most  vulnerable  by  ensuring 
recruitment and retention of 200 child protection specialists, and aligning the national legislation 
with EU acquis and standards on non-discrimination and equality, including gender equality.  

Chapter 20 - Enterprise and industrial policy  

Moldova has some level of preparation in enterprise and industrial policy. Some progress was made 
during  the  reporting  period.  Moldova  continued  implementation  of  the  national  programme  for  the 
promotion  of  entrepreneurship  and  increasing  competitiveness  for  2023-2027  and  has  started 
implementing  the  national  industrialisation  programme  for  2024-2028  and  National  Smart 
Specialisation programme 2024-2027. The Programme on Administration of State Public Property for 
2024-2027 was approved leading to the operationalisation of the state property strategy. 

The Commission's recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should in particular:  

→  streamline support to SMEs, digitalise the national Entrepreneurship Development Organisation 

(ODA) processes and strengthen its capacities in internal controls and risk management; 

→ 

take further steps towards aligning with EU Late Payment Directive.  

Chapter 25 - Science and research   

Moldova  is  moderately  prepared  in  the  area  of  science  and  research.  Good  progress  was  made 
during  the reporting  period.  Notably, the  government advanced the  implementation  of  the  National 
Programme for Research and Innovation 2024-2027 and started implementing the National Program 
for Smart Specialisation 2024-2027 ’Smart Moldova’.  

The Commission's recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should in particular:  

→  ensure  the  transparency  of  the  competitive  procedures  under  the  Smart  Specialisation  Strategy, 
including through the involvement of independent international experts in evaluation processes; 

→ 

increase  the  level  of  public  investment  in  R&I  and  develop  measures  to  tackle  the  pending 
recommendations from the 2016 and 2021 Horizon policy support facility reviews; 

→  develop  further training  and  capacity-building  measures  to enhance  Moldova’s  participation  in 

Horizon Europe in cooperation with the National Horizon Office. 

Chapter 26 - Education and culture 

14 

 
 
Moldova  is  moderately  prepared  in  the  area  of  education  and  culture.  Good  progress  was  made 
during the reporting period as the authorities advanced reforms to enhance the relevance, quality and 
inclusiveness  of  education  and  consolidate  the  school  network  both  in  general  education  and  in 
vocational  education  and  training  (VET).  Challenges  remain  in  the  implementation  of  impactful 
reforms  for  inclusive  education,  as  well  as  effective  measures  to  reduce  the  mismatch  between 
vocational skills and labour market demands. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  adopt  measures  to  improve  efficiency  of  public  spending  in  education  and  direct  resources 
towards  strengthening  the  governance  of  the  education  system  and  the  overall  quality  of 
education,  including  by  implementing  robust  anti-corruption  and  anti-fraud  measures  in 
universities; 

→  advance  reforms  to  enhance  quality  and  relevance  of  vocational  education  and  training, 
contributing to reduce the mismatch between skills and labour market demands, by aligning active 
VET study programmes with qualification-based curricula, improving opportunities in dual VET, 
and increasing the number of teachers with digital skills, based on the DigiCompEdu framework; 

→  advance inclusive education reforms to ensure equitable access to quality education for children 
with  special  educational  needs,  disabilities  and  social  or  economic  vulnerabilities,  including 
children from ethnic minorities. 

Chapter 29 - Customs union 

Moldova has a good level of preparation in the area of the customs union, especially in the area of 
legislative  alignment.  The  country  has  made  good  progress,  notably  in  aligning  its  customs  transit 
declaration  system  to  the  EU’s  New  Computerised  Transit  System  (NCTS).  Institutional  capacities 
have  also  been  strengthened,  and  Moldova  joined  the  Common  Transit  Convention  (CTC)  as  of  1 
November  2025.  The  country  also  adopted  a  government  regulation  for  the  establishment  of  a 
traceability system for tobacco products. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  approve  a  multi-annual  strategic  national  IT  programme  for  the  Customs  Service,  as  well  as  a 
work programme for the gradual deployment of digital solutions to enable a full digital customs 
the  EU  electronic  customs  environment  while 
environment  and 
implementing the customs decision system (CDS), with 17 out of 17 applications/ authorisations 
operational; 

interoperability  with 

→  optimise  internal  procedures  and  ensure  appropriate  delegation  of  powers  between  central  and 
regional  customs  offices  under  the  principle  of  a  single  legal  entity,  reducing  the  autonomy  of 
regional customs offices; 

→ 

take  action  on  customs  functions  most  vulnerable  to  corruption  including  periodic  rotation  of 
staff holding sensitive posts, and robust monitoring and evaluation of progress on anti-corruption 
measures. 

CLUSTER 4: THE GREEN AGENDA AND SUSTAINABLE CONNECTIVITY 

Chapter 14 - Transport policy 

Moldova  is  between  having  some  level  and  a  moderate  level  of  preparation  in  transport  policy. 
Some  progress  was  made  in  the  reporting  period,  notably  with  the  entry  into  force  of  the  new 
Railway Code, and on the legislation concerning vehicle equipment and air passenger rights.  

15 

 
 
 
The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  continue aligning the social and market rules for road transport with the EU road transport acquis; 

→  make further progress in developing sustainable urban mobility plans (SUMPS) according to EU 

methodology in anticipation of the urban nodes agenda of the TEN-T for enhanced connectivity; 

→  continue progress to be removed from the blacklist of the Paris Memorandum of Understanding 

on Port State Control. 

Chapter 15 - Energy 

Moldova is between a moderate and a good level of preparation in this area and has made  very 
good  progress  in  the  area  of  energy,  including  through  the  full  alignment  with  the  Electricity 
Integration  Package,  and  the  adoption  on  National  Energy  and  Climate  Plan  (NECP).  Despite  the 
need  to  manage  the  supply  crisis  in  the  electricity  sector,  Moldova  has  accelerated  reforms  in 
electricity and gas sector. The government also developed an action plan, which foresees renewable 
energy and storage auctions.  

The Commission's recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should:  

→  start implementing the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP); 

→  advance the reform of the electricity market to be ready for market coupling with the EU in 2027, 

attract investments in balancing capacities, and launch the electricity balancing market;  

→  attract investments in renewable energy sources and advance the energy efficiency program. 

Chapter 21 - Trans-European networks 

Moldova has some level of preparation in trans-European networks and made some progress such 
as  starting  as  well  as  completing  key  feasibility  studies  to  further  align  Moldova  with  the  TEN-T 
network and some progress in the deployment of the  European standard gauge. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should in particular: 

→  continue  accelerating  the  implementation  of  key  infrastructure  projects  on  Solidarity  Lanes,  in 
particular by rehabilitating the North-South railway corridor as well as projects approved under 
the Connecting Europe Facility calls of 2022 and 2023; 

→  accelerate  progress  on  key  documents  for  the  development  of  priority  TEN-T  road  and  rail 
corridors,  including  the  feasibility  study  for  the  Chișinău  ring  road,  the  pre-feasibility  and 
feasibility studies for the Ungheni-Chișinău-Odesa road corridor, and for the Ungheni-Chișinău 
standard gauge rail connection. 

Chapter 27 - Environment and climate change 

Moldova is between an early stage of preparation and having some level of preparation in this 
chapter and made  some progress. In the field on environment, Moldova adopted guidelines for the 
implementation of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) and approved the establishment of the 
national inventory system of air pollutant emissions and the national integrated air quality monitoring 
system. Moldova published a new Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement in 
May  2025,  with  a  slightly  enhanced  emission  reduction  target  for  2030.  Moreover,  the  National 
Energy and Climate Plan was approved and Moldova started working with the European Environment 
Agency as a Cooperating Country. 

The Commission's recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 

16 

 
 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular:  

→  complete the reforms of subordinated bodies under the Ministry of Environment and allocate the 

human and financial resources needed to increase policy and law enforcement;  

→  align  with  and  implement  the  Monitoring  Reporting  Verification  and  Accreditation  (MRVA) 
acquis for the purpose of introducing carbon pricing and aligning with the EU Emissions Trading 
System (ETS) in its full scope;  

→  adopt a long-term low-emission development strategy and improve institutional and inter-agency 

coordination. 

CLUSTER 5: RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE AND COHESION 

Chapter 11 - Agriculture and rural development 

Moldova is between an early stage and having some level of preparation in agriculture and rural 
development.  Some  progress  was  made  during  the  reporting  period  to  establish  the  integrated 
administration  and  control  system  (IACS)  as  well  as  to  provide  the  institutional  structure  for 
managing the farm sustainability data network (FSDN).  

The Commission's recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular:  

→  take further steps to strengthen the administrative capacity of the Ministry of Agriculture and 

Food Industry and of the Agency for Interventions and Payments in Agriculture; 

→  make  progress  in  establishing  the  IACS,  with  a  focus  on  rolling  out  the  farm  register,  and 

establishing the FSDN; 

→  continue  developing  farm  advisory  services  and  the  EU  agricultural  knowledge  and 

innovation system (AKIS).  

Chapter 12 - Food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy 

Moldova  has  a  moderate level  of  preparation  on  food  safety,  veterinary  and  phytosanitary  policy 
and  has  made  some  progress,  notably  in  boosting  the  capacities  of  the  competent  authorities  by 
implementing  its  human  resource  development  strategy  and  training  programmes  for  Food  Safety 
Agency  staff  and food  business  operators.  Improvements  were  also  recorded in  the  areas  of  animal 
health and the surveillance system for animal diseases. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  strengthen  the  diagnostic  resources  of  the  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; 

→advance alignment with the EU animal health and animal welfare legislation and prepare a national 
plan to upgrade establishments producing food, feed and animal by-products to meet EU structural 
standards;  

→ strengthen the administrative capacities of the National Food Safety Agency (NFSA) for effective 
implementation  and  conduct  out  of  efficient  and  risk-based  official  controls  and  continue  to 
implement  the  NFSA  human  resource  development  strategy  and  specialised  training  programme 
for inspectors from local subdivisions; 

Chapter 13 - Fisheries and aquaculture 

Moldova has a moderate level of preparation in the area of fisheries and has made good progress, 
notably on aquaculture policy with the adoption of the law on aquaculture policy and the organisation 
of  the  market  for  fishery  and  aquaculture  products  in  December  2024  and  the  preparation  of  a 

17 

 
 
Strategic  Programme  for  the  Aquaculture  Sector  2025–2030.  It  has  also  made  progress  on  aligning 
quality and marketing standards with those under the EU common market organisation in fishery and 
aquaculture  products  and  it  has  improved  the  traceability  of  fishery  and  aquaculture  products  and 
strengthened import inspections to prevent importation of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) 
fishing through the above mentioned legislation. 

The  Commission’s  recommendations  from  last  year  were  partially  implemented  and  some  remain 
valid. In the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  adopt  the  multiannual  national  strategic  plan  dedicated  to  aquaculture  and  implementing 

provisions;  

→ implement the new legislation on aquaculture policy and the organisation of the market for fishery 

and aquaculture products.  

Chapter 22 - Regional policy and coordination of structural instruments 

Moldova  has  a  moderate  level  of  preparation  on  regional  policy  and  coordination  of  structural 
instruments. Some progress was made in the reporting period, notably by setting up management and 
control structures for Interreg programmes. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  ensure  it  has  sufficient  administrative  capacity  to  implement  all  cross-border  and  transnational 

cooperation (Interreg) programmes; 

→ 

increase the efficiency of the management and control system for Interreg cooperation programmes, 
as well as audit structures specialised in auditing EU funds. 

Chapter 33 - Financial and budgetary provisions 

Moldova  is  between  an  early  stage  and  some  level  of  preparation  in  the  area  of  financial  and 
budgetary  provisions.  Some  progress  was  made  over  the  reporting  period,  addressing  part  of  the 
recommendations from the previous enlargement report, especially by creating the Coordination Body 
for Own Resources. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→ 

finish setting up and operationalise the Coordination Body for Own Resources; 

→  continue upgrading the IT infrastructure for traditional own resources; 

→  advance alignment with the EU acquis, particularly concerning VAT rules and GNI compilation. 

CLUSTER 6: EXTERNAL RELATIONS 

Chapter 30 - External relations 

Moldova is moderately prepared in external relations and made some progress. Moldova amended 
the  legislation  on  import  licensing  for  agricultural  products  and  brought  it  in  line  with  the  EU-
Moldova Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) and WTO provisions. The law on the 
control regime of trade in strategic goods entered into force in January 2025. 

The Commission’s recommendations from last year were partially implemented and remain valid. In 
the coming year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  align  the  functioning  of  the  Council  for  the  promotion  of  investment  projects  of  national 

importance with international and EU standards; 

18 

 
 
 
→  build  up  the  capacity  of  a  new  department  for  development  cooperation  within  the  Ministry  of 
Foreign  Affairs  and  advance  work  on  the  legal  framework  on  international  cooperation, 
development and humanitarian aid to non-EU countries, in line with EU policies and principles. 

Chapter 31 - Foreign, security and defence policy 

Moldova has a good level of preparation in the area of foreign, security and defence policy. Good 
progress  was  made  by  continued  intense  political  dialogue  with  the  EU  at  all  levels,  significantly 
enhanced security and defence cooperation with the EU and its Member States and maintaining a high 
alignment  rate  with  the  EU’s  common  foreign  and  security  policy  (CFSP).  Moldova  has  further 
increased  its  participation  in  EU  crisis  management  missions  and  operations  under  the  common 
security and defence policy (CSDP). 

The  recommendations  from  last  year  were  partially  implemented  and  remain  valid.  In  the  coming 
year, Moldova should, in particular: 

→  continue  increasing  the  alignment  with  the  CFSP,  ensure  that  the  restrictive  measures  are 
implemented  and  continue  the  good  cooperation  on  preventing  any  attempts  to  circumvent 
sanctions against Russia and Belarus; 

→  continue efforts to strengthen resilience to hybrid threats. 

1.3  STATE OF PLAY OF THE ACCESSION NEGOTIATIONS 

Following the first Intergovernmental Conference opening accession negotiations with Moldova, the 
bilateral screening meetings that began on 10 July 2024 were concluded on 22 September 2025. The 
screening reports for all clusters except for cluster 5 have been presented to the Council. 

2  CLUSTER 1: THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE ACCESSION PROCESS 

2.1   FUNCTIONING OF DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFORM 

2.1.1 Democracy 

The  functioning  of  democratic  institutions  is  generally  stable.  Moldova  continued  to  implement 
reforms,  despite  persistent  foreign  interference  attempts  and  hybrid  attacks  on  the  democratic 
processes  and  institutions,  and  a  notable  degree  of  political  polarisation.  Presidential  elections,  a 
constitutional  referendum  on  EU  accession,  and  parliamentary  elections  took  place  during  the 
reporting  period.  The  authorities  sought  to  balance  measures  to  counter  foreign  interference  with 
respect for the rule of law and fundamental rights. 

Elections 

Two rounds of presidential elections and a constitutional referendum on EU accession were held on 
20 October 2024 and 3 November 2024 in a context of political polarisation and substantial foreign 
information  manipulation  and  interference.  According  to  the  OSCE-ODIHR,  fundamental  freedoms 
were  generally  respected,  and  candidates  were  able  to  campaign  freely,  although  the  misuse  of 
administrative resources was noted in 2024 and there was an increase in negative and hateful rhetoric, 
often  with  a  gender-targeting  angle.  Legal  remedies  in  cases  of  election  disputes  were  limited. 
Overall, media coverage provided sufficient information to enable voters to make an informed choice. 
Due  to  security  and  disinformation concerns, the  authorities  blocked  access  to several  websites  and 
Telegram channels and suspended some media outlets.   

The  presidential  election was  conducted  under the  2022  Electoral  Code and its  amendments,  which 
provides  a  solid  framework  for  democratic  elections  and  implements  many  ODIHR  and  Venice 
Commission  recommendations.  Amendments  adopted  in  2025  strengthened  campaign  finance 
regulations  and  oversight,  clarified  candidate  nomination  procedures,  and  revised  the  process  for 

19 

 
 
 
nominating  CEC  members  to  enhance  impartiality.  Amendments  to  the  Law  on  postal  voting 
expanded postal voting to four more countries. 

The  Central  Electoral  Commission  (CEC)  operated  in  full  composition  (nine  members).  Electoral 
preparations were efficient, impartial and transparent, including the application of the Law on postal 
voting. In Gagauzia, the elections were administered by a temporary District Electoral Council, which 
was set up following the decision of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia to terminate the powers of 
the permanent CEC of Gagauzia. 

Four  out  of  11  presidential  candidates  (36%)  were  women.  Women  constituted  the  majority 
(including  at  leadership  level)  of  the  election  management  bodies  established  at  various  levels, 
comprising the CEC, the District Electoral Councils, and the Precinct Electoral Bureaus. 

illegal 

interference,  vote-buying  schemes, 

Moldova held parliamentary elections on 28 September 2025. According to the preliminary report by 
the OSCE ODIHR election observation mission, the elections were competitive and offered voters a 
clear  choice  between  political  alternatives,  although  the  process  was  marred  by  serious  cases  of 
foreign 
funding,  and  cyberattacks.  Extensive 
disinformation,  particularly  on  social  media  and  partisan  coverage  in  most  media  hindered  voters’ 
ability to make an informed decision. The election authorities prepared professionally for the elections 
and  were  transparent  in  their  work  at  all  levels,  although  certain  decisions  by  the  Central  Electoral 
Commission  gave  rise  to  doubts  about  its  impartiality,  while  decisions  in  the  days  before  elections 
banning two political parties limited legal certainty and their right to effective remedy. Election day 
was overall orderly and transparent. The recently revised legal electoral framework provided a sound 
basis  for  conducting  democratic  elections,  although  legislative  changes  shortly  before  the  elections 
impacted  legal  certainty.  The  national  authorities  worked  actively  and  in  a  coordinated  manner  to 
prevent, detect and counter foreign interference attempts, including illicit financing and vote-buying 
schemes, with the aim of safeguarding electoral integrity and democratic process.  

transparency 

Some  OSCE/ODIHR  and  Venice  Commission  recommendations  remain  unaddressed,  in  particular 
those concerning the political balance of CEC members, the revision of criteria for de-registration of 
candidates, clarifying the grounds for suspending and dissolving political parties,  and political party 
registration requirements including the criteria to define “successor parties”, clearer provisions on the 
misuse of administrative resources, 
the  extension  of  campaign  finance 
regulations, 
of 
ownership  of  print  and  online 
media,  and  rules  for  contesting 
election  results.  The  regulation  of 
campaign 
and  political  party 
financing  creates  a  sufficient  legal 
basis  for  financial  accountability 
Nonetheless, 
and 
according 
OSCE/ODIHR 
findings,  the  capacity  of  the  CEC 
should  be  strengthened,  and  it 
should  be  provided  with  sufficient 
resources to ensure comprehensive 
and  efficient  campaign  finance  oversight,  including  for  online  campaigning,  in  line  with 
OSCE/ODIHR  recommendations.  Moldova  should  ensure  its  legislative  framework  pertaining  to 
elections,  including  the  Law  on  combating  electoral  corruption,  is  brought  in  line  with  European 
standards. 

integrity. 

to 

Parliament 

20 

 
 
The  draft  rules  of  procedure  of  Parliament  and  the  draft  law  on  the  status,  conduct  and  ethics  of 
members of parliament (MPs) should be adopted. Rules on conflicts of interest and interactions with 
third parties/lobbyists should be strengthened. 

In the reporting period, only some parliamentary oversight instruments were used (interpellations and 
parliamentary  hearings).  The  ex post  legal  assessment  reached  a  95%  implementation  rate  in  2024. 
The implementation rate of the ex post impact assessment was only 29% and should be increased. The 
ex post  assessment  plan  for  2025  was  approved  in  February  2025.  No  effective  parliamentary 
oversight  mechanism  was  adopted  to  cover  the  activities  of  the  Commission  for  Exceptional 
Situations. The Parliament is planning to establish a Standing Committee for European Integration by 
December 2025. 

Political polarisation continued to undermine the effectiveness of parliamentary functions. No plenary 
sessions in 2024 were dedicated to opposition draft bills, disregarding the rules of procedure. Out of 
the  323  laws  adopted  in  2024,  93  laws  passed  through  majority-opposition  consensus.  The 
parliamentary opposition submitted 44 draft laws, of which six were adopted. 

No legislative plan for 2025 was adopted. Advance publication of draft laws and increased publication 
of supporting documents would further improve the quality of the legislative process. The number of 
draft laws submitted under urgent procedure or priority procedure remains high - 65 draft normative 
acts in 2024 at the request of the government, the President of Moldova, or the Speaker of Parliament, 
out of which 47 were adopted, including two that were passed in a single plenary sitting. 

Governance 

Positive  steps  were  taken  to  systematically  integrate  the  process  of  alignment  with  EU  law  and 
policies into policy planning and budgetary documents. 

The  State  Chancellery  initiated  the  process  of  modifying  the  methodologies  needed  for  the 
implementation  of  the  new  Regulation  on  Strategic  Planning  but  did  not  yet  approve  them.  It  also 
developed  a  centralised  inter-ministerial  online  platform  for  monitoring  the  implementation  of 
decisions  adopted  by  the  Council  for  the  Coordination  of  Sustainable  Development  and  the  Inter-
Ministerial Committee for Strategic Planning. 

Implementation  of  the  legislative  framework  on  public  consultations  should  be  strengthened  by 
providing  information  on  suggestions  which  were  taken  into  account,  or  the  reasoning  for  not 
incorporating certain proposals. The Secretary General of the Government issued an order in January 
2025  setting  up  a  working  group  to  draft  amendments  to  the  existing  regulatory  framework  on 
transparency of decision making. 

The  law  amending  provisions  on  declarations  of  assets  and  personal  interests2  entered  into  force  in 
March 2025, promoting measures to strengthen integrity. 

The  government  continued  to  improve  the  institutional  framework  and  to  promote  voluntary 
amalgamation of local governments. However, progress is slow due to the political sensitivity linked 
to the cycle of recent elections. A new assignment of competences between central and subnational 
levels  would  be  necessary  after  a  significant  reform  of  the  raion  tier.  Consolidation  of  local 
administration is necessary at this level, together with improvements of the intergovernmental transfer 
system. 

After  concerns  about  the  election  of  the  Governor  (Bashkan)  of  Gagauzia,  the  Bashkan  was  not 
appointed as a full member of the government by presidential decree, as required by law. In August, a 
first  instance  court  sentenced  the  Bashkan  to  seven  years  in  prison  for  illicit  financing  of  political 

2 https://www.legis.md/cautare/getResults?doc_id=147738&lang=ro 

21 

 
 
 
parties and ordered the confiscation of MDL 40.9 million (approx. EUR 2.04 million). The Gagauz 
authorities criticised the implementation of the law on the special status of Gagauzia and accused the 
central  government  of  attempts  to  dismantle  its  autonomy.  The  parliamentary  working  group  on 
Gagauzia remains suspended. Efforts to ensure regular communication between the central authorities 
and Gagauzia should continue. 

The state of emergency temporarily introduced at the beginning of 2025 due to the energy crisis in the 
Transnistrian  region  did  not  significantly  affect  political  stability  or  the  functionality  of  the  central 
government.  

EU integration 

The institutions in charge of the EU integration process are in place. The institutional capacity of the 
Bureau  for  European  Integration  (BEI)  was  strengthened  and  staff  numbers  increased,  allowing  for 
improved  operational  and  analytical  capacity.  The  Parliament  presented  plans  to  set  up  a  standing 
committee for European Integration in the legislature 2025 – 2029. 

The  Bureau  developed  the  internal  2024-2026  Strategy  for  Public  Communication  about  EU 
Integration,  with  an  action  plan  for  the  respective  period.  Based  on  these  documents,  the  Bureau 
organised  communication  campaigns  adapted  to  different  target  groups.  In  April  2025,  the 
government  approved  the  2026-2028  National  Development  Plan,  which  includes  EU  accession 
priorities, including those set out in the Moldova Growth Plan. The 2025-2029 National Programme 
for the Accession of the Republic of Moldova to the EU was adopted in May 2025 following broad 
stakeholder  consultation.  The  capacity  of  the  government’s  EU  coordination  structures  need  to  be 
further strengthened.  

Civil society 

Civil  society  organisations  (CSOs)  operate  in  an  overall  enabling  environment.  The  regulatory 
framework governing the establishment and functioning of CSOs is in line with European standards. 
Civil  society  is  actively  involved  in  decision  making  and  in  the  government’s  preparations  for  the 
technical  phase  of  the  EU  accession  process.  Remaining  gaps  must  be  addressed,  particularly  to 
guarantee  the  effective  protection  of  civil  society  organisations  and  human  rights  defenders.  While 
consultation processes have improved, sustained efforts are still required to make them systematic and 
genuinely meaningful to foster an enabling environment. 

Cooperation with civil society at government level has slightly improved during the reporting period. 
By  the  end  of  2024,  permanent  consultative  platforms  had  been  set  up  across  all  14  ministries, 
although not all are functional. There has been limited progress in the first year of implementation of 
the  national  programme  for  the  development  of  civil  society  organisations  2024-2027.  USAID 
funding  cuts  have  further  highlighted  civil  society’s  reliance  on  international  donors,  affecting  its 
ability to operate effectively and challenging its long-term sustainability. 

Civilian oversight of the security and intelligence sector 

The  Security  and  Intelligence  Service  (SIS)  last  submitted  an  annual  report  on  its  activity  to  the 
Parliament in July 2024. A working group was convened in the Parliament in March 2024 for a public 
consultation to discuss a new concept of parliamentary control over the work of the SIS but there was 
no immediate follow-up.  

According  to  the  provisions  of  the  National  Security  Strategy,  the  Supreme  Security  Council 
submitted an annual report on the implementation of the strategy to the Parliament on 7 March 2025. 

2.1.2. Public administration reform 

Strategic framework on public administration reform 

22 

 
 
The strategic framework for public administration reform (PAR) is in place. The implementation of 
the PAR strategy still needs to be advanced. 

During the reporting period the Government has continued to implement the PAR strategy 2023-2030 
and its implementation programme 2023-2026. The implementation and monitoring structures for the 
PAR strategy, created at the level of the State Chancellery, are fully functional.  

The  State  Chancellery  with  the  support  of  international  donors  undertook  a  significant  number  of 
complementary informative  activities  related  to  the  voluntary  amalgamation  process.  At the start  of 
2025, 20 clusters of local government units capable of voluntary amalgamation were operational, with 
17 local councils having also initiated the process. However, the first complete and finalised voluntary 
consolidation is expected to occur no earlier than the end of 2025. 

The  Government  allocated  funds  in  2024  and  2025  to  support  the  implementation  of  the  PAR 
strategy,  primarily  to  cover  financial  incentives  for  voluntary  amalgamation.  However,  due  to  the 
slow progress of the process, the amounts disbursed to date have been low. 

Political support for the PAR strategy implementation is generally limited to the government and civil 
society organisations, while the support of local government authorities or other social groups remains 
selective and limited. The government follows a cautious approach in communicating the benefits of 
the PAR strategy, particularly on the reform of local government. 

Policy development and coordination 

A policy development and coordination framework is in place, but the institutional capacity still needs 
to be improved. 

During  the  reporting  period,  the  Government  adopted  several  key  policy  documents:  the  National 
Development  Plan  (2025-2027),  the  Government’s  Action  Plan  for  2025,  and  the  National  Action 
Plan for EU Accession (2025-2028) in May 2025. These documents outline the Government’s short 
and medium-term priorities and are partially reflected in the budgetary framework (2025-2027) and 
the 2025 state budget. 

The  Government  also  adopted  several  measures  to  increase  the  institutional  capacity  to  carry  out 
reforms and to improve the quality of policy design and the coordination process related to accession 
to  the  European  Union.  New  improved  instruments  to  evaluate  the  costs  of  policies  were  approved 
and  implemented,  generating  a  significant  increase  in  the  quality  of  the  financial  and  budgetary 
assessment  of  policy  documents;  improved  regulatory  improved  assessment  (RIA)  methodologies 
have  been  designed  and  implemented;  a  new  mechanism  for  performance  evaluation  of  the  public 
administration using key performance indicators (KPIs) has been implemented; institutional capacity 
in policy design and coordination has been improved by training 570 civil servants from central public 
administration. 

However,  major  problems  remain  to  be  solved  despite  the  existence  of  an  appropriate  regulatory 
framework in this area. These include an in-silo approach of policy design and a lack of consultations, 
information  transfer  and  dialogue  from  the  early  stages  of  the  policy  process;  ongoing  challenges 
relating to cost estimations and correlation between policy documents requesting financial resources 
and the medium-term budgetary framework (MTBF); limited quality of RIAs . 

Public financial management. 

The  public  financial  management  is  broadly  in  place  but  needs  to  be  further  improved.  The 
implementation of the strategy for the development of public finance management for 2023-2030 is 
ongoing.  The  ongoing loss  of  human  resources  at the  Ministry  of  Finance  needs  to  be  addressed  to 
sustain the pace and quality of reforms. The ministry needs to strengthen its capacity and improve the 
quality  of  dialogue  on  the governance  of  public  finances  with  both  public  and  private  stakeholders. 
The budget calendar is not systematically adhered to, as required by the Law on public finances and 

23 

 
 
budgetary-fiscal responsibility. The link between strategic planning and the medium-term budgetary 
framework  remains  weak  and  needs  improvement.  A  high  share  of  expenditure  is  kept  under  the 
‘General actions’ budget line, which undermines budget transparency.  

Moldova  submitted  its  second  economic  reform  programme  aiming  to  further  strengthen 
macroeconomic  forecasting  and  medium-term  budget  planning.  The  country  is  taking  steps  to 
implement green and gender-responsive budgeting. The Ministry of Finance remains committed to the 
transparency of public finances. The Government set up the web-based project appraisal IT module as 
part of the public investment management reforms but additional effort is needed to effectively apply 
the procedure across public services. 

Public service and human resources management 

The public service and human resources management need to be improved. 

The legal framework theoretically ensures a professional and non-politicised public service, as both 
primary and secondary legislation on the civil service were drafted on the basis of SIGMA principles. 
The civil service is composed of 17.7 thousand positions filled with 14.2 thousand civil servants, with 
central  public  administration  accounting  for  over  63%.  In  terms  of  gender  balance  of  civil  service 
employees,  women  represent  around  75%  of  the  total  civil  service,  over  72%  of  the  management 
positions and over 32% of political elected/appointed positions. 
During  the  reporting  period,  the  civil  service  institutional  and  legislative  framework  was  slightly 
improved.  This  included  institutional  improvement  of  the  HR  units  organised  at  the  level  of  line 
ministries;  improving  the  process  of  performance  assessment  by  designing  and  implementing  new 
methodological guides; increasing the capacity by specialised training in HR management dedicated 
to central and local public staff (110 civil servants trained). The State Chancellery and the Ministry of 
Finance have started the process of job evaluation – a key phase in the reform of the pay system. 
Despite  these  positive  changes,  some  reasons  for  concern  remain:  the  civil  service  management 
system  continues  to  be  fragmented  and  understaffed;  a  new  Human  Resources  Management 
Information System (HRMIS) is only in the incipient design phase; the ratio of vacant positions in the 
civil  service  remains  high  at  19.5%  (with  over  22%  at  the  level  of  central  administration); 
participation  in  competitions  to  fill  vacant  positions  is  very  limited,  with  an  average  of  1.65 
candidates per competition; an excessive share (67.9%) of performance appraisals are being awarded 
the  highest  results;  voluntary  turnover  remains  significant,  at  9%  among  non-management  civil 
servants and 7.7% in top management; limited progress regarding the pay system reform in the public 
sector,  which  remains  fragmented  and  contains  many  reference  values,  with  a  high  ratio  of  the 
variable part of the salary, and has not been extended to the whole public administration. 

Accountability of administration 

The  accountability  of  the  public  administration  still  needs  to  be  improved.  The  typology  of 
administrative  bodies  laid  down  by  the  Law  on  the  central  public  administration  provides  a 
governance and accountability scheme for ministries, administrative authorities under ministries, and 
central  administrative authorities  reporting  to  the  Government.  However, it  also  provides an  escape 
route  from  the  general  framework  of  governance,  public  financial  and  budgetary  management, 
transparency, and the civil service regime of employment, as well as from the rigours of the unitary 
pay  system  in  the  public  sector.  The  reform  of  public  institutions  is  ongoing  and  should  be  fully 
implemented by 2027. 

The  legislation  on  access  to  public  information  emphasises  proactive  transparency  obligations, 
providing an extended catalogue of information to be published on public authority websites. During 
the  reporting  period,  the  Government  improved  procedures  and  methodologies  regarding  public 
information  and  public  participation  in  the  policy  design  process  –  the  platform  e-Democracy  has 
been  launched,  together  with  improvements  to  the  websites  of  central  public  institutions.  However, 
significant  challenges  remain  regarding  the  capacity  of  central  and  local  public  administration  to 
publish aggregated data and to monitor the implementation of legislation. 

24 

 
 
Despite  enhancements  to  the  institutional  mechanism  for  tracking  the  implementation  of  the 
Ombudsman’s  recommendations  during  the  reporting  period,  major  concerns  remain  regarding  the 
inadequate  response  from  public  authorities  and  the  poor  visibility  of  this  body  which  hinders  the 
overall effectiveness of independent executive oversight. 

Service delivery to individuals and business 

The service delivery to individuals and business is generally satisfactory. 

As  regards  user-oriented  service  delivery,  the  Government  has  made  progress  in  modernising 
administrative  services  based  on  a  solid  institutional  setup  and  clear  policy  objectives.  The  main 
strategic documents on public administration reform and digital transformation are fully aligned. Over 
50% of services mapped for businesses and individuals are (fully or partially) available digitally, but 
service delivery conditions vary. During the reporting period 22 new Unified Public Service Centres 
(CUPS)  were  set  up  (increasing  the  total  to  105),  providing  electronic  public  services  access  for 
people  in  rural  areas.  Two  new  online  services,  dedicated  to  car  registration,  were  launched  on  the 
electronic services platform. E-signature usage is active with over 266 000 users, representing 10% of 
Moldova’s adult population, and a new service has recently been launched – EVOSign. 

However, significant challenges remain: the limitation in the use of e-government services generated 
by a still low demand (especially in rural areas); no government-wide methodology for producing and 
reporting performance metrics; and no full state-level quality management policy. 

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. 

Functioning of the judiciary 

Strategic documents 

The  implementation  of  the  2022-2025  Justice  Sector  Reform  Strategy  and  its  action  plan  is 
satisfactory.  The  first  Superior  Council  of  Magistracy  Strategic  Plan  (2025-2029)  was  approved,  as 
well  as  the  Strategic  Development  Programme  of  the  Superior  Council  of  Prosecutors  (2025-2029) 
with its Action Plan, providing also financial resources for their implementation. It contains a human 
resources  component,  the  adoption  of  a  Human  Resources  Strategy  of  the  Judicial  System  and  the 
adoption an Instrument for reducing backlogs in the courts.  

Management bodies 

The  management  bodies  are  in  place  and  generally  function  adequately.  The  capacity  and 
attractiveness  of  the  management  bodies  should  be  further  strengthened  by  increasing  their  human 
resources capacity, especially in their secretariats, and by improving their internal procedures. 

The Superior Council of Magistracy (SCM) is fully functional and acts in full composition with vetted 
members. The last vetted member was appointed in April 2025. All members of the Superior Council 
of Prosecutors (SCP) are vetted and appointed. The SCM and SCP exercise their mandate, including 
their role in appointing, suspending and transferring judges and prosecutors and reviewing decisions 
of the Vetting Commissions. 

The SCM and SCP specialised bodies are now fully functional in a vetted composition. Their role is 
crucial for enhancing the overall capacity of the SCM and SCP and the independence, integrity and 
accountability  of  the  judiciary.  In  2025,  six  vetted  members  (out  of  nine  members  in  total)  were 

25 

 
 
 
appointed to the SCM specialised body 
for  the  selection  and  evaluation  of 
judges, and five vetted members (out of 
seven members in total) were appointed 
the  SCM  specialised  body  for 
to 
disciplinary  proceedings.  Remaining 
vacancies  should  be  filled  without 
delay.  All  14  members  of  the  SCP 
specialised bodies for the selection and 
for 
evaluation  of  prosecutors  and 
disciplinary 
were 
appointed. 

proceedings 

The re-evaluation of pending appeals in 
the  process  of extraordinary  evaluation  of  candidates  for  vacant  positions in  the  SCM  and  the  SCP 
(also known as ‘pre-vetting’) is still to be finalised.  

Independence and impartiality 

The independence and impartiality of judges and prosecutors is improving through the extraordinary 
evaluation (‘vetting’) of judges and prosecutors in top positions. 

During the reporting period, the vetting process has continued. It slowly progressed for candidates to 
the Supreme Court of Justice, with two new appointed and vetted members. The vetting process for 
the  judges  of  the  Courts  of  Appeal  (Chișinău,  North/Balti,  and  South/Cahul  and  Comrat)  started  in 
February 2025 with the hearing of subjects. The vetting for the presidents and vice-presidents of first 
instance courts was launched in May 2025. Opposition to vetting has continued, with 36 judges of the 
Courts of Appeal and 10 judges of first instance courts resigning in order to avoid the process.  

In  May  2025,  the  vetting  processes  for  specialised  prosecutors  on  organised  crime  and  chief 
prosecutors  from  the  General  Prosecutors’  Office  was  launched.  The  vetting  of  specialised 
anticorruption 
prosecutors,  which 
started  in  May  2024,  remains  in  early 
stages.  In  the  prosecution  service  as 
well, the announcement of vetting led to 
resignations,  creating  a  high  number  of 
vacancies.  Vetting  of  prosecutors  was 
negatively  impacted  by  the  decision  of 
financial 
suspend 
the  US 
the 
the  secretariat  of 
assistance 
vetting  commission,  but  the  costs  are 
being taken over by the EU. 

to 
to 

its 

To  accelerate  the  vetting  process,  the 
Parliament  adopted  a  new  law  in  May  2025  to  expand  the  numbers  of  members  of  the  two  vetting 
commissions  for  judges  and  prosecutors.  Furthermore,  to  encourage  candidates  to  apply  for  the 
vacancies generated by resignations, the 2024 state budget included significant salary increases of up 
to 72% for key judicial posts. Starting from 1 January 2025, salaries have been further increased by up 
to 50% for some judges and prosecutors based on clear criteria. 

Amendments to the law on performance evaluation of judges and prosecutors were  adopted in July 
2025 with the aim of  strengthening the integrity verification mechanism for judges and prosecutors 
who  are  not  subject  to  the  vetting  process  This  will  contribute  to  the  sustainability  of  strengthened 
integrity procedures for the judiciary beyond the vetting process 

26 

 
 
Continuing a positive change of practice in judicial appointments, the SCM and the SCP continued to 
also select new judges and prosecutors from among graduates of the National Institute of Justice. 

Transparency  in  the  distribution  of  court  cases  is  ensured  by  random  case  allocation  through  the 
electronic  case  management  system  for  judges.  The  system  still  needs  to  be  complemented  with  a 
common online calendar for judges, lawyers and prosecutors. The internal control of the process of 
random allocation of files is carried out by the president/vice-president of the court and the Judicial 
Inspection.  For  prosecutors,  cases  are  allocated  by  line  managers  according  to  the  areas  of 
competence,  considering  criteria  defined  by  internal  normative  acts,  including  specialisation  and 
experience.  An  automated  system  for  randomised  allocation  of  cases  to  prosecutors  based  on  strict 
and  objective  criteria  should  be  introduced.  The  autonomy  of  specialised  prosecutors  should  be 
ensured  by  revising  the  Prosecutor  General  Office’s  powers  to  avoid  instructions  to  specialised 
prosecutors or interference in their procedural decisions. 

Accountability 

The framework for the regulation of accountability is satisfactory. 

The disciplinary bodies of the SCM and SCP have become fully functional with vetted members. This 
will  speed  up  the examination  of  disciplinary  cases  and  reduce  the  backlog  of  cases.  The resources 
and  capacity  of  disciplinary  boards  should  be  strengthened  to  ensure  better  enforcement  of 
disciplinary liability provisions regarding judges and prosecutors. 

The  Inspectorate  for  Public  Prosecutions  is  now  operational,  with  five  inspectors  appointed  out  of 
nine  in  total.  The  selection  process  for  the  remaining  four  inspectors  is  ongoing  and  should  be 
finalised without delay.  

Quality of justice 

The quality of justice needs to improve. 

27 

 
 
As  a  positive  development,  in  February 
2025,  a  new  permanent  director  of  the 
National  Institute  of  Justice  (NIJ)  was 
appointed,  after  more  than  4  years  of 
vacancy.  In  2024,  a  ‘European  Union 
Law’ module was included in the training 
plan, in line with the 2022 TAIEX mission 
outstanding 
recommendations. 
recommendations  of  this  peer  review  still 
stand  and  should  be  addressed  without 
delay,  such  as  the  current  model  of 
recruiting  candidates  and  appointing 
judges and prosecutors, and the admission 

Some 

and graduation process for the NIJ.  

Starting from 1 January 2025, salaries for NIJ staff were increased, including for the Director and the 
Deputy  Director.  In  2024,  98%  of  all  judges  (331)  and  85%  of  all  prosecutors  (512)  received 
continuous  training,  while  42  candidates  to  become  judges  and  33  candidate  prosecutors  received 
initial training. 

Moldova  should  continue  efforts  to  ensure  sufficient  human  and  financial  resources  to  enable  the 
judiciary to function efficiently, as done by increasing salaries. The SCM adopted a strategic plan for 
2025-2029,  which includes  specific  measures  on  human  resources.  Moldova should  develop  human 
resources  strategies  for  the  judiciary  and  prosecution  services,  including  a  revision  of  the  salary 
system.  In  2024,  EUR 33.2  million  was  allocated  to  courts  of  law  (0.78%  of  the  state  budget)  and 
EUR 23.4  million  to  the  prosecutor’s  offices  (0.55%  of  the  state  budget),  constituting  a  budget 
increase  of  12%  for  the  courts  and  10%  for  the 
prosecution service compared to 2023. 

Alternative  dispute  resolution  mechanisms  in  the 
form  of  non-judicial  mediation,  conciliation  and 
arbitration continue to be barely used (about 1% of 
all  cases),  due  to  poor  public  awareness  of  these 
mechanisms.  On  29 May  2025,  the  Parliament 
adopted  a  law  that  will  expand  access  to  state-
guaranteed  legal  aid  for  low-income  people  by 
broadening the eligibility criteria. 

The law on the judicial map reorganisation is being 
implemented.  A  new  structure  of  the  prosecutors’ 
offices to align with the new judicial map entered into force in April 2025. As a result, the number of 
territorial prosecutors’ offices will be reduced from 36 to 14. 

Moldova adopted a new law on the Constitutional Court to enhance its independence and operational 
efficiency.  While  the  new  law  received  an  overall  positive  opinion  from  the  Venice  Commission, 
some of the recommendations still have to be addressed, in particular on transparency in nomination 
procedure.  To  further  improve  the  quality  of  court  decisions,  the  quality  standards  for  judicial 
decisions  should  be  adopted  by  the  Superior  Council  of  Magistracy  and  the  NIJ  training  on  court 
decision reasoning should be improved. 

28 

 
 
Efficiency 

The efficiency of justice needs to be improved. 

The disposition time and the clearance rate in courts remained a concern, in particular the disposition 
time  in  civil  and  commercial  cases  in  first  instance  and  criminal  cases  in  second  instance,  and  the 
clearance  rate  in  second  instance  in  all  types  of  cases,  most  notably  criminal  ones.  The  disposition 
time  in  first  instance  administrative  cases  improved  considerably  but  is  still  reaching  764  days  for 
cases at the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ). The clearance rate is only 64% in criminal cases assigned 
to  SCJ.  If courts  performance  does  not improve it  may  lead  to  the further accumulation  of  pending 
cases, backlogs and prolonged duration of trials. While SCJ has tried to reduce backlog by prioritising 
old cases, the Courts of Appeals show a negative trend in their clearance rate. 

A new Agency for Digitalisation in Justice and Judicial Administration was set up on 1 January 2025 
and  has  a  mandate  to  ensure  the  development  of  an  integrated  legal  information  system,  and  the 
development,  administration  and  interoperability  of  information  systems  in  the  justice  sector.  The 
operationalisation of the Agency needs speeding up. 

Fight against corruption 

Track record 

The fight against corruption track record has improved for both high-level cases and non-high-level 
cases. 

On high-level corruption cases, in 2024 the Anti-Corruption Prosecutors’ Office (APO) sent 71 cases 
to court involving 113 individuals/entities, compared to 35 cases in 2023. In 2025, until September, 
APO  had  sent  24  cases  to  court. 
Similarly,  183  court  decisions 
involving  251 
individuals/legal 
entities were handed down in 2024, 
and  140  in  2025  until  September, 
compared  to  162  involving  202 
individuals  in  2023.  APO  indicted 
multiple  high-ranking  officials, 
including  members  of  parliament 
for 
and 
political 
accepting 
from  an  organised 
financing 
criminal  group  supported  by 
Russia,  which 
to 
undermine 
significantly 

regional 

leaders, 

illegal 

aimed 

Moldova’s 
sovereignty, 

electoral 
and 

integrity, 
democratic 

29 

 
 
processes ahead of the parliamentary elections. On adjudication of corruption cases, according to the 
activity report of the Chișinău District Court, there was an 8.77% increase in the number of resolved 
corruption cases in 2024 compared to 2023. This positive development can be explained by the work 
of specialised panels set up in the Chișinău District Court as a pilot project in 2024.  

The National Anti-corruption Centre (NAC) registered substantial improvements in  its casework on 
non-high-level  cases.  In  2024,  NAC  investigative  officers  opened  new  investigations  on  587 
individuals/legal entities (up from 178 in 2023). This is around three times higher than the numbers 
from  2023  and  2022,  where  it  was  quite  stable.  The  number  of  indictments  on  non-high-level 
corruption cases almost doubled from 2023, with 180, to 2024, with 341 indictments. Finally, there is 
a slight diminution of final court decisions and final convictions from 2023 to 2024. 

In the 2025 electoral period  Moldova’s law enforcement mobilised to fight illicit financing organised 
by  a  coordinated  network,  involving  cryptocurrency  and  electronic  cards  connected  to  accounts  in 
Russia. The efforts resulted in 844 
searches,  the  detention  of  122 
individuals, 13 criminal cases and 
46  preventive  measures  imposed. 
Newly  introduced  fines  against 
electoral  corruption  were  seen  as 
to  vote 
an  effective  deterrent 
buying. 

Legal framework 

The  legal  framework  on  the  fight 
against corruption is in place. It is 
regarding  preventive 
adequate 
to  be 
measures  but 
improved 
repressive 
measures. 

regarding 

  needs 

In  November  2024,  the  Group  of  States  against  Corruption  of  the  Council  of  Europe  (GRECO) 
acknowledged Moldova’s progress in meeting recommendations of its fourth-round evaluation report 
on the prevention of corruption regarding members of parliament, judges and prosecutors. Moldova 
has  satisfactorily  implemented  13  of  the  18  recommendations  and  partly  implemented  four 
recommendations, with one recommendation (on the need to introduce rules for parliamentarians on 
how to interact with third parties seeking to influence legislative process) still outstanding.  

In March 2025, Moldova adopted amendments to the Law on the National Integrity Authority (NIA) 
and  the  Law  on  the  declaration  of  assets  and  personal  interests  to  strengthen  integrity  and  anti-
corruption efforts. The reforms expanded NIA’s mandate to include policy development in this field, 
improved  procedures  for  ex  officio  checks,  strengthened  political  neutrality  rules  for  the  Integrity 
Council, and clarified the management of the State Register of persons banned from public office. At 
the  same  time,  the  asset  declaration  regime  was  broadened  to  cover  a  wider  range  of  assets, 
introduced  real  market  value  reporting,  and  strengthened  sanctions  for  non-compliance,  including 
dismissal. Declarations will now be published in open data format and stored for 15 years. 

In response to multiple vote-buying incidents during the 2024 presidential elections and referendum 
on  EU  accession,  the  Parliament  adopted  a  law  to  combat  electoral  corruption  on  13  June,  which 
contains  substantial  amendments  to  thirteen  laws  and  addressed  some  of  the  most  recent 
OSCE/ODIHR  recommendations  and  introduced  key  improvements  such  as  clearer  definitions  of 
electoral corruption, tougher penalties, and better regulation of campaign financing. Key unaddressed 
recommendations  of  the  Venice  Commission  and  of  OSCE/ODIHR  include  the  need  to  clarify  the 
grounds for suspending and dissolving political parties and political party registration requirements, 

30 

 
 
including and the criteria for banning successor parties of non-constitutional parties. Moldova should 
ensure  the  Law  on  combating  electoral  corruption  is  brought  in  line  with  European  standards. 
Proactive  law  enforcement,  communication  efforts  and  fines  to  fight  illicit  financing  schemes  and 
vote buying were seen to have a mitigating and deterrent effect. 

Moldova needs to further align its legal framework on whistleblower protection with the EU  acquis, 
especially  regarding  the  material  and  personal  scope,  the  conditions  for  protection  for  reports  and 
public disclosures, and the measures of support and protection against retaliation. 

Strategic documents 

The strategic documents are in place and adequate. 

The National Integrity and Anti-corruption Programme (NIAP) for 2024-2028 and its National Action 
Plan  are  currently  being  implemented,  with  semi-annual  and  annual  submissions  and  a  monitoring 
group in place. 

A progress report approved by the Monitoring Group notes that the implementation in 2024 showed 
mixed progress. Out of 56 actions scheduled for 2024, 21 actions were fully implemented, 24 actions 
are currently in progress, 9 actions were partially implemented while 2 actions were not implemented.  

Institutional framework 

The institutional framework on the fight against corruption is in place but needs to be strengthened on 
both preventive and repressive measures. 

Following  the  delineation  of  competences  between  the  National  Anti-corruption  Centre  (NAC)  and 
Anti-Corruption Prosecutors’ Office (APO) in 2023, communication and coordination between them 
and  other  law  enforcement  agencies  should  be  improved.  The  capacity  of  all  institutions  should  be 
continuously  monitored  and  improved.  In  this  context,  in  September  2024  a  Memorandum  of 
Understanding was signed between 12 national institutions to facilitate secondments of personnel to 
APO. 

The  APO’s  operational  capacities  need  to  be  significantly  reinforced,  in  particular  to  proactively 
detect latent high-level corruption cases. While a decision was adopted in 2024 to increase the number 
of staff by 54, only a few of these positions have been filled due to logistical constraints. Furthermore, 
an appropriate solution should be found to allocate an adequate headquarters to the APO. 

At the beginning of 2025, the Parliament examined a draft law to dissolve the two existing specialised 
prosecution  offices  (APO  and  the  Prosecutor’s  office  for  Combating  Organised  Crime  and  Special 
Cases (PCCOCS)), and to create a new entity (the Prosecution Office for Combating Corruption and 
Organised Crime (PACCO)). The draft law was however never adopted. In any case, it is important to 
enhance the effectiveness of the institutional framework, guarantee the independence of prosecutors, 
ensure specialisation and make further progress on the track record of cases. 

In  July  2025,  Moldova  adopted  a  new  law  to  set  up  specialised  anti-corruption  panels  at  first  and 
second  instance  level  in  the  Chișinău  Court.  This  aims  to  speed  up  the  adjudication  of  corruption 
cases.  The  law  should  be  amended  to  follow  recommendations  of  the  Venice  Commission,  in 
particular, as regards to ensuring the integrity of all the judges of the specialised panels, including at 
first instance, through the vetting process by the relevant vetting commission. 

Fundamental rights  

General framework 

The  general  framework  for  fundamental  rights  is  broadly  satisfactory.  The  implementation  and 
enforcement of fundamental rights needs to be improved, notably by allocating adequate resources to 
the relevant institutions. Recent studies suggest there is limited awareness about human rights among 
rights holders. 

31 

 
 
International human rights instruments 

The  cooperation  with  international  human  rights  monitoring  bodies  and  the  follow-up  to  their 
recommendations needs to be improved. 

In  2024,  Moldova  ratified  the  Revised  European  Social  Charter  and  the  International  Labor 
Organization Convention No 190 on violence and harassment at work. Moldova has not ratified the 
European  Charter  for  Regional  or  Minority  Languages  and  Protocol  No 12  of  the  European 
Convention  on  Human  Rights 
(on anti-discrimination). 

European  Court  of  Human 
Rights 

(ECtHR) 

and 
of 
is  needs 

The 
the 
cooperation  with 
European  Court  of  Human 
the 
Rights 
its 
implementation 
judgements 
to  be 
improved.  Moldova  still  needs 
to  nominate  a  Government 
Agent to the ECtHR. During the 
reporting  period, 
the  ECtHR 
delivered 33 judgements against 
Moldova. The Court found breaches of the European Convention on Human Rights relating mainly to 
respect for private and family life, the right to  adequate investigation of ill treatment or of domestic 
violence,  the  lack  of  an  effective  remedy,  as  well  as  the  discriminatory  attitude  of  the  authorities 
based  on  gender  and  disability.  Currently,  there  are  29  cases  under  enhanced  supervision  by  the 
Committee  of  Ministers  related  to  right  to  a  fair  trial  and  cases  of  inadequate  investigation  of  ill 
treatment.  

Moldova  needs  to  address  systematic  issues  or  structural  issues  raised  by  the  Court,  notably  in  the 
areas of detention conditions, and procedural rights. 

Promotion and enforcement of human rights 

legal  and 

The 
institutional 
framework  for  the  promotion, 
protection and enforcement of 
human  rights  is  in  place,  but 
implementation  needs  to  be 
improved.  

Moldova made progress in the 
implementation of the national 
rights 
human 
action 
for  2024-2027. 
programme 
However,  normative 
gaps 
continue  to  persist  in  some 
areas, including on torture and 
ill treatment, procedural rights 
and 
against 
discrimination. The legislative 
a 
still 
framework 
specific  mechanism  to  assist  residents  from  the  Transnistrian  region  exposed  to  human  rights 
violations, where the human rights situation remains a concern. 

lacks 

fight 

the 

32 

 
 
The  implementation  rate  of  the  recommendations  issued  by  the  Equality  Council  is  increasing, 
reaching  29%  in  2024  (compared  to  21%  in  2023).  Similarly,  the  implementation  rate  of 
recommendations issued by the People’s Advocate and the People’s Advocate for Children’s Rights 
increased strongly to 64% in 2024 (compared to 13% in 2023). Nonetheless, both institutions reported 
growing interference in their work in 2025. Notable progress was also made in improving salaries of 
the Ombudsman’s employees. However, both institutions remain understaffed.  

The national legal framework does not ensure the full independence of the Equality Council and does 
not  provide  the  financial  resources  necessary  to  perform  all  its  duties  effectively.  Its  sanctioning 
mechanism and competence to assist victims of discrimination should be reinforced. 

The activity of the National Human Rights Council has been limited in the reporting period. 

The Law on access to information of public interest, aimed at strengthening the transparency of public 
sector  activities,  entered  into  force  in  2024  with  the  People’s  Advocate  designated  as  one  of  its 
monitoring authorities. 

Prevention of torture and ill treatment 

Moldova  provides  adequate  legal  guarantees  on  the  prevention  of  torture  and  ill  treatment. 
Nonetheless, the follow-up to cases is insufficient. 

for 

places 

Ill treatment is an issue of concern. Progress in combating and investigating ill treatment and torture 
remains  limited.  Moldova’s  National  Preventive  Mechanism  (NPM)  operates  independently  and 
monitors 
of 
detention,  issuing  practical 
recommendations. 
However, 
implementation 
of  recommendations  issued 
in  2023  by  the  European 
Committee 
the 
Prevention  of  Torture  as 
well as those of the NPM is 
limited 
slow, 
systemic 
capacity 
issues, 
especially 
inadequate 
overcrowding, 
medical 
and 
precarious living conditions 
in prisons. Inter-prisoner violence continues to be unaddressed and is linked to an enduring informal 
hierarchic system. According to ECtHR case law, this could be considered as a continuing violation of 
Article 3  of  the  European  Convention  on  Human  Rights  on  the  prohibition  of  torture  and  other  ill-
treatment. 

services 

and 

due 

to 

Recent  progress  includes  the  creation  of  an  electronic  registry  to  document  cases  of  injury  and  ill 
treatment, as well as the formation of a multi-agency working group coordinated by the Section for 
Combating Torture. 

Several cases concerning alleged ill treatment in detention facilities in Moldova are currently pending 
or ongoing before the ECtHR. 

33 

 
 
Execution of criminal sanctions 

detention custody remains high. 

The  system  for  execution  of 
criminal 
(including 
sanctions 
probation) is inadequate. 

. 

the 
Moldova  remains  one  of 
countries 
the 
in  Europe  with 
highest  incarceration  rates  (242 
inmates per 100 000 inhabitants in 
2024), with the number of inmates 
having increased for the first time 
in  years,  reaching  5 844  inmates 
in  January  2025  (2023:  5 695). 
The  number  of  people  in  pre-

An  increasing  number  of  prisoners 
to  paid  work  and 
have  access 
vocational 
particularly 
training, 
juveniles.  The  plan  to  replace  Prison 
No 13  in  Chișinău  with  a  modern 
facility  is  now  underway  but  risks 
financial  and 
being  delayed  by 
Further 
procedural 
shortened 
measures 
detention  periods  for 
less  severe 
crimes, to replacing parts of detention 
sentences  with  community  service. 
Alternative  probation  measures,  also 
relevant to reduce prison overcrowding, should be taken in line with international standards, avoiding 
rushed procedures.  

constraints. 
from 

range 

Medical  services  in  prisons  remain  insufficient,  despite  improvements  in  the  quantity  of  medical 
equipment and certified medical services. Staffing levels in healthcare services remain low. 

Protection of personal data 

The legal framework for the protection of personal data has been reinforced but the capacities of the 
data protection agency need to be improved.  

legislation  with 

The Law on the protection of personal 
data  adopted  in  2024  aims  to  align 
Moldova’s 
the 
General  Data  Protection  Regulation 
(GDPR).  It  is  set  to  take  effect  in 
August  2026.  In  parallel,  Moldova 
should pursue alignment with the EU 
Law Enforcement Directive and ratify 
the second  protocol  of the Council  of 
Europe  (CoE)  Convention  108  and 
adopt 
to 
implement  EU  standards  on  standard 
contractual clauses between operators 
and processors. 

framework 

legal 

the 

34 

 
 
The National Centre for Personal Data Protection examined a growing number of complaints, but its 
capacity should be increased, especially in terms of personnel. 

Freedom of religion or belief 

Moldova provides adequate legal guarantees on freedom of religion or belief. 

No breaches of freedom of religion or belief were reported. 

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

Freedom of expression 

Overall,  legal  guarantees  on  the  freedom  of  expression  and  the  enabling  environment  for  free, 
independent and professional media operation needs to be further strengthened . 

Intimidation of journalists 

Instances of intimidation by private actors, including verbal attacks by political figures and non-state 
actors  as  well  as  aggressive  behaviour  of  protesters  towards  journalists  have  increased  over  the 
reporting period, with 66 reported cases in 2024 (vs 43 cases in 2023 and 56 cases in 2022). Although 
authorities condemn these incidents, most reported cases remain unaddressed. No progress to support 
journalists  to  fight  Strategic  Lawsuits  Against  Public  Participation  (SLAPPs)  has  been  made. 
Journalists face frequent  obstructions in  Gagauzia,  notably through refusal of  access to meetings  of 
the Gagauz People’s Assembly and threats by protesters or local public figures. Journalists from the 
right bank remain restricted from entering the Transnistrian region by the de facto administration and 
face the risk of detention.  

In the context of the 2024 elections and referendum, various journalists received death threats, and the 
building of the public broadcaster was vandalised as part of a broader external destabilisation scheme. 
A massive and coordinated online defamation campaign targeted independent media in early February 
2025 using the issue of foreign funding to stigmatise journalists, undermine their credibility and create 
an environment of fear and intimidation. Despite considerable efforts to protect the elections against 
information threats, the electoral campaign of 2025 was affected by disinformation. 

In  July 2025,  Criminal  Code  amendments  strengthened  protections  for journalists, imposing stricter 
penalties for intimidation, including online, and for violence or threats against them. 

Legislative environment 

While freedom of expression is generally ensured, the legislative environment still needs to be aligned 
with the EU acquis and European standards.  

Recent amendments to the Audiovisual Media Service Code aim to address longstanding issues such 
as:  market  concentration,  improvements  to  the  system  of  appointments  and  dismissals  of  the 
management  of  the  national  public  broadcaster  and  media  regulator,  as  well  as  revision  of  the 
sanctioning  system.  Moldova  should  ensure  alignment  of  the  Code  to  EU  acquis  and  follow  all 
outstanding Venice Commission recommendations.  

On 11 July Moldova adopted a legislative proposal to amend the Code and the Law on advertising. 
The prohibitions set under the Law on broadcasting or retransmitting programmes with informative, 
analytical, military, and political content still need to be aligned with the EU acquis. 

Concerns persist regarding the provisions in the strategic investments law which allow the suspension 
and  withdrawal  of  broadcasting  licences  on  the  grounds  of  investment  irregularities  with  national 
security  considerations.  The  current  mechanism  needs  to  be    aligned  with  EU  and  international 
standards. 

35 

 
 
The country still lacks a regulatory framework on online and print media. The editorial independence 
of private media companies is generally safeguarded. New guidelines on the broadcasting of elections 
address  the  shortcomings  identified  by the  Constitutional  Court.  The  country lacks  an  anti-SLAPPs 
(Strategic  Lawsuits  Against  Public  Participation)  legislation  aligned  with  EU  acquis  and  European 
standards. 

Implementation of legislation/institutions 

The Audiovisual Council (AC) continued to apply the provisions of the Audiovisual Media Services 
Code in a consistent and robust manner. Although the number of fines remains low, their application 
rate increased significantly, especially for fines regarding the lack of locally produced content, lack of 
sufficient  content  in  Romanian,  failure  to  respect  pluralism  of  opinions  and  use  of  manipulative 
practices, messages containing discrimination, incitement to hatred, extremism and, for the first time, 
disinformation.  Legal  remedies  to  contest  decisions  of  the  AC  are  generally  effective.  The  AC 
contributed  to  maintaining  a  balanced  media  environment  during  the  presidential  elections  and  the 
constitutional  referendum  in  October–November  2024.  In  July  2025,  the  AC  increased  sanctions  to 
media  breaching  provisions  ensuring  accurate  information  in  electoral  periods  and  established  an 
Electoral Consultancy Centre to facilitate the covering of elections.  

The Law on Access to Information of Public Interest entered into force in January 2024 and there was 
improved cooperation with the media in providing requested information. 

Since  the  Council  for  the  Promotion  of  Investment  Projects  of  National  Importance  was  set  up  in 
December  2023,  a  total  of  19  broadcasting  licences  were  suspended  or  withdrawn  because  the 
respective  TV  or  the  radio  company  relied  on  inappropriate  financing  sources.  Amendments  to  the 
law  on  “Countering  Extremist  Activity”  contain  provisions  that  can  allow  the  suspension  and 
permanent closure of a media outlet. The clarity of definitions and proportionality of penalties should  
be ensured, in line with the recommendations issued by the Venice Commission. 

The  Criminal  Code  lays  down  criminal  liability  for  the  intentional  obstruction  of  media  activity. 
However,  law  enforcement  agencies  have  rarely  invoked  this  provision.  The  Centre  for  Strategic 
Communication  and  Combating  Disinformation  supports  the  interinstitutional  efforts  in  the  fight 
against disinformation and manipulation of information. 

Public service broadcaster 

With  the  amendments  to  the  Audiovisual  Media  Service  Code,  the  independence  and  financial 
sustainability  of  the  public  service  broadcaster  have  improved.  The  procedures  for  appointing  and 
dismissing  the  supervisory  board  and  the  Director  of  the  AC  were  also  reviewed  to  increase  their 
autonomy from  political  control.  Gender  balance  and  participation  of  national  minorities  within  the 
public broadcaster have also improved. 

GRT,  the  regional  public  broadcaster  of  the  Autonomous  Territorial  Unit  of  Gagauzia,  remains 
heavily influenced by the local political elites and civil society reports a lack of accurate and balanced 
information.  The  establishment  of  the  public  station  Radio  Moldova  Comrat  improves  access  to 
reliable information. 

Economic factors 

The Audiovisual Council in cooperation with the Competition Council made positive steps on TV and 
radio  ownership  transparency,  but  the  Media  Ownership  Monitor  highlights  the  persisting  risks  to 
media pluralism from ownership concentration. The Audiovisual Council should extend the regulation 
on transparency to print and online media. 

A  small advertisement market, lack of independent media subsidies  and  difficulty  to  address  unfair 
advertising  practices  represent  serious  issues  for  independent  media.  In  2024,  most  TV  media 
providers  faced  financial  strain,  with  polarised  funding  models  raising  concerns  over  sustainability, 

36 

 
 
independence, transparency, and compliance with local content rules. The Media Subsidy Fund of 5.5 
million lei (EUR 275 000) launched a competition for granting subsidies in April 2025. This should 
partially mitigate financial uncertainty in the sector caused by the decrease in foreign donor funding. 

Internet 

Moldova’s  online  space  is  largely  under-regulated  and  heavily  affected  by  foreign  interference  and 
information  manipulation.  Since  November  2024,  amendments  to  the  cybercrime  law  empower  the 
Ministry of Internal Affairs to combat illegal content, including illegal hate speech and child abuse. 
The  new  Code  of  Audiovisual  Media  Services  extended  the  Audiovisual  Council’s  authority  over 
media service distributors and online video content. Since 2022, the Security and Intelligence Service 
has  blocked  nearly  60  websites  linked  to  Russian  propaganda  or  the  fugitive  oligarch  Ilan  Shor, 
including 12 sites blocked in late 2024. Nevertheless, the legal base for extending the suspension of 
websites blocked during the state of emergency and the continuous blocking of website needs further 
definition. 

Professional organisations and working conditions 

The  Media  Subsidy  Fund  and  Expert  Council  have  been  put  in  place.  Subsidies  aim  to  indirectly 
address salary dumping by requiring ethical and financial compliance, though effects will take time. 
Meanwhile,  financial  sustainability  remains  an  issue,  leading  to  wage  cuts  and  downsizing  that  are 
worsening job market conditions for journalists. 

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

Freedom of assembly and association 

Moldova provides adequate legal guarantees to freedom of assembly and association. The regulation 
of assemblies is also adequate. 

The Constitution safeguards the right to freedom of assembly, which is further regulated in the Law 
on  assemblies  and  on  non-commercial  organisations.  The  duties  of  public  authorities  to  provide 
safeguards against the application of surveillance measures before and during assemblies still need to 
be better defined. Moldova has addressed the violations of the freedom of assembly and association 
highlighted in the ECtHR’s judgments. 

In  response  to  evolving  hybrid  threats,  in  May  2025  Moldova  adopted  administrative  sanctions  for 
‘paid  participation’  in  assemblies.  Civil  society  organisations  raised  concerns  about  some  unclear 
provisions  of  the  draft  Law  on  Public  Events  presented  in  April  2025,  notably  those  related  to  the 
notification procedures of public events, the authorisation by courts, and the rights and responsibilities 
of organisers and participants. Moldova should engage with civil society to ensure that sanctions are 
not  penalising  legitimate  mobilisation.  Moldova  should  engage  with  civil  society  to  ensure  that 
sanctions are not penalising legitimate mobilisation. 

The amendments to the Criminal Code criminalising ‘separatism’, introduced in 2023, remain in place 
and could have negative effects on freedom of expression and association, non-discrimination, and the 
settlement  of  the  Transnistrian  conflict.  The  related  OSCE/ODIHR  recommendations  remain 
unaddressed.  

Property rights 

The legal and institutional framework for enforcing property rights is broadly in place. Procedures for 
reinstating property rights remain complicated and lengthy. Moldova needs to improve enforcement 
of court judgments related to property rights. Out of 50 Moldovan applications communicated to the 
ECtHR  in  2024,  five  concerned  alleged  violations  of  the  right  to  protection  of  property  in  civil, 
administrative or criminal proceedings. 

37 

 
 
Non-discrimination 

The legal and institutional framework 
on  non-discrimination  remains  to  be 
fully  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis, 
including  inter  alia  as  regards  the 
Racial  Equality  Directive  and  with 
the  Directives  on  standards 
for 
equality bodies. 

The implementation of the 2022 anti-
discrimination  legal  framework  is 
Awareness-raising 
ongoing. 
initiatives, including training for state 
officials,  have  increased.  Moldova 
needs 
implement 
strategic measures on anti-racism, rights of LGBTIQ persons and rights of persons with disabilities.  

to  consistently 

Moldova  should  ratify  protocol  12  to  the  ECHR  providing  a  general  prohibition  of  discrimination. 
Most  instances  of  discrimination  registered  by  the  Equality  Council  relate  to  discrimination  at  the 
workplace and access to goods and services.  

The legal and institutional framework on hate crime and hate speech remains to be fully aligned with 
the EU acquis and European standards, in particular on combating racism and xenophobia by means 
of  criminal  law.  The  legal  definition  of  hate  speech  remains  incomplete  and  fragmented  across  the 
national  legislation.  In  2024,  56  criminal  cases  were  initiated  on  the  basis  of  provisions  on  hatred 
and/or  prejudice.  A  unified  methodology  for  data  collection  on  hate  crime  incidents,  including 
disaggregation  by  bias  and  type  of  offence,  needs  to  be  put  in  place.  Specialised  trainings  on 
documenting hate speech cases for police officers should continue. 

During the 2024 elections and referendum, the revised legal framework sanctioning the use of hate speech 
during election periods was enforced in a consistent manner. Reported cases of hate speech based on the 
ethnic  origin  of  electoral  candidates  are  concerning.  The  capacity  to  detect  hate  speech  and/or  cases  of 
incitement in online information systems, including on social networks, remains limited. 

Gender equality 

The  legal  and  institutional  framework  on  gender  equality  and  combating  gender-based  violence  is 
partially in place, but the implementation and enforcement need to be improved. Moldova implements 
several  national  programmes  in  this  area  but  the  limited  institutional  capacity  and  budget  hinder 
effective implementation, coordination, monitoring, and reporting. 

Moldova continues to implement the 2023 recommendations of Council of Europe Group of Experts 
on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO). 

A gender equality mechanism with gender focal points and gender coordination groups designated at 
national and local level is in place but does not function effectively. 

Integration of gender equality into strategic planning and policy development improved with the new 
rules  for  gender  mainstreaming  throughout  public  policy  development,  implementation,  monitoring 
and  evaluation.  In  July  2025,  new  legislation  strengthened  legal  protections  against  gender-based 
violence  and  criminalised  stalking,  forced  marriage,  and  digital  abuse  in  line  with  the  Istanbul 
Convention. 

While reported gender-based violence (GBV) cases remain at levels similar to last year,  the number 
of  convictions  has  increased.  Access  to  and  trust  in  the  legal  system  remains  limited.  Women  with 

38 

 
 
disabilities,  Roma￼  women  and  especially  those  with  multiple  vulnerabilities  face  higher  risks  of 
GBV and more barriers to accessing essential services. 

The  National  Agency  for  the  Preventing  and  Combating  Violence  Against  Women  and  Domestic 
Violence,  and  the  National  Coordinating  Council  for  Preventing  and  Combating  Violence  against 
Women and Domestic Violence, set up in 2024 under the Prime Minister’s Office, are functioning but 
lack capacity. 

Moldova  offers  10  state-funded  and  four  CSO-contracted  support  services  for  GBV  victims,  but 
capacity  is  limited.  Work  is  progressing  and  200  of  the  260  needed  shelter  places  according  to  the 
Istanbul Convention are available. Access is especially difficult for women with disabilities or mental 
health  conditions.  Shelter  staff  need  ongoing  capacity  building,  though  GBV  specialists  are  now  in 
place across all social protection units. With regards to sexual violence, there is only one operational 
Integrated Regional Service for victims of sexual violence in Ungheni, which needs to transition from 
donor funding to state financing. 

There  is  no  centralised  GBV  database  for  evidence-based  decision  making,  effective  case 
management  and  referrals  tracking.  However,  a  concept  and  regulation  for  an  information  system 
have  been  approved.  It  will  provide  data  disaggregated  by  sex,  type  of  violence,  among  other 
indicators. Moldova further improved access to justice for victims.  

Awareness-raising efforts should focus on outreach to rural areas and women in vulnerable situations, 
such as women with disabilities, women belonging to ethnic and linguistic minorities, rural women 
and older women. 

Rights of the child 

The  legal  and  institutional  framework 
on rights of the child is in place and in 
line  with  EU  acquis  and  international 
frameworks.  but  implementation  and 
enforcement  need  to  be  improved  to 
strengthen  child  protection  systems 
and  ensure  effective  realisation  of 
children’s rights. 

to 

accession 

In March 2025, Moldova deposited its 
instrument  of 
the 
Convention  of  19 October  1996  on 
Jurisdiction,  Applicable  Law,  Recognition,  Enforcement,  and  Cooperation  in  respect  of  Parental 
Responsibility and Measures for the Protection of Children. Acceding to this international convention 
strengthens  Moldova’s  legal  framework  for  cross-border  protection  of  children,  facilitating 
international cooperation in cases involving parental responsibility and child protection measures. 

Despite progress, child protection in Moldova still faces major gaps, including on case tracking and a 
lack  of  specialised  services  for  young  children  and  child  victims.  Moldova  needs  to  strengthen  the 
capacities of the Child Rights Ombudsman. 

In  relation  to  child-friendly  justice,  there  are  now  three  centres  in  Chișinău  and  Balti  providing 
psychological  support  to  child  victims  of  crimes  and  residents  from  other  communities  can  seek 
assistance through the National Centre for the Prevention of Child Abuse. While these centres play a 
crucial role in supporting child victims, there remains a need for expanded services and recruitment of 
professionals  to  ensure  comprehensive  coverage  across  the  country,  including  the  extension  of  an 
additional  centre  in  the  southern  region  and  the  recruitment  of 200  community-based  specialists  by 
2027 

39 

 
 
Moldova  should  also  make  further  progress  towards  the  deinstitutionalisation  of  children 
with disabilities  and  children  deprived  of  parental  care,  by  closing  remaining  large  residential 
institutions and transitioning to family-based and community-based care.  

Persons with disabilities 

The  legal  and  institutional  framework  for  the  rights  of  persons  with  disabilities  needs  further 
alignment  with  EU  acquis  and  relevant  international  standards.  Implementation  and  enforcement  is 
insufficient and the protection of these rights needs to be prioritised. Integration of disability inclusion 
into  planning,  implementation,  monitoring  and  evaluation  of  governmental  policies  and  budgets 
remains  limited.  Integration  of  disability  inclusion  into  planning,  implementation,  monitoring  and 
evaluation of governmental policies and budgets remains limited. 

While  de-institutionalisation  continued  to  progress  slowly, reports  by  civil  society  and  investigative 
media highlight serious ongoing human rights violations in institutions. Apart from urgently tackling 
these  violations,  further  efforts  are  needed  to  move  towards  independent  living  and  inclusion  of 
persons with disabilities. 

Accessibility in Moldova remains an issue and is not yet in line with the EU  acquis, including with 
the European Accessibility Act. Laws mention universal design but lack enforceable standards. Public 
procurement  and  infrastructure  policies  omit  accessibility,  and  many  official  websites  are  still  non-
compliant  with  accessibility  requirements.  Support  services  are  insufficient;  mobile  teams  help  but 
need  wider  coverage.  Despite  targeted  investments,  the  availability  of  assistive  devices  for  medical 
and  educational  purposes continues  to  be  inadequate.  Data collection  on  persons  with  disabilities is 
insufficient and existing data quality is low. 

Children  with  disabilities  remain  exposed  to  higher  protection  risks,  including  violence  and  family 
separation. The placement of children with intellectual disabilities in psychiatric institutions continues 
to be a systemic issue and a human rights violation. 

LGBTIQ persons 

The  legal  protection  of  the  rights  of  LGBTIQ  persons  is  adequate  but  LGBTIQ  persons  face 
discrimination. 

Although negative stereotypes in Chișinău are less prevalent, the 2024 social distance index showed 
that LGBTIQ persons faced low acceptance levels in the society. During 2024, the Equality Council 
found discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation in two cases. Overall, 31 crimes motivated 
by  prejudice  based  on  gender  identity  and  one  crime  motivated  by  prejudice  based  on  sexual 
orientation were recorded.  

Some political actors and the Moldovan Orthodox Church continue to be vocal against the LGBTIQ 
targeted  online 
community.  Russian-affiliated 
disinformation campaigns have multiplied. Despite a tense climate, on 15 June, the Pride proceeded 
without major incidents, though a brief clash occurred with clergy-led protesters. Earlier, the Chișinău 
Municipal  Council  had  attempted  to  ban the  event,  and  a  disinformation campaign had  targeted  the 
LGBTIQ community. 

local  media  propagate  misinformation  and 

Procedural rights and victims’ rights 

The legal framework on procedural rights is largely in place, but certain systemic issues persist and 
the rights of victims of crime need to be strengthened. 

Systemic  issues  continue  to  affect  the  right  to  a  fair  trial.  While  the  ECtHR  found  only  three 
violations  in  2024,  several  cases  remain  under  enhanced  supervision  due  to  procedural  rights 
concerns. Common issues include inadequate reasoning in convictions, reopening of final judgments 
after late appeals by prosecutors, and dismissal of revision requests in tax cases. Abuses of pre-trial 
detention persist. Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code in 2024 improved the rights of injured 

40 

 
 
parties,  ensuring  equal  appeal  rights.  Challenges  remain  in  ensuring  access  to  justice  for  persons 
belonging  to  minorities  and  people  with  disabilities.  Legal  aid  is  widely  available,  with  increased 
training to improve its quality. Moldova has yet to fully align its laws with relevant EU directives on 
criminal procedural rights and safeguards. 

Protection of minorities 

The legal and institutional framework for the rights of people belonging  to minorities is incomplete 
and people belonging to minorities are broadly integrated. Moldova needs to further enhance dialogue 
with  ethnic  and  linguistic  minorities.  The  capacity  and  autonomy  of  the  Agency  for  Interethnic 
Relations require strengthening. The National programme on learning the Romanian language led to 
significant results, with 12 700 individuals enrolled in 2024. 

Moldova  has  signed  but  not  yet ratified  the  European  Charter  for  Regional  or Minority  Languages. 
Ongoing  efforts  to  ensure  the  promotion  of  cultural  and  linguistic  rights  of  people  belonging  to 
minorities  should  continue.  Moldova  needs  to  draw  up  and  implement  the  Multilingual  education 
action plan (including on minority languages) in the education system and ensure sufficient budget for 
the implementation  of the multiannual  education  programme.  The increase  of  teaching  hours in  the 
Ukrainian  language  is  a  positive  step,  as  is  the  publication  of  educational  material  in  Gagauz, 
Bulgarian  and  Russian.  Institutional  efforts  to  revive  the  use  of  the  Gagauz  language  should  be 
reinforced. Local media remain essential to foster linguistic diversity. 

Following reports of irregularities during the Bashkan elections in May 2023, tensions persist between 
the central authorities and the elected authorities of the Gagauz Autonomous Unit. 

Roma 

The Roma in Moldova continue to suffer from racism and discrimination. The implementation of the 
2022-2025  National  Support  Programme  for  the  Roma  People  should  be  reinforced.  Although  16 
municipalities approved local level action plans to support the Roma, local authorities need support to 
build  their  capacity  at  local  level.  The  low  salaries  and  working  conditions  of  state-funded  Roma 
community mediators remain inadequate to the scope of the task. 

The exceedingly low level of school attendance of Roma refugee children has slightly increased (from 
1 114 pupils in 2023 to 1 645 pupils in 2024) but remains a major concern. A National Roma focal 
point  has  been  appointed. An  inclusive and  participatory  approach  with  meaningful  participation  of 
the  Roma  community  should  be  ensured.  Roma  displaced  persons  from  Ukraine  face  challenges  in 
relation to housing, employment, documentation and discrimination in reception centres. 

Citizenship rights 

No developments were reported during the reporting period. 

2.2.2  Chapter 24: Justice, freedom and security  

The EU has common rules for border and migration management, visa policy,  and asylum. Schengen 
cooperation entails the lifting of border controls inside the EU. There is also cooperation in the fight 
against serious and organised crime and terrorism, and judicial, police and customs cooperation, all 
with the support of the EU Justice and Home Affairs agencies. 

Fight against serious and organised crime 

The legal framework on serious and organised crime is partially aligned with the EU acquis.  

The capacity to fight against serious and organised crime needs to be improved.  

Legal alignment, strategic and institutional frameworks  

Moldova is partially aligned with the EU acquis in the field of police cooperation and the fight against 
organised crime. Moldova continued to implement its general home affairs strategy for 2022-2030 - 

41 

 
 
revised in August 2025 - and its six sectoral development strategies specifically on organised crime, 
public  order,  safety,  civil  protection,  migration  and  education/  ethics/  digitalisation.  The  sectoral 
development  strategies  are  set  to  expire  in  December  2025,  and  Moldova  should  promptly  develop 
and adopt subsequent ones covering 2026-2030. 

Moldova  has  a  national  serious  and  organised  crime  threat  assessment  (SOCTA)  to  guide  its 
operational  activities,  and  recommendations  from  it  have  been  included  in  the  action  plan  of  the 
General Police Inspectorate for 2025. 

A high turnover rate and a significant number of vacancies continue to affect the operational capacity 
of law enforcement agencies. Moldova should ensure that institutions responsible for the fight against 
organised crime are equipped with adequate human and financial resources. 

The  mechanism  for  the  confiscation  of  criminal  assets  was  improved  by  introducing  significant 
reforms  to  the  normative  acts  in  March  2025.  The  new  legislation  enhances  the  powers  of  the 
Criminal Asset Recovery Agency (CARA), granting it broader authority to manage confiscated assets 
and  introducing  clearer  procedures  for  the  temporary  administration  of  seized  property.  A  national 
register for seized and confiscated assets was put in place in December 2024 as a centralised database 
for statistics for asset recovery institutions. Therefore, increasing transparency and effective tracking 
of  assets  throughout  legal  proceedings  is  required.  The  reforms  also  clarified  the  roles  and 
responsibilities of the institutions involved in the enforcement of court decisions on asset confiscation, 
to strengthen coordination and increase the efficiency of the asset recovery process. 

Moldova has not yet developed a sectoral strategy on cybercrime and needs to take further steps to 
align  with  the  EU  acquis  in  this  area.  It  also  needs  to  ratify  the  Second  Additional  Protocol  to  the 
Cybercrime  Convention  on  enhanced  cooperation  and  disclosure  of  electronic  evidence.  The 
cybercrime unit under the Ministry of the Interior has a central forensic laboratory, but its capacities 
should be further strengthened, including on cryptocurrencies. 

The criminalisation of all forms of child sexual abuse is pending. A draft amendment to align with 
the EU Directive on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children, as well as child 
pornography  has  been  adopted  in  first  reading  but  is  awaiting  final  approval  by  the  Parliament. 
Moldova is encouraged to follow the ongoing negotiations at the EU level in the revision of this EU 
Directive.  

The  legal  framework  for  trafficking  in  human  beings  is  partially  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis. 
Moldova continues to coordinate and implement the national strategy on trafficking in human beings 
adopted  in  September  2023.  Moldova  should  strengthen  its  legal  framework  and  introduce  stricter 
tools  for  public  authorities  to  investigate 
and prosecute new forms of exploitation. 

To combat the trafficking of small arms 
and  light  weapons  (SALW),  Moldova 
adopted the national policy document and 
small  arms  and  light  weapons  control  for 
2026-2030  in  August  2025.  Moldova 
continues  to  implement  the  objectives  of 
the EU action plan on firearms trafficking 
and participates in its regional roadmap on 
SALW. Further efforts have been taken to 
operationalise  the  national  focal  point  on 
arms 
in 
addition  to  receiving  on-site  expertise  for 
methodological  support,  and  these  efforts 
to 
should  continue.  Moldova  needs 

line  with  EU  standards, 

in 

42 

 
 
continue its efforts in aligning with the 
EU  acquis  including  in  respect  of  the 
Firearms Directive.  

Implementation 
capacity 

and 

enforcement 

crime 

organised 

Moldova continued its efforts to build a 
track  record 
in  fighting  organised 
crime. Further work is needed to tackle 
complex 
cases, 
including  enhancing  the  continuous 
training  system  of  law  enforcement 
identification  of  their 
services  and 
needs.  Moldova 
training 
should 
continue 
to  demonstrate  detection, 
prevention  and  prosecution  of  serious 
and organised crime, leading to a solid 
track 
final  convictions 
including  in  cases  of  trafficking  in 
human  beings,  child  sexual  abuse,  drug  trafficking,  cybercrime,  money  laundering  and  firearms 
trafficking. 

record  of 

On intelligence-led policing, further work is needed to develop efficient intelligence data collection, 
analysis  and  dissemination.  Moldova  should  also  strengthen its  capacity  in  terms  of  equipment  and 
personnel to reduce its response time in the context of cross-border organised crime investigations.  

International police cooperation, including with EU Member States and EU agencies, was further 
strengthened.  Moldova  continues  its  good  cooperation  with  the  European  Union  Agency  for  Law 
Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) and the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training 
(CEPOL)  under  comprehensive  agreements.  In  April  2025,  the  working  arrangement  with  CEPOL 
was renewed.  

Europol continues to deploy guest officers to Moldova, and a Moldovan liaison officer is posted to 
Europol’s  headquarters.  In  2024,  border  police  representatives  submitted  862  requests  to  verify 
information  against  Europol  databases,  marking  a  247%  increase  compared  to  2023.  Moldova  has 
stepped  up  its  participation  in  the  European  Multidisciplinary  Platform  Against  Criminal  Threats 
(EMPACT). It took part in 154 operational actions in the period 2024-2025, a 50% increase compared 
with 2023. 

Moldova has rolled out SIENA (Secure Information Exchange Network Application) to several law 
enforcement authorities and information exchanges facilitated through the system have improved. 

On  cybercrime,  more  efforts  are  needed  to  strengthen  law  enforcement  response  focusing  on  the 
detection  and  traceability  of  cybercrime  data  and  the  prosecution  of  cyber  criminals.  In  September 
2025 Moldova put in place an online platform for citizens to report on cybercrime they may have been 
victim of. 

Although  Moldova  has  strengthened  existing  capacities  for  investigating  and  prosecuting  crimes 
against children committed through the internet, further work is needed. Key new developments in 
this area include the launch of the National Centre for Child Safety and new services for child victims 
and offenders. 

On  the  fight  against  trafficking  in  human  beings,  while  Moldova  demonstrated  continued  efforts 
through increased interinstitutional coordination and monitoring mechanisms as well as engagement 
with  EU  partners  via  EMPACT,  it  needs  to  strengthen  law  enforcement  investigative  capacities. 

43 

 
 
Moldova  should  build  stronger  capacities  to  combat  online  trafficking  (recruitment,  advertisement 
and exploitation, in particular of minors). It should also continue to address gaps in the early detection 
and  identification  of  potential  victims  and 
the assistance to victims.  

On the trafficking of small arms and light 
weapons  (SALW),  Moldova  continued  to 
actively cooperate with EU agencies, as well 
the  South-Eastern  and  Eastern 
as  with 
Europe  Clearinghouse  for  the  Control  of 
Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC). 
Traceability markings were applied to 1 112 
weapons. In March 2025, the General Police 
Inspectorate  in  cooperation  with  SEESAC 
carried  out  the  ninth  round  of  disposal  of 
small  arms  and  light  weapons  by  melting 
2 177  firearms.  Physical  security  and  stockpile  safety  were  further  strengthened  through  completed 
upgrades to SALW storage and evidence rooms. 

In  2024,  the  General  Police  Inspectorate  placed  14  adults  and  one  minor  in  witness  protection 
programmes. 

Moldovan  Law  Enforcement  authorities  have  made  some  progress  in  dealing  with  gender-based 
violence cases, including adopting a victim-centred approach in a more systematic manner 

In 2024, the Criminal Asset Recovery Agency (CARA) continued its asset recovery efforts, with 102 
assets frozen and approximately 112 million lei deposited to the treasury accounts. In 2024, a total of 
201 control procedures were finalised, covering asset and personal interest declarations, conflicts of 
interest,  incompatibilities,  restrictions,  and  limitations.  Despite  this  activity,  the  number  of  final 
judicial rulings confirming unjustified wealth remained low, and sanctions continue to face challenges 
in court due to procedural appeals. 

Cooperation in the field of drugs 

Cooperation in the field of drugs needs to be improved. 

Legal alignment, strategic and institutional frameworks 

Moldova’s  institutional  model  of  cooperation  in  the  field  of  drugs  is  broadly  in  line  with  EU 
standards. Progress has been made to establish the legal framework for the National Early Warning 
System  and  for  the  National  Drugs  Observatory  (NDO).  Three  working  groups  under  the  National 
Anti-Drug Commission are tasked with drafting the national strategic framework on drugs. Moldova 
still needs to adopt a national drug strategy and relevant action plans that address prevention, supply 
and demand reduction, as well as drug-related harm. 

In 2024, following a self-assessment, the NDO drafted an action plan for strengthening its capacity for 
2025-2027.  Further  work  is  necessary  to  fully  operationalise  the  NDO  and  put  in  place  the  early 
warning system on the information exchange on new psychoactive substances. 

Cooperation with the EU Drugs Agency (EUDA) is good; however, the quality of data provided needs 
to be improved. Cooperation in this field also continues with Europol and the European Border and 
Coast Guard Agency (Frontex). 

Implementation and enforcement capacity 

44 

 
 
Moldova  is  a  transit  country  for  drugs.  In  2024,  it  recorded  a  significant  decrease  in  drug-related 
offences compared with previous years. In 2024, Moldova demonstrated a good level of cooperation 
on  drug-related  issues  with  neighbouring  countries  and  beyond  and  increased  the  number  of 
information exchanges via SIENA. Moldova participates in the EMPACT Operational Action Plans 
on Cannabis, Cocaine and Heroin and on Synthetic Drugs and new psychoactive substances (NPS). 
Moldova  should  further  intensify 
operational  cooperation 
to  fight 
against  drug  trafficking,  including 
within  EMPACT  and  cooperation 
with Europol.  

should 

continue 

forensic 
its 

its 
that  of 

to 
Moldova 
capacity, 
increase 
including 
laboratory 
services to detect NPS, and enhance 
interventions  and 
evidence-based 
awareness  activities  with  regard  to 
treatment 
addiction,  prevention, 
reduction, 
risk 
social 
rehabilitation 
reintegration and recovery.  

harm 

and 

and 

There are treatment centres for drug addiction in eight localities, and access to treatments is available 
in  13  prisons.  During  2024,  139  new  patients  registered  with  the  national  opiate  pharmacotherapy 
programme, bringing the total to 2 625 beneficiaries (up from 2 332 in 2022 and 2 376 in 2023). 

Fight against terrorism 

The  legal  framework  for  the  fight 
against  terrorism,  for  countering 
violent  extremism  and  for  critical 
infrastructure  protection  and  the 
is 
resilience  of  critical  entities 
partially  aligned  with 
the  EU 
acquis.  Further  improvements  in 
these fields are needed. 

Legal  alignment, 
institutional frameworks 

strategic  and 

Moldova’s anti-terrorism legislation 
is  partially  aligned  with  the  EU 
acquis. 

security 

strategy 

The  national 
covers the fight against terrorism and terrorist financing. The level of preparation in protecting critical 
infrastructure  remains  low.  The  national  programme  for  the  consolidation  and  realisation  of  anti-
terrorist  protection  measures  is  not  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis  on  the  resilience  of  critical  entities. 
These  aspects  should  be  considered  by  Moldova  when  renewing  the  national  programme  beyond 
2026. 

There is no national strategy in place dedicated to the fight against terrorism, nor a strategy or action 
plan in line with the EU policy and key principles on preventing and countering violent extremism. 
Moldova should also implement the Terrorist Content Online regulation.  

45 

 
 
There is no central entity in place responsible for coordinating the prevention of radicalisation. The 
institutional framework on this needs to be improved, including by defining competences, tasks and 
institutions 
responsibilities 
working 
and 
on 
countering  radicalisation  and  violent 
extremism. 

for 
preventing 

Implementation 
capacity 

and 

enforcement 

Moldova has a national terrorist alert 
system  that  is  structured  in  four 
levels,  currently  set  at  a  moderate 
threat level. 

During  the  reporting  period,  one 
criminal  case  was  brought  against  a 
group  of  individuals  suspected  of  committing  terrorist-related  crimes.  In  the  reporting  period  no 
terrorist  (or  terrorist-related)  attacks  have  been  committed,  and  no  convictions  have  been  reported. 
The number of persons expelled from Moldova based on national security reasons and suspicion of 
terrorist  profiles  remained  stable in  2024  –  11  persons  in  2024,  the  same as in 2023.  However,  the 
number of persons who were denied access to Moldova at the border crossings on possible extremist-
violent grounds has substantially increased in 2024, reaching a total of 193 persons, compared to 35 in 
2023. 

Judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters 

Judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters has improved but further efforts are needed.  

Moldova  has  to  accede  to  the  2007  Hague  Child  Support  Convention,  the  2027  Maintenance 
Obligations Protocol and the 2019 Hague Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign 
Judgments  in  Civil  or  Commercial 
Matters. 

Office 

Moldova  has  continued to strengthen 
cooperation with the European Public 
Prosecutor’s 
(EPPO), 
including  by  concluding  a  working 
arrangement  between  the  EPPO  and 
the  National  Anti-corruption  Centre 
(NAC)  on  26 November  2024.  In 
2024, the EPPO sent five requests for 
mutual 
the 
legal  assistance 
Moldovan authorities.  

to 

Moldova  maintained  good  cooperation  with  partners  concerning  mutual  legal  assistance  (MLA)  in 
criminal matters for the purpose of asset recovery in particular. 

A part-time liaison prosecutor has been seconded to Eurojust since October 2023, and a contact point 
has been appointed. Between 1 March 2024 – 31 July 2025, Moldova was involved in 44 new cases at 
Eurojust,  including  in  13  joint  investigation  teams,  most  of  them  related  to  organised  crime,  drug 
trafficking and money laundering. Moldova should increase their secondment to Eurojust to full time. 

Legal and irregular migration 

The legal framework for management of legal and irregular migration is partially aligned with the EU 
acquis. 

46 

 
 
The management of legal and irregular migration needs to be improved. 

Legal alignment, strategic and institutional frameworks 

Moldova continued to implement the national programme for managing migration flows, asylum and 
integration  of foreigners  for  2022-2025  and  its  action  plan.  In  2024,  48.2%  of  the  actions  from the 
action plan were implemented. 

The  regulatory  framework  for  managing  irregular  migration  has  been  updated  during  the  reporting 
period. In the field of return, amendments made to the legal regime for foreigners aimed to  partially 
align with the EU Directive on common standards and procedures for returning illegally staying third-
country  nationals  entered  into  force  in  January  2025.  In  February  2025,  the  temporary  protection 
granted to displaced persons from Ukraine was extended until March 2026. 

Implementation and enforcement capacity 

Moldova currently has enough reception capacity due to a steady decline in demand. The reception 
capacity  is  not  fully  used,  with  an  occupancy  rate  of  approximately  77%  out  of  the  overall  1 651 
places. Several refugee accommodation centres (RACs) have been temporarily closed due to a fall in 
the  number  of  requests  and  the  need  to  reduce  costs,  but  they  could  be  reopened  in  the  event  of  a 
refugee crisis. 

The  EU-Moldova  status  agreement  entered 
into  force  on  1  November  2022.  As  of 
September  2025,  there  were  104  Frontex-
deployed  officers  at  Moldova’s  borders  with 
Romania  and  Ukraine  as  well  as  its  airport  in 
Chișinău.  The  renewal  of  the  Border  Guard 
Service’s working arrangement with Frontex is 
ongoing. The cooperation remains good. 

Moldova  takes  part  in  the  Global  Alliance  to 
Counter  Migrant  Smuggling,  and  is  invited  to 
renew  its  engagement  at  the  occasion  of  the 
Global Alliance's second conference scheduled 
to take place at the end 2025. 

The implementation of the EU-Moldova readmission agreement is good. There are 15 Agreements on 
readmission  concluded  and  26  Additional  Protocols  signed  with  the  EU  Member  states  and  other 
countries  of  origin.  Conclusion  of 
readmission  agreements  with  third 
countries  and  further  agreements  or 
arrangements  with  countries  of 
origin should continue. 

Asylum 

The  legal  framework  on  asylum  is 
largely partially aligned with the EU 
acquis. 

The  management  of  asylum 
broadly satisfactory. 

is 

Legal  alignment, 

strategic  and 

institutional frameworks 

47 

 
 
Moldovan  legislation  on  asylum  is 
partially  aligned  with 
the  EU 
acquis,  and  the  country  is  party  to 
the 
international 
conventions. 

relevant 

Moldova  took  steps  to  strengthen 
the asylum  system  in  particular for 
to 
people  with  special  needs, 
include  of  certain  legal  definitions 
and  to  put  in  place  new  rules  to 
prevent  abuse  within  the  system. 
This  includes  the  amendments  to 
the  Asylum  Law  that  came  into 
effect  in  January  2025.  Moldova 

should revise and strengthen its national system for the referral of asylum seekers with special needs. 

The  temporary  protection  granted  to  displaced  persons  from  Ukraine  aligns  with  EU  Temporary 
Protection providing access to the right of residence, identity documentation, the right to education, 
access  to  the  labour  market  and  healthcare.  In  2025,  the  programme  to  harness  the  potential  of 
foreigners – including refugees – arriving in the country for Moldova’s socio-economic development 
while  ensuring  that  their  rights  are  in  line  with  EU  acquis  was  adopted  in  2025  and  will  run  until 
2027.  

From  1 March  2023  to  31 July 2025,  105  453  displaced  persons  from  Ukraine  have registered for 
temporary protection. Lack of resources remains the main challenge faced by the national authorities 
handling a large number of requests for protection. 

Implementation and enforcement capacity 

As  a  consequence  of  Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine,  Moldova  has  become  not  only  a 
transit country but also a destination country for people fleeing the war. From 24 February 2022 to 31 
July 2025, 1 155 480 Ukrainian citizens entered Moldova via the Moldova-Ukraine border. 111 034 
foreign citizens who entered since the start of the full-scale war remain on the territory of Moldova. 
Of  this,  98 329  are  Ukrainian  citizens  and  12 705  are  third-country  nationals,  whereas  49  955  are 
minors. 

In 2024, Moldova received 7 922 asylum applications in comparison to 4 101 applications in 2023. 
The  increasing  number  of  asylum  seekers  continues  to  put  national  authorities  under  pressure. 
Moldovan  authorities  should  continue  the  ongoing  process  to  reform  the  Bureau  for  Asylum  and 
Migration  into  the  General  Inspectorate  for  Migration  and  equip  it  with  more  staff  and  equipment, 
including a digitalisation system interoperable with other national systems.  

Access to and provision of information on the asylum procedure need to be improved, as does access 
to  information  and  legal  counselling  for  asylum  seekers  at  Chișinău  international  airport  to  prevent 
any potential cases of refoulement. 

Moldova  benefits  from  regional  support  provided  by  the  European  Union  Agency  for  Asylum 
facilitated by the Prague Process. 

Visa policy 

The  visa  policy  is  not  fully  aligned  with  that  of  the  EU,  in  particular  the  list  of  countries  whose 
nationals require a visa to enter the EU. Moldova’s list of visa-free countries diverges by 11 countries 
(Armenia,  Azerbaijan,  Belarus,  Kazakhstan,  Kyrgyzstan,  Qatar,  Russia,  Tajikistan,  Türkiye, 

48 

 
 
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu) whose nationals require a visa for short stays in the EU. The visa regime was 
reinstated for Cuba following an amendment that came into effect in March 2025. 

Further  progress  on  visa  policy  alignment  is  required.  Pending  full  alignment,  a  more  rigorous 
screening of visa-free arrivals of third-country nationals, particularly those from countries presenting 
security or irregular migration risks, is necessary. 

The  European  Commission’s  seventh  report  under  the  visa  suspension  mechanism,  published  in 
December 2024, concluded that Moldova continues to meet the visa liberalisation benchmarks. 

Schengen governance and external borders 

The  legislative  and  strategic  framework  for  the management of  external  borders  is  partially  aligned 
with the EU acquis. The management of borders needs to be improved. 

Legal alignment, strategic and institutional frameworks 

Given the need to reinforce and establish solid foundations for the Schengen system, it is necessary to 
continue strengthening the national Schengen governance by establishing the Schengen Action Plan 
covering the whole framework.  

Moldova  has  a  national  concept  for  European  Integrated  Border  Management  (EIBM),  including  a 
four-tier  access  control  model,  in  line  with  the  Frontex  Regulation.  A  programme  for  integrated 
border management (2022-2025) is in place. A new Integrated Border Management Programme for 
2026-2030  must  be  adopted,  in  line  with  the  EU’s  multiannual  strategic  policy  cycle  for  integrated 
border management. EIBM principles should be better reflected in national strategic documents and 
subsequently implemented in practice. 

The new Law regarding the state border of Moldova, adopted in February 2024, entered into force on 
6 January  2025  and  aims  to  align  with  the  EU  acquis  in  this  area.  Moldova  needs  to  adopt 
implementing legislation  by  operationalising the  second  line  checks  in  all  border  crossing  points.  It 
also  needs to strengthen  its  capacity  to  conduct  second  line checks in line  with  EU  standards  (with 
adequate equipment including digital, infrastructure, and dedicated/specialised personnel). 

The  Law  on  the  use  of the  passenger’s  name record  data  entered into  force  in  December  2024  and 
aims  to  align  with  the  related  EU  Directive.  Moldova  should  strengthen  the  Passenger  Information 
Unit  (PIU)  with  adequate  personnel,  equipment  (including  digital)  and  a  solid  legal  framework. 
Moldova  has  the  legal  framework  in  place  for  the  collection  and  transfer  of  advance  passenger 
information (API) since 2011, but it has not implemented it yet. Full alignment with the EU API/PNR 
framework should be ensured. 

Moldova  is  a  member  of  the  Eastern  Partnership  Risk  Analysis  Network,  a  regional  platform  for 
information exchange and intelligence sharing. National procedures related to INTERPOL alerts are 
harmonised with European procedures, and a unified approach is in place. 

Implementation and enforcement capacity 

On  international  cooperation,  Moldova  continued  a  good  cooperation  with  Frontex.  Information 
exchange  with  Frontex  takes  place  centrally  and  at  joint  points  of  contact.  Cooperation  with 
neighbouring  border  services in  Romania and  Ukraine  takes  place  via joint  patrols and joint  border 
control measures together with customs. 

Common procedure for competent authorities on API/PNR data processing was established through 
the interinstitutional order signed in June 2025 between relevant institutions. 

Moldova  has  continued  its  efforts  to  train  law  enforcement  institutions  on  corruption-related 
measures.  In  2024,  28  employees  of  the  Ministry  of  Interior  were  trained.  Disciplinary  procedures 
against  border  guards  should  be  more  systematically  applied  where  needed.  In  2024,  78  corruption 
cases were documented within the Ministry of Internal Affairs, compared to 43 in 2023. 

49 

 
 
Counterfeiting of the euro (criminal law aspect) 

The  relevant  legislation  on  the  suppression  of  counterfeit  currency  is  partially  aligned  with  the  EU 
acquis. 

Moldova is not party to the 1929 Geneva Convention for the suppression of counterfeiting currency. It 
should set up a national central office on this. The Criminal Code provides for criminal liability for 
counterfeiting and is partly aligned with EU acquis. 

2.3. ECONOMIC CRITERIA 

2.3.1. The existence of a functioning market economy 

Economic governance 

The  authorities  are  taking  some  steps  in  implementing  reforms  supported  by  international 
partners, but adoption of laws critical to strengthening economic governance is still outstanding. 
Moldova completed an EU macro-financial assistance operation worth EUR 295 million with the final 
disbursement in December 2024, following the successful implementation of all policy conditions. On 
17 December 2024, the IMF completed the sixth review under the ECF/EFF, and the second review 
under  the  resilience  and  sustainability  facility  (RSF)  with  Moldova.  The  programme  expired  in 
October  2025  with  two  reviews  not  completed  in  2025.  In  response  to  concerns  about  the 
independence of the central bank following the abrupt dismissal of the Governor of the National Bank 
of  Moldova,  additional  amendments  to  the  central  bank  law  have  been  drafted  to  strengthen  the 
institutional setup of the National Bank of Moldova. However, their adoption by Parliament remains 
pending. 

Moldova participated in the economic and financial dialogue with the EU in May 2025, following the 
submission of its second economic reform programme. Implementation of the 2024 policy guidance 
was  partial,  with  progress  on  fiscal  consolidation,  some  steps  taken  to  advance  fiscal  structural 
reforms and significant efforts in the area of monetary policy. 

50 

Table 19:202220232024Moldova - Key economic figuresGDP per capita (% of EU-27 in PPS)1)27282930Real GDP growth 3.7-4.61.20.1Activity rate of the population aged 20-64 (%), totaln/a53.758.459.1      femalen/a50.055.357.5      malen/a57.861.960.9Unemployment rate of the population aged 20-64 (%), totaln/a3.14.64.0      femalen/a2.64.24.1      malen/a3.55.03.8Employment of the population aged 20-64 (annual growth %)n/a2.01.8-3.3Nominal wages (annual growth %)12.116.316.9Consumer price index (annual growth %)5.028.713.44.7Exchange rate against EUR20.519.919.619.3Current account balance (% of GDP)-8.4-16.6-11.4-16.0Net foreign direct investment, FDI (% of GDP)2.13.72.21.8General government balance (% of GDP)-3.4-3.2-5.2-3.9General government debt (% of GDP)34.235.034.938.2Sources: wiiw, IMF, National Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Finance, National Bank of Moldova2016-21 average 
 
 
  
Macroeconomic stability 

The economic recovery, which started in 2023, came to a halt in the  second half of 2024. Real 
GDP growth stagnated as a result of Russia’s war of aggression against neighbouring Ukraine, a sharp 
drop in agricultural output due to a severe drought and decline in agricultural exports and mineral re-
exports. The impact remained contained thanks to a rebound in private consumption underpinned by a 
nearly  10%  increase  in  real  wages.  Strong  private 
investment growth driven by looser monetary policy 
in  2024  and  a  support  programme  for  real  estate 
investments  also  supported  economic  activity.  Net 
export remained a drag on growth (down by 3.7 pps. 
as share of GDP), due to a decrease in exports amidst 

strong  import  growth,  particularly  during 
the second half of 2024. 

Real  GDP  growth  is  set  to  slowly 
recover in 2025 and 2026 as the drag on 
growth stemming from the weak harvest in 2024 fades, agriculture partly recovers and domestic 
demand remains strong. Moldova’s income per capita is just under a third of that of the EU, having 
increased by more than 10 percentage points over the previous decade, although the crises in recent 
years have slowed the pace of convergence. This trend also contributed to slower reduction in poverty 
levels.  The  recently  adopted  EU  Reform  and  Growth  Facility  is expected to  advance  key  structural 
reforms and increase much needed investment to support Moldova’s economic convergence. 

Moldova’s current account balance continues to be structurally affected by its heavy reliance on 
volatile  agricultural  exports  and  vulnerability  to  imported  energy  price  fluctuations.  By  end 
2024, the current account deficit increased to 16% of GDP, up from 11.4% in 2023, reflecting falling 
re-exports  to  Ukraine  (mostly  minerals)  and  a  sharp  drop  of  agricultural  exports  –  a  trend  that  is 
projected  to  persist  through  2025.  While  goods  exports  as  share  of  GDP  dropped  services  exports 
registered a modest increase., largely supported by growth in the IT sector. At the same time, imports 
remained strong supported by robust private consumption. The widening current account deficit has 
been  primarily  financed  by  net inflows  of  currency  and  deposits,  as  well  as loans  from multilateral 
and  bilateral  donors.  Remittances  continued  to  play  a  significant  role  but  fell  in  2024  to  10.3%  of 
GDP.  Similarly, the inflows  of  foreign  direct  investment  as a  share  of  GDP  declined  from  2.2% in 
2023 to 1.8% in 2024 partly reflecting persistently weak investor confidence due to Russia’s war of 
aggression against Ukraine.  

After  successful  disinflation  following  the  2022/2023  energy  shock,  inflation  rebounded  in  the 
second half of 2024 before slightly easing in 2025. Average annual inflation dropped from 13.4% in 
2023  to  4.7%  in  2024,  but  inflationary  pressures  re-emerged  in  mid-2024  due  to  rising  food  prices 
partly driven by the 2025 summer drought and increased gas prices. The National Bank of Moldova 
paused interest rate cuts in May 2024, maintaining a 3.6% base rate while easing reserve requirements 
to counteract declining private consumption toward the end of 2024. However, as inflation peaked at 
9.1% in January 2025 due to a sharp increase in electricity prices following the cut-off of Russian gas 
to the Transnistrian region, the Central Bank increased its key policy rate. The righting of monetary 

51 

 
 
policy contributed to stabilising inflation at around 8% in the first half of 2025. In the summer 2025, 
the NBM reduced the base rate in two steps, to 6%. 

Although  Moldova’s  public  debt-to-GDP  ratio  remains  relatively  low  compared  to  regional 
peers,  the  country  has  run  large  fiscal 
deficits in recent years. The fiscal deficit fell 
to 3.9% of GDP in 2024 (compared with 5.2% 
of  GDP  in  2023),  primarily  due  to  stronger-
than-expected revenues, an under-execution of 
public  investments  and  improved  targeting  of 
support  measures  to  mitigate  the  impact  of 
high  energy  prices  on  households.  The  2025 
budget,  as  amended  in  April  and  June  2025, 
projects the deficit to widen to 5.1% of GDP, 
on  the  back  of  additional  expenditure  in  road 
and  rail  infrastructure,  energy  efficiency  and 
other  projects  for  regional  development  and  environmental  protection.  It  also  provides  for  other 
increases  in  current  expenditure  including  subsidies  to  agricultural  producers,  support  to  SMEs,  an 
increase  in  public  salaries  and  one-off  support  payments  to  selected  groups  such  as  students  and 
vulnerable households. This higher spending is supported by additional funding from the Reform and 
Growth Facility. Additional spending to mitigate the impact of higher energy prices for households, 
businesses and the public sector is financed by EU grant support (as part of the Energy Package). In 
2024, the public debt-to-GDP ratio increased by 3.3 percentage points, reaching 38.2% of GDP by the 
end of the year. 

Moldova has made efforts in advancing fiscal structural reforms, notably through improvements 
of public investment management, spending efficiency, while steps have been taken to consolidate tax 
expenditures. Nevertheless, total public investments fell from 1.3% of GDP in 2023 to less than 1% of 
GDP in 2024, while steps were taken to strengthen public investment management. The single project 
pipeline was successfully applied to all new investment projects in the 2025 budget. The full impact 
of this reform will become evident over time, once the ongoing projects (not included in the pipeline) 
are  completed.  Moldova  also  took  steps  in  broadening  the  tax  base  and  enhancing  tax  compliance, 
with some tax expenditures eliminated. However, a cost-benefit analysis of tax expenditures did not 
result in a general consolidation of tax expenditures. Instead, new tax expenditures were introduced in 
2025.  In  terms  of  public  spending  efficiency,  Moldova  completed  a  spending  review  in  the  health 
sector and has begun implementing its results. A spending review on social protection is underway. 
However, a key challenge remains the lack of a regulatory framework that makes the implementation 
of spending reviews a legal requirement, as well as limited capacities in the line ministries and in the 
Ministry of Finance to undertake such spending reviews. 

The  macroeconomic  policy  mix  has  contributed  to  sustaining  macroeconomic  stability  amidst 
several  crises,  yet  public  investment  levels  remain  low  while  the  recent  energy  price  increase 
and  the  2024  drought  exposed  the  country’s  vulnerability  to  external  shocks.  The  government 
responded  swiftly  to  rising  energy  prices  and  increased  energy  support  spending,  supported  by  EU 
grants, to mitigate the impact on businesses and households. A new electricity compensation has been 
put in  place  for  2025 to mitigate the effects of the  price shock  due  to  the  abrupt  transition  towards 
market  electricity  prices.  The  package,  which  compensates  up  to  80%  of  average  electricity 
consumption  provides  support  to  all  households.  This  support  is  to  be  phased  out  with  energy 
vulnerability reduction fund remaining the main instrument to support vulnerable households. Further 
implementation of the public investment reform as well as improved budget planning and execution 
are required to increase the much needed public investments, also facilitated by the EU Reform and 
Growth  Facility.  Monetary  policy  remains  adequate  and  sufficiently  tight  to  respond  to  recent 

52 

 
 
inflationary pressures. The key risks for macroeconomic stability include the impact of Russia’s war 
of  aggression  against  Ukraine,  further  energy  price  hikes  given  the  country’s  large  dependency  on 
energy  imports,  Moldova’s  weak  export  base  and  a  low  level  of  preparedness  to  adapt  to  climate 
change  as  well  as  weaker  growth  among  key  trading  partners  amid  a  volatile  global  trade 
environment. 

Functioning of product markets 

Business environment 

Moldova has made some progress in improving its business environment but remains affected 
by  Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine  and  structural  challenges.  The  government 
adopted  several  deregulation  packages aimed at reducing  administrative  costs for  firms imposed  by 
outdated  or  overly  complex  regulation.  In  addition,  access  and  use  of  digital  public  services 
significantly increased. Despite some progress during the reporting period, weaknesses in the rule of 
law continue to undermine the business environment. According to the 2024 World Bank Enterprise 
Survey,  nearly  one  fifth  of  firms  identify  corruption  as  a  major  or  very  severe  constraint,  slightly 
above the regional average. Based on the World Bank methodology, results suggests that only 43% of 
surveyed firms view the courts as independent and impartial in resolving commercial disputes, while 
slightly less than half consider alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to be reliable. Both figures 
are significantly below the regional average, where approximately 75% of firms report confidence in 
judicial  independence  and  the  reliability  of  alternative  dispute  resolution.  Despite  some  legal 
amendments, weaknesses in the insolvency and bankruptcy framework persist. In addition, a shortage 
of  both  high  and  low-skilled  labour,  regulatory  uncertainty  and  political  instability  remain  limiting 
factors  to  the  potential  for  entrepreneurship  and  FDI.  Informal  employment  decreased  slightly  in 
2024, largely due to a decline in agriculture3. The reform of the State Labour Inspectorate has yielded 
some  positive  results,  with  a  significantly  higher  number  of  inspections  and  successful  cases  of 
formalized  employment,  though  the  increase  remains  limited  given  the  large  size  of  the  informal 
economy.  Furthermore,  Moldova  has  advanced  the  implementation  of  the  programme  to  combat 
undeclared  work  by  launching  an  online  platform  that  allows  individuals  to  anonymously  and 
formally report suspected cases of undeclared work. A review of major taxes found personal income 
taxpayers  concentrated  in  low-income  brackets,  potentially  incentivising  informal  employment. 
However, no steps were taken to address this and to identify avenues to incentivise formalisation. 

State influence on product markets 

in  Moldova’s  economy, 

State-owned  enterprises  (SOEs),  including  those  with  partial  state  ownership,  continue  to 
dominate  some  competitive  sectors 
including  transport  and 
manufacturing. While the number of SOEs has declined by around 20% since 2019, primarily due to 
liquidation and restructuring efforts, their productivity remains significantly lower than that of private 
sector firms. Notably, around one third of SOE operations are still concentrated in competitive sectors 
such  as  transport services and manufacturing.  Price controls  and  state  production  in  the  food  sector 
continue  to  be  in  place,  albeit  for  a  limited  range  of  food  products.  Prices  of  pharmaceuticals  are 
regulated at the wholesale level. The amount of State aid granted in Moldova has been declining in 
recent  years,  reaching  1.35%  of  GDP  in  2023  –  still  slightly  above  EU  levels  (1.09%  in  2023).  In 
2024, important steps were taken to bring the regional State aid scheme in line with the EU acquis. 

Privatisation and restructuring 

3 According to World Economics (2024), which uses an average of the latest estimates from economists around 
the world, Moldova’s informal economy represents about 37.1% of GDP, a decrease by almost 4 pps. compared 
to 2023. Any estimations need to be taken with caution given the variety of methodological approaches. 

53 

 
 
 
Progress  on  the  ongoing  SOE  reform  remains  limited,  with  the  most  important  steps  still 
pending  implementation.  In  November  2024,  the  government  adopted  the  programme  on 
administration  of  state  public  property  for  2024-2027,  which  outlines  a  roadmap  to  implement  the 
results of the triage exercise and pursue corporate governance reform until 2027. Following the triage 
exercise,  5  out  of  the  55  SOEs  identified  for  restructuring  have  been  transformed  into  other  legal 
forms of organisation such as public institutions. Efforts are underway to digitalise the public property 
register,  providing  more  transparency 
and  a  basis for the implementation  of 
the  triage  results.  The  number  of 
SOEs  that  have  adopted  a  corporate 
governance  code  increased  by  13, 
the 
reaching  43  SOEs.  However, 
implementation  at  company 
level 
often  lags  behind.  Three  SOEs  set  up 
audit  committees,  bringing  the  total 
number  to  11;  however,  they  do  not 
yet  publicly  report  on  their  activities 
Steps  are  being  taken  to  amend  the 
regulatory  framework  governing  the 
management and privatisation of public property assets with the adoption by Parliament still pending. 

Functioning of the financial market 

The  mainly  foreign-owned  banking  sector  remains  stable  as  capital  adequacy,  liquidity,  and 
profitability remained strong in 2024. In 2024, the high capital adequacy ratio decreased slightly, 
primarily due to increased lending activity. The liquidity coverage ratio remains well above the levels 
before  the  Russian  full-scale  invasion  of  Ukraine  in  2022  and  significantly  exceeds  the  100% 
regulatory threshold. The upward trend in profitability slowed in 2024 due to a lower interest income, 
but profitability remained strong. 

Lending to households and businesses increased strongly in 2024, supported by looser monetary 
policy  and  government  support  programmes,  but  remains  relatively  low  with  credit  to  the 
economy accounting for 25.6% of GDP in 2024. Credit growth in local currency reached pre-crisis 
levels, at around 16% y-o-y, largely driven by higher real estate lending supported by the Prima Casă 
PLUS support programme and lower interest rates. This contributed to rising property prices in major 
cities,  further  driven  by  supply  constraints  and  suggesting  increased  credit  risks.  Non-bank  lending 
growth slowed due to stricter lending rules. The non-performing loans (NPL) ratio fell from 5.6% at 
the end of 2023 to 4.2% in December 2024. The banking sector remains relatively concentrated, with 
the three largest banks holding more than 60% of total assets. The government continued to support 
access  to  finance,  notably  through  interest  rate  subsidies  and  guarantee  programmes  while  also 
initiating  the  development  of  its  first  National  Financial  Inclusion  Strategy.  Nevertheless,  the 
effectiveness of access to finance programmes appears to be undermined by insufficient coordination 
among  existing  programmes  and  a  limited  focus  on  supporting  value  added  activities  calling  for 
enhanced monitoring and evaluation. 

Moldova’s integration into the EU financial system is progressing. On 2 January 2025, the NBM 
switched to using euro from US dollars as the reference currency for the official exchange rate of the 
Moldovan leu, reflecting the increasing role of the euro in external trade, remittances and FDI flows. 

Functioning of the labour market 

Improvements in the labour market slowed down, primarily driven by the economic downturn 
during the second half of 2024. While both the employment and labour participation rate for men 
aged  20-64  years  edged  down  in  2024,  mainly  in  rural  areas  as  well  as  industry  and  agriculture, 

54 

 
 
female employment maintained a positive trajectory, albeit weaker than in 2023. Moldova’s overall 
labour market participation rate increased by 0.7  in 2024 but remains significantly lower than the EU 
average,  standing  at  just  59.1%  compared  to  nearly  76%  in  the  EU.  However,  at  the  beginning  of 
2025, the employment rate for both men and women (15 years and older) was significantly below the 
same  period  of  the  previous  year.  The  unemployment  rate  decreased  to  3.9%  in  2024  thanks  to 
measures  such  as  increased  vocational  education  and  training  (VET)  support  and  higher  start-up 
subsidies.  The  simultaneous  decline  in  both  unemployment  and  employment  is  likely  explained  by 
greater participation in VET, persistently high emigration rates and seasonal work abroad. The share 
of  young  people  not  in  employment,  education,  or  training  aged  19-25  (NEET)  continued  its 
downward trend of recent years and declined by 2.1 percentage points compared to the end of 2023. 
This  improvement  likely  reflects  expanded  active  labour  market  measures  and  efforts  to  enhance 
VET. However, the NEET rate remains high at 26%, significantly above the EU average of 11.2% in 
2023. 

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

Education and innovation 

Despite comparatively high spending on education and some improvements to address the skills 
mismatch,  outcomes  remain  low.  According  to  the  2024  World  Bank  Enterprise  Survey,  almost 
35%  of  firms  in  Moldova  identified  an  inadequately  educated  workforce  as  a  major  or  very  severe 
constraint,  compared  to  25%  on  average  in  the  region.  Nevertheless,  the  share  of  employers  rating 
graduates  as  well-prepared  rose  from  28% in  2021 to  36%  in  2024  according to  the  annual  Labour 
Market Survey. To address the skills mismatch, the authorities expanded dual VET, which has shown 
significantly better labour market outcomes compared to traditional VET programmes, and advanced 
the internationalisation of higher education. However, little progress was made to establish a regular 
dialogue between the business sector and policy makers to overcome the skills mismatch. 

Moldova  has  stepped  up  efforts  to  strengthen  research  and  innovation,  but  progress  remains 
limited. R&D spending remains low at 0.22% of GDP in 2024. The share of firms that introduced a 
new product or services in the last three years or use a foreign licensed technology remains far below 
the regional average. In March 2025, the National Fund for Innovation and Technology Transfer was 
launched to support innovation and technology transfer projects between research and businesses and 
to  attract  domestic  and  foreign  investment  under  the  2024-2027  National  Programme  for  Research 
and Innovation and the Smart Specialisation Strategy. 

Physical capital and quality of infrastructure 

Public investments as a share of GDP continue to decline, but steps are being taken to address 
structural  gaps  through  strategic  infrastructure  projects  and  public  investment  management 
reform. While the average public investment in the EU stood at around 3.5% of GDP in 2024, it fell 
to below 1% in Moldova. Transport infrastructure remains underdeveloped, particularly in the railway 
sector, but the Mobility Strategy 2030 adopted in 2024 aims to modernise the network and strengthen 
cross-border connectivity with the EU. The country continues to make major efforts to enhance the 
energy  infrastructure,  particularly  as  a  response  to  the  recent  energy  crisis,  including  through 
investments  in  domestic  production  including  for  renewable  energy.  Moldova  approved  its  first 
National Energy and Climate Plan aimed at advancing a sustainable energy transition. Work is also 
progressing on two key electricity interconnection projects with Romania to support the integration of 
Moldova’s grid into the EU market and circumventing the Transnistrian region for electricity imports. 
Moldova’s infrastructure, including transport and energy, remains highly vulnerable to climate related 
shocks, in particular floods and heat waves. According to the World Bank, Moldova is projected to 
face an average annual disaster preparedness and response funding gap of USD 146 million. 

Digitalisation is steadily advancing, supported by improved access to the internet and expanded 
access  to  public  e-services,  while  regional  disparities  persist.  High-speed  broadband  coverage 

55 

 
 
improved  significantly,  reaching  57%  of  the  population  by  mid-2024.  The  share  of  public  services 
available  online  significantly  increased  to  64%  for  businesses  and  54%  for  individuals  in  2024. 
Progress in e-commerce and digital payments, such as the expansion of online trade platforms and the 
launch of the Moldova Instant Payments system, is also helping lower transaction costs and support 
small entrepreneurs through digitalisation. 

Sectoral and enterprise structure 

Moldova’s  economic  structure  continues  to  slowly  shift  away  from  agriculture,  with  labour 
gradually  reallocating  towards  higher-productivity  sectors.  Agriculture’s  share  of  GDP  has 
steadily  decreased  over  the  past  decade,  declining  from  14.1%  in  2014  to  7.1%  in  2024.  The  ICT 
sector has emerged as a significant contributor, with its share in GDP increasing from 4.8% in 2018 to 
7.1%  in  2024,  driven  largely  by  the  growth  of  the  Moldova  Innovation  Technology  Park,  whose 

resident  companies  generate  approximately  73%  of  the  IT  industry’s  revenue.  Exports  of  higher 
value-added agricultural products have declined in 2024 due to the drought and a temporary licensing 
regime for grain and oilseed imports. While this measure aims to protect local farmers from low-cost 
competition,  it  has  disrupted  the  model  of  importing  cheap  inputs  for  processing  and  exporting 
products  such  as  sunflower  oil  and  alcohol.  Consequently, the export  of  unprocessed  locally grown 
grain and oilseeds became more viable, reducing value added exports. 

SMEs  contribute  over  half  of  GDP.  While  a  significant  share  continues  to  operate  in  trade, 
construction,  and  agriculture,  the  SME  structure  is  gradually  diversifying,  supported  by  targeted 
public programmes under the National Strategy for Economic Development. About 75% of all SMEs 
operate in the services sector, with nearly one third active in high value-added sectors such as ICT, 
business services or financial services. 

Economic integration with the EU and price competitiveness 

Despite  deeper  trade  integration  with  the  EU,  Moldova’s  trade  performance  continues  to  be 
affected by its narrow export base. The trade-to-GDP ratio declined in 2024, primarily due to a drop 
in  goods  exports.  In  2024,  the  EU  remained  Moldova’s  dominant  trading  partner,  accounting  for 
67.3%  of  total  goods  exports  and  over  half  of  goods  imports.  However,  trade  flows  continue  to  be 
heavily  concentrated,  with  a  handful  of  EU  countries  receiving  most  of  Moldova’s  exports  and 
supplying  most  of  its  imports.  While  the  composition  of  exports  is  gradually  shifting,  with  ICT 
services  gaining  traction,  the  export  base  still  largely  relies  on  labour-intensive,  low-productivity 
goods from the primary and manufacturing sectors. 

External  price  competitiveness  weakened  further  in  2024  as  the  real  effective  exchange  rate 
continued to appreciate over the year although at a slower pace than in 2023. In addition, real wages 
increased  across  all  sectors  by  9.5%  in  2024.  The  continued  erosion  of  price  competitiveness 
combined  with renewed  trade  volatility  in  2024  underscores  the  need for  export  diversification  and 
enhanced  value-added  production,  including  in  traditional  sectors  such  as  agriculture  and  food 
processing. 

56 

 
 
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. 

Institutional setup and legal alignment 

for  2023-2026.  Progress 

The legal framework on public procurement is largely aligned with the EU acquis. The government 
continued the implementation of the National Programme for Development of the Public Procurement 
System 
including  specialist 
certifications.  As  outlined  in  the  programme,  there  is  work  ongoing  on  a  proposed  regulation  to 
standardise  the  qualifications  and certification of  professionals in  public  procurement.  Additionally, 
the country has advanced the development of an electronic procurement system, supported by funding 
secured from international partners. 

involved  professionalisation  efforts, 

Legislation  on  concessions  for  works  and  services  was  adopted, ensuring a  high  level  of  alignment 
with EU acquis. A new law on public-private partnerships was adopted in February 2025, but it does 
not  yet  fully  align  with  the  EU  provisions.  The  Public  Procurement  Agency  has  strengthened  its 
ability  to  monitor  compliance  in  low-value  procurement  contracts,  but  further  progress  is  still 
required.  

Implementation and enforcement capacity 

The public procurement market accounted for 5% of GDP, maintaining the same share as in 2023. 
The most used procedure for public procurement in 2024 was the open tender procedure, with 3,432 
open tenders conducted, leading to 26,535 contracts. This accounted for 78% of the total number of 
awarded contracts.  

The institutional framework is in place, but the capacity to manage public procurement processes 
needs  to  be  improved.  During  the  reporting  period,  the  Public  Procurement  Agency  organised  two 
online training sessions dedicated to sustainable procurement, with a total of 245 participants; other 
19 online training sessions have been delivered in the framework of a World Bank project. One of the 
main bottlenecks in the implementation of the public procurement processes has been the electronic 
procurement system MTender which is outdated and does not allow the use of all tools set out in the 
legislation in force. 

Regarding prevention of corruption in public procurement, the action plan for the implementation of 
the National Integrity and Anti-corruption Programme for 2024-2028 contains actions targeting this 
field. However, this area still remains vulnerable in terms of associated corruption risks, as evidenced 
in audits and monitoring carried out by the responsible institutions, as well as investigations by the 
press  and  civil  society.  The  country  should  improve  the  transparency  of  the  procurement  system, 
allowing wider access to procurement documentation and especially procurement plans. 

There  is  no  efficient  mechanism  to  monitor  the  application  of  the  new  rules  on  low-value 
procurement, and no data on its progress and performance. 

Efficient remedy system 

In terms of the right to legal remedy, the legislation is largely aligned with the EU acquis, except for 
a few inconsistencies regarding time limits for submitting appeals. The independent National Agency 
for Solving Complaints received 1 245 appeals on 933 procurement procedures (compared with 1 012 
appeals  in  2023),  of  which  89.9%  were  related  to  public  procurement  procedures  and  10.1%  were 
related to sectoral procurement procedures. 

57 

 
 
 
In March 2025, the Parliament registered a draft law to amend the legislation and introduce a fee for 
filling  an  appeal.  The  proposed  non-reimbursable  fee  amounts  to  1%  of  the  estimated  value  of  the 
procurement (but limited to EUR 500 /MDL 10 000). 

Chapter 18 - Statistics 

European statistics are developed, produced and disseminated by EU Member States, guided by the 
principles  and  quality  criteria  elaborated  in  the  Regulation  on  European  statistics,  such  as 
professional  independence,  impartiality,  reliability,  accessibility  and  statistical  confidentiality. 
Common  rules  are  provided  for  the  methodology,  production  and  dissemination  of  statistical 
information,  which  are  further  specified  in  sectoral  legislation  that  constitute  the  EU  acquis  on 
statistics. 

As  regards  the  legal  framework  for  statistical  infrastructure,  Moldova  is  implementing  the  2023-
2030 development strategy for the national statistical system as well as the 2023-2026 programme for 
the  development  of  the  national  statistical  system.  Their  implementation  requires  allocation  of 
adequate resources and strengthening the internal capacity to deliver. 

The  National  Bureau  of  Statistics  (NBS)  continued  to  implement  innovative  methods  like  using 
alternative  data  sources  and  experimenting  with  new  statistical  approaches.  In  2025,  new  datasets 
were  submitted  through  the  EDAMIS  platform,  notably  on  energy,  demographic  healthcare (human 
resources and utilisation), consumer price index, and transport statistics. 

On  classification  and  registers,  Moldova  continues  to  implement  the  main  classification  with 
different degrees of compliance with the EU acquis. 

On  macroeconomic  statistics,  the  National  Bank  of  Moldova  (NBM)  produces  financial  accounts 
and  balance  sheets  statistics,  including  quarterly  data  on  sectoral  balance  sheets  (stocks).  Fiscal 
notifications for the excessive deficit procedure are still not produced. The NBS does not calculate the 
harmonised index of consumer prices or the house price index. The NBM has developed experimental 
calculations on financial accounts and published them on its website for consultation and feedback.  

On  the  gross  national  income  (GNI)  resource,  no  progress  was  made  during  the  reporting  period 
regarding the alignment with the European System of Accounts (ESA) 2010 standards. Moldova still 
needs  to  ensure  the  compilation  of  national  accounts  and  GNI  based  on  ESA  2010  definitions  and 
accounting rules. 

On  business  statistics, the  list  of  principal industrial  sectors (PIS) in the  field of  business  statistics 
was  approved  by  the  NBS.  Since  January  2025,  the  NBS  transmits  data  on  international  trade  in 
goods. 

On  social  statistics,  Moldova  conducted  a  national  population  and  housing  census  in  2024  and 
presented preliminary results in January 2025. Compared to the last census in 2014, coverage, public 
participation,  and  data  security  have  all  seen  significant  improvements.    Moldova  needs  to  further 
improve  the  collection  of  sex-disaggregated  data  and  develop  statistics  in  the  areas  of  asylum  and 
managed  migration.  In  March  2025,  Moldova  submitted  data  and  metadata  on  healthcare  facilities, 
healthcare human resources and healthcare utilisation to Eurostat. 

In  the  area  of  agricultural  statistics, the  last  agricultural  census  was  conducted  in  2011.  However, 
the  population  and  housing  census  2024  also  gathered  data  to  identify  agricultural  activity  within 
households.  This  will  help  establishing  an  updated  framework  for  conducting  sample  agriculture 
surveys, with the next agricultural census planned to be conducted in 2030.  

Structural and short-term energy statistics continue to be produced and the NBS regularly provides 
Eurostat  with  monthly  oil  statistics,  with  improved  methodology  for  calculating  some  of  the 
indicators. 

Chapter 32 - Financial control 

The EU promotes the reform of national governance systems to improve managerial accountability, 

58 

 
 
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. 

Public internal financial control 

The Public Finance Management Development Strategy continues to offer a strategic framework for 
public  internal  financial  control  reforms,  containing  specific  measures  for  both  internal  control 
systems and internal audits. The legal framework on internal financial control and internal audit is in 
place. Human capacity remains a significant challenge for the internal audit. 

The  internal  audit  organisational  structure  at  the  central  government  level  was  reorganised, 
centralising  small  internal  audit  units  at  the  ministerial  level  and  allocating  sufficient  resources  to 
cover  all  subordinated  entities.  These  measures,  combined  with  salary  increases,  have  made  the 
function  more  attractive.  Most  public  bodies  have  developed  a  quality  assurance  and  improvement 
programme, but the implementation of these programmes remains hampered by a lack of supervision. 

Efficient implementation of managerial accountability continues to be a challenge for budget users 
at  both  central  and  local  levels.  Public  bodies  report  to  the  Central  Harmonisation  Unit,  which 
consolidates  annual  reports  and  submits  them  to  the  government  for  approval.  The  role  of  public 
internal financial control in combating corruption needs strengthening, as does cooperation with state 
audit institutions. The mechanism for monitoring cases investigated following internal audits should 
also be reinforced. 

The  State  Financial  Control  Inspectorate,  reporting  to  the  Ministry  of  Finance,  concentrates  on 
controls  using  risk-based  criteria  and  information  from  other  sources  to  select  institutions  to  be 
controlled. 

External audit 

Regarding the constitutional and legal framework, the Court of Accounts (CoA) has its role enshrined 
in  the  Constitution  and  is  organised  in  accordance  with  a  well-developed  law.  In  2024,  steps  were 
taken to strengthen its organisational and financial independence. The Law was amended to allow the 
CoA to approve its staff list independently, subject to an advisory opinion from the State Chancellery. 
A  new  organisational  structure  was  put  in  place  from  February  2025.  Legal  amendments  to  ensure 
CoA budgetary independence have been prepared but their adoption is pending. 

The  law  on  the  organisation  and  functioning  of  the  Court  has  some  weaknesses  limiting  the 
institution’s full financial independence and control on the work programme. Implementation of the 
CoA’s development strategy and annual action plans is ongoing. Communication efforts by the Court 
should be further reinforced to strengthen public trust and transparency and better follow-up of CoA 
recommendations.  

Protection of the EU’s financial interests 

Legislation  remains  partially  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis.  Cooperation  between  the  European  Anti-
Fraud Office (OLAF) and national authorities takes place on a case-by-case basis. Progress was made 
with  the  development  of  a  draft  Government  Decision  on  the  organisation  and  functioning  of  the 
National  Anti-Fraud  System,  currently  under  consultation  with  public  bodies  and  stakeholders.  The 
draft decision designates the National Anti-Fraud Unit as the responsible body for collaboration and 
information  exchange  with  OLAF  and  other  relevant  authorities.  The  designation  of  the  anti-fraud 
coordination service (AFCOS) and the establishment of AFCOS network has been finalised and was 
notified to OLAF in June 2025. At the same time, Moldova continues to have very limited capacity to 
proactively detect and investigate financial crimes and related illegal acts affecting financial interests 
of Moldova and the EU. 

59 

 
 
Progress was made with the May 2025 government decision defining the organisation and functioning 
of the National Anti-Fraud System. It designated the State Financial Control Inspectorate as a national 
anti-fraud coordination service responsible for collaboration and information exchange with OLAF and 
other  relevant  authorities.  The  Anti-Fraud  Coordination  Committee,  chaired  by  the  Minister  of 
Finance, held its inaugural meeting in June 2025. 

Protection of the euro against counterfeiting 

Moldova has ratified the 1929 Geneva Convention for the suppression of counterfeiting of currency. 
Moldova’s  legislation  is  partially  aligned  with  EU  law  regarding  the  definition  of  counterfeit 
banknotes and coins and procedures for gathering, storing, and withdrawing counterfeit currency from 
circulation. The NBM continues to include information on detected counterfeiting cases in its annual 
report. 

3. GOOD NEIGHBOURLY RELATIONS AND REGIONAL COOPERATION 

Moldova actively participates in various regional cooperation platforms. During the reporting period, 
Moldova  participated  in  the  meeting  of  the  Ministries  of  Foreign  Affairs  of  the  Central  European 
Initiative (CEI) in Tirana, as well as the informal Meeting of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the 
CEI  in  New  York.  Moldova  also  continues  to  participate  in  the  Three  Seas  Initiative  (TSI)  as  an 
associate  member,  and  it  remains  active  in  the  Black  Sea  Economic  Cooperation  Organisation 
(BSEC),  and  the  Organisation  for  Democracy  and  Economic  Development  (GUAM).  Moldova 
continues  to  actively  participate  in  the  South-East  European  Cooperation  Process  (SEECP)  and 
Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and contributes to the Central European Free Trade Agreement. 

Moldova remains committed to the Eastern Partnership format and to maintaining good relations with 
neighbouring EU Member States and other candidate countries. 

Moldova enjoys excellent cooperation and bilateral contacts with Romania at all levels, with regular 
high-level  exchanges.  Romanian  President  Nicușor  Dan’s  first  visit  abroad  in  June  2025  was  to 
Moldova.  Romania  also  co-chaired  the  5th  edition  of  the  Moldova  Partnership Platform  along  with 
Germany and France. Romania remains Moldova’s biggest trading partner, accounting for over a third 
of Moldovan exports. Joint infrastructure projects continue to be implemented. As a result of Russia’s 
weaponisation of energy since early 2025, Moldova had to cover a significantly increased part of its 
electricity consumption with imports from Romania.  

Cooperation with Ukraine remains a cornerstone of Moldova’s foreign policy, with both countries’ 
candidate status providing further opportunities for cooperation and close interaction. The Moldovan 
government  has  consistently  aligned  with  international  statements  condemning  Russia’s  military 
aggression and shown solidarity with Ukraine. Both countries are in regular contact on regional and 
security issues. Over 111 034 persons fleeing Russian military aggression remain on the territory of 
Moldova,  the  highest  per  capita  in  Europe.  In  March  2025,  the  temporary  protection  status  for 
Ukrainian citizens was extended for an additional year. On 18 February 2025, Moldova and Ukraine 
signed  a  Memorandum  of  Cooperation  on  European  Integration  and  Accession  Process.  In  January 
2025,  President  Sandu  visited  Kyiv  and  met  President  Zelensky  in  the  context  of  the  energy  crisis 
triggered by Russia’s halting of the gas supply to the Transnistrian region of Moldova. 

Trilateral cooperation with Ukraine and Romania further intensified on energy security, transport and 
connectivity  at  both  technical  and  high  level,  with  the  latest  example  being  the  trilateral  meeting 
focusing on energy, transport, infrastructure and combating hybrid threats and disinformation. 

Moldova  continues  to  maintain  dialogue  with  Georgia.  Relations  between  these  two  candidate 
countries  are  based  on  mutual  support  for  each  other’s  sovereignty  and  territorial  integrity.  The 
Moldovan leadership has expressed solidarity with the Georgian people in their defence of democracy 
and Georgia’s European path. 

60 

 
 
 
Moldova  also  maintains  good  relations  with  Western  Balkans  partners  and  especially  appreciates 
learning  from  their  pre-accession  experiences.  Although  Moldova  does  not  recognise  Kosovo*,  the 
country participates in the NATO-led and UN-mandated Kosovo Force (KFOR) peacekeeping force. 
In May 2025, Moldova signed a  Memorandum of Cooperation in the Field of European Integration 
and Accession Process with Montenegro. 

Moldova and  Türkiye  maintain regular  and friendly high-level  exchanges focused  on  trade,  energy, 
cooperation  in  the  Black  Sea  region  and  Turkish  support  for  projects  in  Gagauzia.  High-level 
exchanges take place regularly. The two presidents most recently met on the margins of the COP29 in 
Baku.  The  Prime  Minister  and  the  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs  of  Moldova  both  participated  in  the 
fourth  edition  of  the  Antalya  Diplomacy  Forum  in  April  2025.  Türkiye  also  participated  in  the 
Moldova Partnership Platform in September 2024. 

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. 

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 rules from creating unjustified barriers to trade. 

General principles 

In  May  2025,  Moldova  adopted  an  Action  Plan  for  implementing  the  recommendations  from  the 
operational  assessments  of  the  standardisation,  accreditation  and  conformity  assessment  and 
metrology systems. 

Non-harmonised area 

Moldova has now launched processes to ensure the compliance of its legislation and administrative 
practices with Articles 34-36 TFEU and relevant CJEU case law. A law designed to be aligned with 
the EU acquis on mutual recognition was adopted in July 2025. 

Harmonised area: quality infrastructure 

The  Institute  for  Standardisation  (ISM)  has  adopted  38 107  European  standards  as  Moldovan 
standards,  including  100%  in  line  with  European  standards  of  the  European  Standardisation 
Committee  (CEN)/European  Electrotechnical  Committee  for  Standardisation  (CENELEC)  and 
88.97% adoption rate of the Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). The ISM has committed 
to withdraw all former Soviet GOST (Gosudarstvennyy Standart)standards by 1 January 2026. ISM 
submitted an official request to CEN-CENELEC for obtaining full membership. 

The national accreditation body, MOLDAC, operates in accordance with the requirements set out in 
the  relevant reference  standard  and  EU  acquis,  and in  line  with  the  requirements  for  European  and 
international accreditation organisations. Nonetheless, capacity building continues to be needed in the 
market surveillance sector. 

* 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. 

61 

 
 
 
 
National legislation remains  partly  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis on  market  surveillance.  In  2024, a 
total  of  1739  market  surveillance  inspections  were  ensured,  of  which  276  (15.8%)  were  non-
compliant  with  the  applicable  requirements  (compared  to  1 499  inspected  in  2023,  of  which  284 
(19%) were non-compliant). It temporarily prohibited 47 products from being placed on the market, 
additional three fully and six products were withdrawn. In 135 cases sanctions were applied.  

Harmonised area: sectoral legislation 

In the area of ‘new and global approach’, there was no further progress as Moldova already aligned 
with the EU ‘new and global approach’ legislation under the Association Agreement.  

There was no progress on aligning national legislation with the EU ‘old approach’ product acquis, 
including  on  the  EU  Regulation  on  Registration,  Evaluation,  Authorisation  and  Restriction  of 
Chemicals, or on chemicals, classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures, or on 
good laboratory practices. 

On  procedural  measures,  Moldova  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis  on  crystal  glass.  There  was  no 
progress on alignment with the EU acquis on the return of cultural goods unlawfully removed from 
the territory of an EU Member State. 

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. 

Regarding  access  to  the  labour  market,  in  July  2025,  Moldova  adopted  a  law  providing  for  a 
different regime for EU citizens wishing to work in Moldova, than other third country nationals.  EU 
citizens still have no access to posts in public administration bodies.  In 2024, 303 residence permits 
for work purposes were granted to EU citizens (vs 319 in 2023). 

On  the  European  network  of  employment  services  (EURES),  under  the  new  structure  of  the 
National Employment Agency, in force since 1 January 2025, a Department on Labour Migration and 
EURES has been established. Within this department, a designated officer has been recruited and is 
responsible  for  overseeing  preparatory  activities  to  facilitate  Moldova's  access  to  EURES.  Further 
preparatory work is required. 

In September 2025, the Government approved a Decision establishing the national legal framework 
for EURES activities and outlining the responsibilities of the National Coordination Office. 

Moldova signed in May 2025 a cooperation agreement with the European Labour Authority. 

On coordination of social security systems, two agreements with Italy and France respectively were 
signed in October 2024 and March 2025 respectively. Negotiations of agreements with other Member 
States have been initiated and should continue.  

There  was  no  progress  on  the  European  Health  Insurance  Card  (EHIC).  No  national  health 
insurance card exists due to the absence of an integrated health information system. 

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  the  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. 

On  the  right  of  establishment  and  freedom  to  provide  services,  reforms  like  the  adoption  of  the 
Law  on  the  freedom  of  establishment  of  service  providers  and  the  freedom  to  provide  services  in 
December  2024  have  helped  Moldova  further  align  its  legal  framework  with  the  EU  Services 
Directive. There are no barriers to the right of establishment by foreign people and companies, and the 
single contact point for companies is operational. Further progress is needed to ensure full compliance 
and further align sectoral legislation with the Services Directive. 

62 

 
 
Regarding  postal  services,  Moldova  has  a  high  level  of  alignment  with  the  EU  postal  acquis, 
including the Postal Services Directive and the Regulation on cross-border parcel delivery services. 
Work  is  ongoing  to  align  remaining  parts  of  legislation  regarding  financing  of  universal  postal 
service. The annex of the Association Agreement (AA)/ Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area 
(DCFTA)  on  the  rules  applicable  to  postal  and  courier  services  was  updated.  Moldova  should 
continue implement the new postal market rules. 

Moldova has partially aligned its legislation with the EU Directive on the recognition of professional 
qualifications  and  agreed  to  the  CEFTA  decision  to  facilitate  trade  in  services  provided  by  travel 
agencies  and  tour  operators.  In  July  2025,  the  Government  set  minimum  training  and  evaluation 
requirements for accreditation of key higher education and vocational programmes in health-related 
programmes  and  architecture.  The  Ministry  of  Education  and  Research  issued  17  orders  updating 
healthcare qualification standards in line with the National Qualifications Framework. 

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. 

On capital movements and payments, Moldova continued to liberalise capital outflows, but certain 
restrictions  remain.  It  took  some  steps  towards  the  gradual  liberalisation  of  the  capital  foreign 
exchange  operations  with  legal  amendments  adopted  May  and  June  2025.  However,  restrictions  on 
the  acquisition  of  agricultural  land  remain  in  place.  Fees  for  card-based  payments  remain  high  but 
continued to decline and since September 2025 have been capped at 0.5% for debit cards and 0.6% for 
credit cards. 

On  payment  systems,  Moldova’s  national  legislation  is  largely  aligned  with  the  EU  Payment 
Services  Directive  2  (PSD2).  Having  undertaken  the  necessary  alignment  with  the  acquis  Moldova 
joined  the  geographical  scope  of  the  Single  Euro  Payments  Area  (SEPA)  working  with  payment 
service providers to ensure technical preparedness and with transactions through the schemes starting 
in October 2025. 

 In November 2024, Moldova adopted  amendments to the AML  Law, strengthening its  anti-money 
laundering/countering the  financing of terrorism framework and aligning it more closely with EU 
standards.  The  law  introduced  stricter  rules  on  beneficial  ownership  transparency,  set  up  a  Trusts 
Register, imposed new obligations on service providers and professionals, and enhanced reporting and 
verification  duties  for  reporting  entities.  It  also  improved  data  retention  rules  and  introduced 
protections  for  whistleblowers  reporting  money  laundering  suspicions,  aiming  to  boost  the 
effectiveness  of  Moldova’s  anti-money  laundering  efforts.  In  January  2025,  the  National  Bank  of 
Moldova  (NBM)  updated  its  regulations  for  banks  and  non-bank  payment  providers  aiming  to 
partially  align  with  the  EU  Regulation  on  information  accompanying  transfers  of  funds.  Money 
laundering and terrorist financing risks stemming from virtual assets remain unregulated. 

In  June  2025,  Moneyval  upgraded  Moldova’s  ranking  for  recommendations  22,  24  and  25  from 
partially compliant to largely compliant, following Moldova’s request for six re-ratings. Moldova is 
now  rated  compliant  or  largely  compliant  on  37  out  of  the  40  FATF  recommendations.  Moldova 
should continue implementing Moneyval’s recommendations and further strengthen its system for the 
detection,  investigation,  and  prosecution  of  latent  financial  crimes,  including  money  laundering,  to 
ensure an effective and proactive response to financial criminality. (for criminalisation aspects, please 
see chapter 24 – Justice, Freedom and Security). 

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. 

In  the  area  of  company  law  and  corporate  governance,  Moldova’s  legislation  is  partially  aligned 

63 

 
 
with the EU acquis. State registration of legal persons and individual entrepreneurs is carried out by 
the  Public  Services  Agency,  which  implemented  a  series  of  actions  in  line  with  its  roadmap  for 
strengthening administrative capacity. However, it is important to further advance the implementation 
of the roadmap to address the limited administrative capacity and available digitalisation resources. 

Moldova made progress in aligning with certain aspects of the EU acquis on capital maintenance and 
alteration regime (e.g., on the shareholders’ pre-emption rights), on single-member companies and on 
the  corporate  governance  of  listed  companies  through  a  series  of  amendments  in  the  Corporate 
Governance  Code.  Further  alignment  with  the  EU  acquis  is  still  needed  on  cross-border  operations 
(mergers, divisions, conversions) as well as on takeover bids, shareholder rights (SRD I), including 
the encouragement of long-term shareholder engagement (SRD II). 

On  company  reporting,  Moldova’s  legislation  is  partially  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis.  Moldova 
adopted  a  series  of  laws  on  financial  reporting  and  audit  statements,  company  reporting  and 
transparency  on  capital  markets.  However,  further  alignment  with  the  EU  acquis  on  company 
reporting and transparency on capital markets is needed. 

On statutory audit, the government continued improving the capacity and independence of the audit 
oversight system by adopting a regulation on external audit quality control. Moldova should 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 to a large extent harmonised rules for the legal protection and enforcement of intellectual 
property  rights  (IPR),  covering  notably  patents,  biotechnological  inventions  and  pharmaceuticals, 
including  supplementary  protection  certificates  (SPCs),  trade  marks,  designs,  geographical 
indications (GIs), including craft and industrial GIs, as well as copyright and related rights. 

On  copyright  and  related  rights,  no  substantial  developments  have  occurred  during  the  reporting 
period.  

A  new  law  amending  the  Law  on  the  protection  of  inventions  aiming  to  create  the  necessary  legal 
framework  for  implementing  the  European  Patent  Convention  (EPC)  was  adopted  in  January  2025. 
This  law  aligns  national  legislation  with  the  acquis  concerning  the  supplementary  protection 
certificate  for  medicinal  products  and  plant  protection  products,  compulsory  licensing  of  patents 
relating  to  the  manufacture  of  pharmaceutical  products  for  export  to  countries  with  public  health 
problems and the enforcement directive (IPRED). 

On  industrial  property  rights,  further  strengthening  of  cooperation  and  coordination  between  the 
different  bodies  and  institutions  as  well  as  training  of  staff,  judges,  and  prosecutors  is  needed. 
Moldova  is  well  advanced  in  the  preparation  for  the  accession  to  the  European  Patent  Convention 
(EPC).   

Regarding  the  number  of  intellectual  property  objects  (IPO)  protection  activity,  there  is  a  slight 
upward trend in 2024 compared to 2023. With reference to the filing of IPO applications, there is an 
increase of about 5% compared to the indicators of 2023, with a total of more than 6 680 applications 
filed. This is largely due to the increase in trademark applications received from national applicants, 
who filed over 100 more trade mark applications in 2024 compared with 2023. 

Regarding enforcement, Moldova needs to further improve its track record regarding the number of 
court  cases  and  the  number  of  inspections  and  sanctions  on  industrial  property  rights.  Further 
improving  capacities  of  staff,  judges  and  prosecutors,  and  reinforcing  human  resources  are  key  for 
IPR enforcement. 

The number of counterfeit products identified decreased further from  51 588 counterfeit products in 
2023 to 33 656 counterfeit products in 2024, as more big importers are complying with the law. 

64 

 
 
Chapter 8 - Competition policy 

EU rules protect free competition. They include antitrust rules against restrictive agreements between 
companies  and  abuse  of  a  dominant  position,  and  also  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. 

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. 

On the institutional framework, 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 
fines which can be imposed. Furthermore, full alignment with the EU Directive 2019/1 to ensure more 
effective  enforcement  and  the  proper  functioning  of  the  internal  market  (except  the  cross-border 
aspects) to provide the competition authority with the necessary independence, resources, and powers 
to conduct investigations, make decisions, and impose fines remains to be achieved. On enforcement 
capacity, the Competition Council’s institutional capacity needs to be further strengthened to ensure 
it  can  conduct  investigations  and  enforce  the  law.  On  implementation,  the  Competition  Council 
increased its activities in the reporting period.  

State aid 

Regarding the legislative framework, the Law on State aid is broadly aligned with Articles 107 and 
108  TFEU.  The  legislation  on  State  aid  is  partially  aligned  with  the  EU  State  aid  guidelines, 
regulations and communications. However, certain existing State aid schemes still need to be aligned 
with  the  EU  acquis.  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. 

the 

institutional  framework, 

Regarding 
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. In October 2024 a Twinning project started which 
will provide support on strengthening the institutional capacities of the Competition Council. 

As  regards  enforcement  capacity,  the  Competition  Council  is  understaffed  (out  of  130  posts 
envisaged  in  the  organisational  chart,  70  posts  are  vacant,  partly  due  to  low  salaries).  Its 
administrative capacity needs to be strengthened with additional staff and relevant training. 

On implementation, there were 18 decisions adopted in the reporting period on State aid. Moldova 
needs  to  make  progress  with  respect  to  the  alignment  of  all  State  aid  schemes  as  the  Association 
Agreement requires it to align its general State aid schemes. 

Liberalisation 

The  Law  on  competition  and  the  Law  on  State  aid  apply  to  public  companies  and  companies  with 
special  or  exclusive  rights.  The  Law  on  state  aid  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. The existing implementing legislation 

65 

 
 
on  various types  of  State  aid,  including  horizontal  aid,  sectoral  aid,  and specific  aid instruments, is 
only partially in line with the relevant EU legal framework. 

Chapter 9 - Financial services 

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

On banks and financial conglomerates, efforts are still needed to ensure that the National Bank of 
Moldova (NBM) and the National Committee for Financial Markets have sufficient capacity and are 
adequately staffed to properly carry out their responsibilities for investor protection, market integrity 
and  financial  stability.  Related  to  banking  sector  regulation,  some  amendments  aiming  to  align  the 
national  legislation  with  the  EU  CRD  /CRR  have  been  approved.  These  provisions  are  related  to 
requirements on Net Stable Funding Ratio and on Liquidity Coverage Ratio, to the leverage ratio and 
to large exposures.  

Consumer protection in financial services is not properly addressed in the legislation and additional 
reforms  to  further  strengthen  it  will  be  needed.  Some  amendments  expanding  the  NCFM’s 
supervisory  mandate  were  approved  in  July  2025  to  strengthen  consumer  protection  in  financial 
services.  There  were  limited  developments  on  bank  recovery  and  resolution,  apart  from  some 
amendments  to  the  Law  on  bank  recovery  and  resolution  which  aim  to  further  align  with  the  EU 
acquis on bank recovery and resolution, including new competences for the NBM as the resolution 
authority as the resolution authority and provisions on Minimum Requirements for Own Funds and 
Eligible  Liabilities  -  MREL.  However,  the  applicability  of  the  MREL  requirement  has  been 
postponed until 2030.  

On  insurance  and  occupational  pensions,  Moldova  has  no  occupational  pension  funds,  and  the 
insurance  market  remains  underdeveloped.  NBM  Regulations  have  been  adopted  and  amended 
between  September  2024  and  July  2025  on  the  governance  of  insurance  and  reinsurance 
undertakings, aiming to align with EU and international best practice.  In October 2024, the NCFM 
issued  the  first  licence  for  a  voluntary  pension  fund  administrator.  Still,  there  are  no  privately 
managed pension funds in Moldova. Going forward, the reform effort to develop this sector should be 
significantly increased.  

As  regards  financial  market  infrastructure,  Moldova  remains  partially  aligned  with  EU  acquis. 
There  are  no  new  developments  in  the  reporting  period  and  Moldova  should  continue  alignment 
efforts, taking into account recent amendments in the EU acquis.  

On  securities  markets  and  investment  services,  markets  remain  underdeveloped.  In  June  2025, 
Parliament adopted the National Capital Market Development Strategy 2025–2030. The strategy aims 
to  broaden  investor  participation,  diversify  financial  instruments  (including  mortgage,  green  and 
project  bonds),  modernise  capital  market  infrastructure  through  electronic  platforms  and  post-trade 
systems, and align legislation and operations with regional and EU standards. Moldova should now 
implement this strategy. One step on this path is the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding 
to improve access to capital markets via interconnection with the Bucharest Stock Exchange. 

On sustainable and digital finance, a mission to support the development of a national Sustainable 
Finance  Taxonomy  was  launched  in  March  2025;  the  first  draft  was  completed  by  June  and  was 
planned  to  be  subject  to  public  consultation. Efforts  also  focused  on  strengthening  institutional 
capacity and expertise to effectively integrate ESG considerations into financial decision-making.  

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 

66 

 
 
activity to issue or trade them is not subject to regulation and supervision by the National Bank (see 
also Chapter 4). Moldova is encouraged to accelerate its efforts to align with the EU acquis. 

Chapter 28 - Consumer and health protection 

EU  rules  protect  consumers’  economic interests  and also ensure  product safety,  prevent  dangerous 
imitations  and  establish  liability  for  defective  products.  The  EU  also  guarantees  a  high  level  of 
protection of public health and in particular also ensures high common standards for tobacco control, 
blood tissues, cells and organs, and human and veterinary medicinal products. The EU also has rules 
for  upholding  patients’  rights  in  cross-border  healthcare  and  in  preparing  for  and  responding  to 
serious cross-border health threats, including communicable diseases.  

On general principles and non-safety issues, the Law on consumer protection was updated in February 
2024  and  April  2025  to  align  with  the  EU  acquis  on  unfair  business-to-consumer  commercial 
practices,  on  alternative  dispute  resolution  for  consumer  disputes,  on  certain  aspects  concerning 
contracts  for  the  sale  of  goods,  and  on  cooperation  between  national  authorities  responsible  for 
enforcing consumer protection laws. Moldova has also adopted legislation designed to be aligned with 
the EU acquis concerning contracts for the supply of digital content and digital services as part of the 
Law on Consumer protection. 

On product safety, Moldova’s legal framework is partly aligned with the EU  acquis. In July 2025, 
the  national  legislation  on  general  product  safety  was  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis.  Collaboration 
between institutions needs to be improved, as there is no one entry point for the consumers. In January 
2025 a  single  phone  number for  consumers  was launched  by the  Government, bringing  together  12 
authorities  with  consumer  protection  responsibilities.  In  November  2024  a  European  Consumer 
Centre was officially launched in Moldova. 

Public health 

While  the  legal,  policy  and  institutional  framework  for  public  health  is  in  place,  Moldova’s  public 
health  sector  remains  fragile  despite  stabilisation  efforts,  coping  with  the  cumulative  effects  of  the 
COVID-19 aftermath, the protracted refugee response, energy insecurity, and regional instability. The 
quality of healthcare and the shortage of medical staff remain significant challenges. Despite healthcare 
workers’  salaries  being  increased  by  15%  in  2025,  many  doctors  see  this  as  insufficient  given  the 
demands  of  their  work  and  inflation.  Moldova’s  legal  framework  offers  little  protection  to  health 
patients  and  continues  to  criminalise  medical  errors,  yet  has  no  malpractice  law,  compensation 
mechanisms,  or  proper  reporting systems.  Moldova’s adolescent  birth  rate remains  three  times  higher 
than the European average, with rural areas facing limited access to reproductive health services and a 
high unmet need for family planning, whereas maternal mortality remains high. The repeal of medical 
abortion via telemedicine in January 2025 is a negative step on sexual and reproductive rights. 

While mental health services have been integrated into ambulatory and primary care, funding remains 
limited and cost standards for community-based services are absent and are very limited for children. 
New legislation was adopted in May 2025 on the definition of the psychologist profession, establishing 
the legal framework, professional standards, and organizational mechanisms for licensing, oversight, 
and provision of state-funded psychological assistance to vulnerable groups. 

On  communicable  diseases  and  cross-border  health  threats,  access  to  treatment  for  transmissible 
diseases, particularly tuberculosis and HIV was improved. A national programme for the prevention and 
control  of  viral  hepatitis  B,  C,  and  D  for  2024-2028  and  legislation  on  epidemiological  surveillance 
system  were  also  approved.  Implementation  of  the  2023-2028  antimicrobial  resistance  programme 
remains hindered by low funding. On non-communicable diseases, progress was made in stroke care 
through  the  operationalisation  of  a  national  stroke  care  network  of  13  stroke  centres  and  awareness-
raising  campaigns.  On  cancer  screening,  implementation  of  the  2016-2025  National  Cancer  Control 
Programme continued. 

Moldova  adopted  legislation  to  increase  its  level  of  partial  alignment  with  the  EU  acquis  on  organ, 
tissue, and cells. Moldova should prepare an action plan to align with the new acquis on substances of 

67 

 
 
human  origin  and  strengthen  the  administrative  capacity  and  oversight  to  properly  implement  and 
enforce it.  

On e-Health, while a legal base for the digital health HR information system and an update of national 
communicable disease surveillance IT system were approved, a major data breach at Moldova’s largest 
private lab leaked thousands of patients’ test results and personal data. 

The new law on medicines was approved in June  2025  establishing a modern regulatory framework 
across  the  pharmaceutical  lifecycle  (authorisation,  production,  distribution,  post-market  surveillance), 
import  rules.  However,  several 
strengthening 
representatives of civil society and the medical professional community voiced concerns that it favours 
large  pharmaceutical  companies  over  public  health  and  that  it  was  adopted  without  sufficient 
consultation. 

labelling,  pharmacovigilance,  and  EU-aligned 

The Joint Procurement Agreement with the EU on essential medical supplies was approved. Moldova 
adopted legislation to improve its partial alignment with the EU acquis on cosmetics. 

Although increased investments in healthcare infrastructure, equipment and ambulance fleet continued, 
significant health inequalities persist, particularly in rural areas and among vulnerable groups. People 
with  disabilities  and  women  specifically  face  systemic  barriers  in  accessing  public  health  services, 
including  sexual  and  reproductive  health,  as  clinics  lack  infrastructural  accessibility,  sign  language 
interpreters  and  essential  adapted  medical  equipment.  Healthcare  services  are  also  limited  in  prisons. 
During  the  reporting  period,  53  pharmacies  were  opened  in  rural  areas  to  ensure  better  access  to 
compensated medicines, electronic prescriptions, and other pharmaceutical products. 

New  legislation  was  adopted  in  May  2025,  introducing  strengthened  tobacco  control  measures.  It 
expanded smoking bans to new public spaces, increased fines for smoking and illicit sales, mandated 
larger health warnings on packaging, and banned promotion (including in video games and TV) to align 
with WHO and EU standards. 

There was no progress on medicines for veterinary use, on harmful use of alcohol and drug abuse 
prevention,  on  cross-border  healthcare,  on  rare  diseases,  on  medical  devices,  or  on  health 
technology assessment. 

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);  industrial  policy 
(Chapter 20), science and research (Chapter 25); education and culture (Chapter 26); and the customs 
union (Chapter 29). 

Chapter 10 - Digital transformation and media 

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

With  regard  to  the  Digital  Transformation  Strategy,  tangible  progress  was  achieved  on  all  key 
performance indicators. On 28 May 2025 Moldova adopted a Programme for the Implementation of 
the National Digital Transformation Strategy 2025-2027. 

Regarding  electronic  communications,  after  fulfilling  all  EU requirements,  including  as  regards to 
alignment  with  the  EU  roaming  acquis  as  defined  in  the  EU-Moldova  Association  Agreement, 
Moldova will effectively join the EU Roam Like at Home area as of 1 January 2026. 

Further efforts are necessary to implement the Gigabit Infrastructure Act.  

On digital services, Moldova is not yet aligned with the Open Data Directive on the reuse of public 
sector  information.  Moldova  is  not  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis  on  geo-blocking  and  platform-to-

68 

 
 
 
business  relations  (P2B)  nor  with  Digital  Markets  Act  (DMA).  Although  legislative  work  to  align 
with  the  Digital  Services  Act  (DSA)  has  started,  Moldova  should  continue  preparation  of  draft 
legislation of the DSA. There is broad alignment with the Directive on e-commerce. 

On digital trust and cybersecurity, Moldova has fully aligned its regulatory framework in the field 
of  electronic  identification  and  trust  services  with  eIDAS  1.0.,  with  further  alignment  with  the  EU 
Digital  identity  framework  (eIDAS  2.0)  to  follow.  Moldova  is  part  of  the  EU  Digital  Identity 
Cooperation Group. 

A  normative  framework  for  the  implementation  of  the  cybersecurity  law  was  approved  through 
several Government Decisions with the objective to ensure alignment with the NIS 2 Directive. The 
national cybersecurity law, adopted in 2023 and in effect since January 2025, aims to strengthen the 
country’s cyber resilience and align with the NIS 2 Directive. Progress has been made to strengthen 
the operational capacity of the Cybersecurity Agency, but further efforts are needed.  Moldova needs 
to continue the implementation of the EU 5G Cybersecurity Toolbox measures, including assessing 
the risk  profile  of suppliers  and  putting in place appropriate  restrictions  and/or exclusions for  high-
risk suppliers.  

On artificial intelligence, Moldova is not yet aligned with the EU’s AI Act. Moldova has signed the 
Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy 
and the Rule of Law. Within the National Digitalisation Council, Moldova set up a sub-council on AI 
and data that aims to facilitate the adoption of AI tools, and the application of the principles outlined 
in the National White Book on AI and data governance. 

On semiconductors, Moldova is not yet fully aligned with the Chips Act.  

On media, the Parliament has implemented the recommendations of the Council of Europe regarding 
the  appointment  and  dismissal  of  the  Audiovisual  Council  and  public  broadcaster  (TRM)  board 
members. The legislative package to amend the Media Services Code (AVMSC), was adopted in July 
2025 and represents a positive step to enhance the independence of the Audiovisual Council (AVC) 
and TRM. The decision-making in the Council for the Promotion of Investment Projects of National 
Importance in the media sector should be aligned with international standards. 

In April and July 2025, competitions were launched for granting subsidies under the Media Subsidy 
Fund,  which  aims  to  support  media  pluralism,  enhance  editorial  and  economic  independence  and 
foster investigative journalism. The Fund will allocate 25% of the national media service provider’s 
budget annually through the state budget law. 

Chapter 16 - Taxation 

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

Moldova has made progress in further aligning the national legislation on indirect taxation with the 
EU  acquis.  In  June  2025,  provisions  on  VAT  reverse  charge  for  electricity  and  gas  trading  were 
introduced into the Tax Code. Upon their entry into force on 1 January 2026, the amendments will 
simplify  operations  for  suppliers  and  traders  by  removing  the  administrative  burden  of  VAT 
management.  Moldova  applies  a  standard  VAT  rate  (20%),  reduced  rates  (8%),  and  certain 
exemptions and refunds partially aligned with the acquis. 

In the field of excise duties, in June 2025, Government approved a draft law to partially align with 
EU  directives  on  excise  duties  relating  to  general  arrangements,  structure  and  rates  on  tobacco  and 
alcohol products. Excise duty rates on tobacco products have not yet been aligned with the EU acquis. 
No progress was made in the harmonisation of excise duties on energy products. Moldova will have to 
align  its  national  legislation  with  IT  solutions  necessary  to  implement  the  Excise  Movement  and 

69 

 
 
Control  System  (EMCS)  and  the  EU  System  for  the  Exchange  of  Excise  Data  (SEED),  i.e.,  an 
electronic  register  of  economic  operators  authorised  to  trade  in  this  field.  This  will  enhance 
compliance and the monitoring of excisable goods and their trade activity. The country should further 
engage in capacity-building activities in this field. 

With regard to fight against smuggling of excisable goods, in April 2025, the Government adopted a 
regulation establishing a tracking and tracing system for tobacco products. The regulation is based the 
EU Tobacco Directive and aims to partially align with the Commission Implementing Regulation on 
technical  norms  and  standards  for  the  system.  Once  it  enters  into  force  in  2026,  this  system  will 
provide greater opportunities for enhancing Moldova’s capability in combatting illicit trade in tobacco 
products and in boosting revenues collection. 

As regards direct taxation, personal income tax and corporate income tax are applied at a flat rate of 
12%  (general  tax  regime)  and  at  7%  under  special  schemes  (e.g.,  activity  in  the  ITC  park,  free 
economic  zones).  Moldova  still  needs  to  align  with  EU  directives  on  taxation  applicable  to 
mergers/cross-border  reorganisations  and  parent-subsidiary  companies,  with  their  entry  into  force 
upon  accession.  The  alignment  of  tax  rules  with  the  Anti-Tax  Avoidance  Directive  remains 
outstanding.  Moldova  is  a  member  of  the  OECD  Inclusive  Framework  on  Base  Erosion  and  Profit 
Shifting  (BEPS),  but  it  has  not  yet  implemented  the  global  minimum  level  of  taxation  for 
multinational  enterprise  groups  and 
large-scale  domestic  groups.  Following  an  OECD-led 
introductory mission in December 2024, Moldova is developing a roadmap for the implementation of 
the BEPS Inclusive Framework. 

On  administrative  cooperation  and  mutual  assistance,  Moldova  has  signed  double  taxation 
agreements  with  26  EU  Member  States  and  has  started  the  implementation  of  the  Multilateral 
Agreement  of  the  Competent  Authorities  for  the  Automatic  Exchange  of  Information  on  Financial 
Accounts.  

With  regard  to  operational  capacity  and  digitalisation,  the  tax  administration  has  been 
implementing  the  annual  Programme  for  the  Compliance  of  Taxpayers  2025,  targeting  high-risk 
sectors  such  as  trade,  retail,  manufacturing,  and  construction.  Voluntary  compliance  has  been 
facilitated  through  increased  counselling  visits  to  taxpayers  and  tax  simplification  measures.  An  IT 
Development Programme of the State Tax Service for 2025–2027 was prepared but not yet approved 
by the government. The programme aims at ensuring interconnection and interoperability with the EU 
tax  systems.  Development  of  IT  infrastructure,  and  automation  of  compliance  risk  management 
systems and risk-based audits remain top priorities.  

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. 

independence  and 

to  strengthen  personal 

On  monetary  policy,  further  steps  are  required  to  strengthen  central  bank  functional,  institutional, 
personal and financial independence, particularly, as regards institutional independence, to prevent the 
interference  from  the  parliament,  government  and  any  other  third  party.  Amendments  to  the  NBM 
Law 
transparency  and 
accountability, in line with international best practice were approved by the government in December 
2024  but  parliamentary  adoption  remains  pending.  In  February  2025,  the  member  of  the  NBM 
Executive Board whose mandate expired has been replaced, leaving no remaining vacancies. Further 
efforts  are  also  needed  in  the  area  of  monetary  financing  prohibition.  In  2024,  the  Single  Central 
Securities Depository (SCSD) law was amended allowing the SCSD to acquire shares in the Moldova 
Stock Exchange. As the NBM may hold up to 100% of the SCSD, this may result in a situation where 
the NBM has majority ownership of the stock exchange raising concerns as regards the compliance 

improving  governance, 

70 

 
 
with Article 123 TFEU on monetary financing prohibition. In this case, this takes the form of using 
central  bank  resources  to  support  an  economic  policy  goal  which  is  typically  a  government 
competence  and  not  a  central  bank  task.  In  addition,  the  right  of  NBM  to  hold  up  to  100%  of  the 
SCSD  would  raise  concerns  as  regards  monetary  financing  if,  in  such  circumstances,  the  SCSD 
activities  would  involve  funding  public  sector,  providing  credit  to  public  authorities  or  similar 
activities. 

On  economic  policy,  Moldova  has  made  progress  in  strengthening  fiscal  governance  through  the 
public  investment  management  reform  and  is  partially  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis  on  fiscal 
surveillance.  A  3-year  medium-term  budgetary  framework  exists,  but  it  lacks  an  assessment  of 
medium-term budgetary impacts of fiscal policy measures and will need to be further developed in the 
future  to  include  a  long-term  debt  sustainability  assessment.  The  macroeconomic  forecast  used  for 
budgetary  planning  does  not  include  labour  market  and  external  sector  forecasts  and  the  budgetary 
calendar  was  not  followed  in  2024.  Moldova’s  fiscal  rules  are  partially  aligned  with  the  relevant 
Directive, but the numerical fiscal rule is not respected. While the conditions for activating the escape 
clause persist, the rule has been suspended beyond the permitted period. Moldova has not advanced in 
setting up the independent fiscal council.  

Moldova’s statistical framework is not yet aligned with ESA 2010 requirements. Notably, public non-
market producers are not included in the general government sector.  

Moldova is partially aligned with the requirements of the coordination and surveillance of economic 
policies. Its active participation in pre-accession economic surveillance has contributed to developing 
relevant administrative capacity. The Economic Reform Programme 2025-2027 included for the first 
time an alternative macroeconomic scenario and the general government structural balance. It would 
further benefit from analysing the budgetary impact of reforms and fiscal measures, a forecast of the 
external sector and labour market, long-term fiscal projections, a sensitivity analysis and assumptions 
on  the  external  environment.  The  government  consulted  selected  think  tanks  but  due  to  delays  in 
preparing the document, no public consultation was held. 

Moldova’s  statistical  framework  is  not  yet  aligned  with  ESA  2010  requirements.  State-owned 
enterprises are not included in the general government sector, and there are significant operations of 
central government units that are not reported in the national public budget. 

Moldova  participates  in  the  Economic  and  Financial  Dialogue  with  the  EU,  having  submitted  its 
Economic  Reform  Programme  (ERP)  to  the  Commission  in  January  2025.  The  economic  reform 
programme  2025-2027  included  for  the  first  time  an  alternative  macroeconomic  scenario  and  the 
general  government  structural  balance.  The  programme  could  further  benefit  from  analysing  the 
budgetary impact of reforms and fiscal measures, a forecast of the external sector and labour market, 
long-term fiscal projections, a sensitivity analysis and assumptions on the external environment. The 
government consulted selected think tanks, but due to delays in preparing the document a wide public 
consultation was not held. 

Chapter 19 - Social policy and employment 

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

In the area of labour law, from 1 January 2025, a new minimum wage was set at MDL 5500, i.e. 10 
percent higher than in 2024.  

In 2024, the share of informal employment decreased slightly (estimated at 14.8% compared to 16.8% 
in 2023) due to the drought of the previous summer and the drop of output in the agricultural sector. 
The sectors with the highest informality rate are agriculture (64.4%) and construction (63.3%). During 
the reporting period, a programme for the reduction of undeclared work 2024-2027 was approved. 

71 

 
 
In September 2024, the regulatory framework in the area of health and safety of workers exposed to 
risk  related  to  chemical  agents  at  work  was  updated,  achieving  a  high  level  of  alignment  with  two 
Directives on occupational exposure limit values. The number of work accidents decreased in 2024: 
582 accidents were reported (603 in 2023), of which 27 were fatal (69 in 2023). The most vulnerable 
sectors in terms of accidents at work are construction, agriculture and industry. 

The  State  Labour  Inspectorate  reported  a  notable  rise  in  detecting  and  formalising  cases  of 
undeclared work. In 2024, 3 088 persons working informally have been identified, of which 2 495 
(80.8%) have been subsequently registered. By September 2025, the total reached 5 020, an increase 
of  about  63%  compared  to  2024.  A  new  website  of  the  State  Labour  Inspectorate  was  launched  in 
November 2024 and the platform “lucrezlegal.md” to report undeclared work violations was launched 
in March 2025. In February 2025, legislation was adopted to amend, among others, the Law on State 
Control and related sectoral legislation, aiming to strengthen the powers of control bodies, including 
of the State Labour Inspectorate. In July 2025, Moldova adopted legislation granting the State Labour 
Inspectorate  authority  to  conduct  risk-based  unannounced  inspections  when  there  is  information  or 
evidence  of  violation  of  the  regulatory  framework  on  occupational  safety  and  health.  These 
amendments  will  enter into  force  on  31 July  2026, with  a transition  period  focused  on  training  and 
capacity-building.  Strengthening  enforcement  capacity  needs  to  continue  and  the  legal  framework 
governing labour inspections remains to be fully aligned with ILO standards. 

On social dialogue, the effectiveness of tripartite social dialogue at both national and local levels is 
improving,  albeit  important institutional  capacity  constraints  remain,  notably regarding  the tripartite 
bodies. There is a need to strengthen capacity of social partners at all levels. In 2024, the collective 
bargaining coverage rate was estimated at 38.5% of the country’s total workforce.    

On  employment  policy,  the  National  Employment  Agency  is  implementing  performance-based 
management principles. In 2024, around 16 699 jobseekers were employed, representing over a 50% 
increase  compared  to  2023.  The  Agency  has  limited  but  improving  human  resources  and  financial 
capacity. 

Regarding  labour  force  participation  and  unemployment  rate  see  the  statistical  annex  and  the 
section on the functioning of the labour market under 2.3 Economic criteria. 

Moldova has made some progress in social protection and inclusion but continues to face significant 
social  challenges,  including  a  high  poverty  rate,  which  increased  slightly  from  31.1%  to  31.6%  in 
recent years. Certain groups, such as older people, people with disabilities, Roma, and those working 
in agriculture, remain disproportionately affected by poverty and face systemic barriers. An alarming 
44.6%  of  children  in  rural  areas  are  living  in  absolute  poverty.  To  address  these  challenges,  the 
government has implemented measures such as indexing pensions, increasing the minimum wage, and 
providing one-time payments to vulnerable families and individuals. The ‘RESTART’ reform 2023-
2026  has  progressed,  with  investments  in  social  services,  capacity  building,  and  digitalisation.  The 
number  of  beneficiaries  of  social  services  has  increased  significantly.  Additionally,  legislation  has 
been adopted to strengthen community-based social assistance services and promote alternative care 
for children and older people. The Law on the public social security system was amended to improve 
access to survivor pensions for people with severe disabilities, including children. However, critical 
challenges  remain,  including  suboptimal  targeting,  staff  shortages,  and  unclear  division  of 
responsibilities between social assistance agencies and local authorities. De-institutionalisation efforts 
have also been slow, and reports of human rights violations in institutions, including physical violence 
and  sexual  abuse,  are  a  major  concern.  Moldova  needs  to  continue  implementing  coordinated 
measures to strengthen its social protection system, improve the efficiency and accessibility of social 
services,  and  ensure  the  protection  of  vulnerable  populations,  particularly  children  and  people  with 
disabilities.  In  July,  Moldova’s  Ministries  of  Labour  and  Social  Protection,  Health,  Education  and 
Research,  and  Internal  Affairs  created  joint  groups  to  implement  the  European  Child  Guarantee 
(ECG). In January 2025, Moldova approved the Concept of the ‘eSocial’ Information System, aimed 

72 

 
 
at  digitizing  and  streamlining  the  administration  of  social  benefits  and  services,  and  the 
implementation of social assistance programmes. 

With  regards  to  non-discrimination  in  employment  and  social  policy,  Moldova    has  to  progress  
towards  the  alignment  with  the  Employment  Equality  Directive  and  the  Racial  Equality  Directive. 
The Equality Council noted an increase in recorded cases of discrimination, with gender identified as 
the most common ground for workplace discrimination. Participation of people with disabilities in the 
labour market also remains very limited, with 16% participation rate for men and 18.2% for women. 
People with disabilities face persistent employment barriers linked to poverty, bureaucratic obstacles, 
limited  access  to  inclusive  education,  infrastructure  and  transportation.  No  progress  was  made 
towards adopting the National Social Inclusion Programme of People with Disabilities (2024-2027). 

The  National  Roma  Programme  2022-2025  includes  a  dedicated  employment  objective,  but 
implementation has been limited. 

On  equality  between  women  and  men  in  employment  and  social  policy,  Moldova  has  made 
progress by adopting legislation aimed at aligning with the principle of equal opportunities and equal 
treatment  of  men  and  women  in  matters  of  employment  and  occupation  and  with  the  Work-Life 
Balance  Directive.  However,  women  continue  to  earn  on  average  15.6%  less  than  men  and  the 
principle  of  equal  pay  for equal  work  or  work  of equal  value remains  poorly  enforced in  Moldova. 
Women’s  labour  market  participation  increased  to  41.4%,  supported  by  extended  childcare  and 
parental leave, yet access to early education remains limited, especially in rural areas. Moldova still 
has  to  align  its  legislation  with  the  gender  equality  acquis  in  this  Chapter,  including  the  Work-life 
balance Directive, the Pay transparency Directive and the Women on Boards Directive. 

Moldova  is  partially  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis  on  the  European  Social  Fund.  While  Moldova 
joined the Employment and Social Innovation strand of the  European Social Fund Plus in 2024, no 
EaSI projects have been implemented in the country so far.  

Chapter 20 - Enterprise and industrial policy 

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

On  enterprise  and  industrial  policy  principles,  the  Government  continued  implementing  the 
national programme for the promotion of entrepreneurship and increasing competitiveness for 2023-
2027  and  has  started  implementing  the  national  programme  for  industrial  development  (NIPD)  for 
2024-2028. Limited administrative capacity and limited funding from the national budget restrain the 
implementation of these programmes. The NPID would benefit from an action plan with a concrete 
timeline for implementation and adequate budgetary provisions. 

The Government approved a new state aid scheme for supporting companies which want to invest in 
the  five  priority  manufacturing  sectors  identified  in  the  national  industrialisation  programme.  Since 
the new scheme entered into force in January 2025, more than 10 companies applied to benefit from 
support. 

is 

reducing 

the 
Moldova 
regulatory  and  administrative 
burden on business by adopting 
a series of legal packages on the 
simplification  of  permits  and 
business facilitation, which will 
lead  to  the  simplification  and 
modernisation  of  procedures. 
Once  these  will  be  in  place, 
further  outreach  and  awareness 
raising will be needed. 

73 

 
 
On enterprise and industrial policy instruments, the government continued implementing ongoing 
SME instruments while also launching three new ones: i) the Small Producers Support Programme; ii) 
the  Programme  to  Increase  the  Competitiveness  of  Local  Producers  and  Integration  into  Value 
Chains; and iii) the Fund for Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth (FACEM). The law amendment 
to align the SME definitions with the EU recommendation is still pending. 

Moldova  adopted  a  law  on  combating  late  payment  in  commercial  transactions  between  businesses 
and between public authorities and businesses, aiming to align with the Directive on combating late 
payment in commercial transactions. Monitoring systems to assess payment performance, especially 
by public authorities, are needed.  

In  March  2025,  new  provisions  regulating  the  activities  of  the  Industrial  Platforms  and  Specialised 
Parks have been introduced.  

The programme on administration of state public property for 2024-2027 was approved. However, the 
implementation of the programme is lagging. No progress was made by the Public Property Agency 
during the reporting period. 

In sectoral policies, no major developments occurred during the reporting period. Allocation of NPID 
support and investment incentives across the NPID priority sectors should be made publicly available. 

Chapter 25 - Science and research 

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

Moldova  advanced  the  implementation  of  the  National  Programme  for  Research  and  Innovation 
(R&I)  for  2024-2027,  which  aims  to  foster  national  research  capacities  and  facilitate  Moldova’s 
integration  into  the  European  Research  Area.  Notably,  in  March  2025,  the  government  started 
implementing the National Programme for Smart Specialisation 2024-2027 ‘Smart Moldova’ and set 
up a National Fund for Innovation and Technology Transfer with a budget of EUR 1.75 million for 
2025-2026. The fund serves to strengthen collaboration between the scientific and business sectors to 
contribute to economic growth and innovation. 

The  Ministry  of  Education  and  Research  (MER)  and  the  National  Agency  for  Research  and 
Development (NARD) implemented several initiatives to enhance the capacities of people involved in 
R&I  activities.  For  example,  NARD  awarded  approximately  30  grants  for  young  researchers  and 
MER increased the monthly value of scholarships for PhD students. Also, the financial support to the 
Government Excellence Scholarship and to the Scholarship in Scientific Fields was increased in 2025. 
With  a  view  at  enhancing  researchers’  participation  in  national  and  international  projects,  the 
government revised the guidance for  hourly  rates  for  staff  involved in  R&I  projects financed  under 
competitive external or national funding sources. 

The  reform  to  integrate  higher  education  and  research  institutions  (launched  in  2023)  continued 
during the reporting period, leading to the merger of some institutions in the agriculture sector. 

On  research  and  innovation,  the  positive  trend  of  Moldova's  performance  in  Horizon  Europe 
continued.  Moldova  participates  in  “DANUBIUS-RI”,  which  has  been  granted  the  legal  status  of  a 
European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) in June 2025.  

The  Horizon  Europe  National  Office  and  the  network  of  national  contact  points  carried  out  a  wide 
range  of  information  and  awareness-raising  activities  related  to  Horizon  Europe  and  the  European 
Research Area. The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has begun extending its 
programmes to Moldova and undertaking awareness-raising.  

R&D  funding  in  the  public  sector  remains  low,  despite  a  slight  increase  of  0.7%  percentage  points 
compared  to  2023.  The  gross  domestic  expenditure on  R&D  was  0.22%  of  GDP  in  2024,  which  is 

74 

 
 
below  the  EU-27  average  of  2.24%  and  the  EU  target  of  3%  of  GDP.  However,  venture  capital 
spending on R&D has been increasing in recent years. 

Moldova  is  among  the  Emerging  Innovators  in  the  2025  European  Innovation  Scoreboard,  with  an 
innovation performance of 19.0% of the EU average. 

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 its Member States must 
also prevent discrimination and ensure quality education for children of migrant workers, including 
those from disadvantaged backgrounds. 

During the reporting period, Moldova’s education and training system advanced the modernisation 
reforms begun in previous years. The Government efforts are focused on making systemic changes to 
the  education  system,  emphasising  inclusion,  equity,  quality,  gender  responsiveness  and  resilience, 
and  strengthening  coordination  with  partners  and  mobilisation  of  additional  domestic  and  external 
resources. Public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP in 2024 was 5.4%, which is above 
the EU average of 4.6% of GDP. 

In  the  general  education  sector,  the  Ministry  of  Education  and  Research  has  prioritised  the 
consolidation/optimisation of the school network to address the underperformance of extremely small 
rural schools, unequal distribution of funds and efficiency issues. A pilot initiative was launched in 
2023-24, and advanced significantly in 2024-25, to modernise the learning environments in 35 ‘model 
schools’ across the country and promote pupils’ enrolment in schools with bigger capacity and higher 
quality  standards.  This  entails  renovating  STEAM  (Science,  Technology,  Engineering,  Arts  and 
Maths) laboratories, libraries, sports facilities, medical offices, psychologist’s offices, sanitary blocks 
and provision of digital devices. Also, over 100 school buses have been purchased, and a school bus 
fleet  management  information  system  is  under  development  to  support  pupils  in  rural  areas. 
Additionally,  a  pilot  system  of  financial  incentives  was  introduced  to  encourage  pupils’  voluntary 
transfer to higher-quality schools. 

The emphasis on quality education is also reflected in the progress of two other key reforms begun in 
the  previous  reporting  period,  namely  the  re-conceptualisation  of  the  continuous  professional 
development  of  teachers  and  school  leaders  under  the  auspices  of  the  National  Institute  for 
Educational Leadership, and the comprehensive curriculum review to improve learning outcomes of 
children across primary and secondary education. Induction programmes for newly recruited teachers, 
in-service mentorship programmes, re-skilling training and provision of pedagogical support through 
lesson plans have been rolled out in 2024-25. The revision of the curriculum advanced in 2025 for all 
mandatory  subjects  to  general  education,  and  it  is  due  to  complete  in  2026,  with  continued 
pedagogical support to teachers and roll out of an evidence-based monitoring and evaluation system 
to  track  students’  progress.  Moldova  did  not  take  part  to  the  Teaching  and  Learning  International 
Survey (TALIS 2024) but is participating in PISA 2025. 

In digital teaching and learning, Moldova has undertaken initiatives to foster digital skills in science 
and  technology  classes.  Development  of  STEAM  disciplines  is  a  priority  for  the  Government,  and 
investments  in  school  labs  are  an  essential  part  of  the  ongoing  school  renovations  under  the  model 
schools  plan.  A  teacher  training  programme  for  digital  skills  was  developed  in  2024  based  on  the 
DigCompEdu, and a cohort of 70 national trainers of trainers has been capacitated to provide cascade 
IT training to teachers in Moldova from April 2025. 

The  Ministry  of  Education  and  Research  is  implementing  the  National  Programme  for  the 
Development  of  Inclusive  Education  2024-2027.  Despite  all  dedicated  efforts,  children  with  SEN 
and/or disabilities, and especially those from ethnic minorities, continue to face challenges to access 
formal  education  opportunities,  resulting  in  low  enrolment  rates.  Inclusion  of  Roma  children  in  the 

75 

 
 
education  system  remains  challenging,  with  disparities  between  urban  and  rural  areas.  During  the 
reporting  period,  the  ministry  removed  the  remaining  administrative  barriers  for  the  enrolment  of 
Ukrainian children in Moldovan schools, and with the assistance of international humanitarian actors 
developed a roadmap for the inclusion of refugee children in the education system by 2026. 

Gender-sensitive approaches are increasingly mainstreamed in the policies of the education system in 
Moldova, including in the Implementation Programme of the Education Strategy 2030 for the years 
2023-2025. However, violence, harassment and bullying remain issues of concern in schools and in 
higher education institutions. In general, the education policies in place are gender-sensitive, and the 
work currently ongoing in curriculum review also aims to remove the few remaining gender-related 
stereotypes from textbooks and teaching techniques. Institutional mechanisms to prevent and combat 
sexual harassment in higher education institutions are being piloted. 

In  vocational  education  and  training  (VET),  the  reorganisation  process  of  the  VET  institutions 
network advanced. At the beginning of the 2024-2025 academic year, the network of VET institutions 
consisted of 81 institutions, as opposed to 88 in the previous year. Moldova also continued the gradual 
introduction  of  a  dual-VET  approach,  which  aims  to  better  match  skills  to  labour  market  demands. 
However, concrete opportunities for students to gain practical experience in real work environments 
are  scarce,  due  to  limited  collaboration  between  the  private  sector  and  VET  institutions.  VET 
curricula and teaching and learning resources are not yet gender sensitive in most disciplines, but this 
is  also  currently  being improved.  A  communication  campaign  is  already  underway  to  fight  gender-
stereotypes in VET and employment. 

Moldova  is  making  progress  in  operationalising  the  national  register  of  qualifications,  and  the 
validation  of  non-formal  and  informal  learning  continues.  However,  poor  alignment  persists 
between  the  qualification  standards  and  the  VET  curricula  in  use  in  VET  institutions,  with  many 
programmes  failing  to  reflect  evolving  labour  market  demands,  leaving  VET  graduates  without  the 
essential skills required by employers. 

A  roadmap  for  the  operationalisation  of  the  national  qualifications  framework  (2023-2027)  is  in 
place.  As  a  member  of  the  Advisory  Group  of  the  European  Qualifications  Framework  (EQF), 
Moldova has started to prepare to reference its National Qualifications Framework (NQF) to the EQF. 

In the field of higher education, the country has made significant progress on key European Higher 
Education  Area  commitments.  Moldova  is  a  member  of  the  European  Higher  Education  Area 
(Bologna  process)  where  it  continued  its  active  participation.  Further  efforts  are  needed  on  the  full 
implementation of the key commitments of the Bologna Process, especially with regards to automatic 
recognition  and  external  quality  assurance.  There  are  three  higher  education  institutions  from 
Moldova which participate in the European Universities Alliances as associated partners.  

Moldova  benefits  from  the  international  dimension  of  the  2021-2027  Erasmus+  programme  and  is 
participating in four (out of seven in total) European Education Area working groups 2021-2025.  

Several  actions  were  taken  to  increase  investments  in  youth.  Following  the  launch  of  the  National 
Youth  Strategy  2030,  the  Government  approved  the  Youth  Centre  Development  Programme  2030, 
providing  for  an  annual  allocation  of  MDL  4.5  million  /  EUR  0.23  million  for  2025-2030  for  the 
expansion and modernisation of the youth centre network in Moldova. 

In  the  area  of  sport,  a  new  internal  regulation  was  approved  that  provides  a  transparent  and 
foreseeable  way  of  allocating  financial  support  for  national  sports  federations.  In  addition, 
Government  Decision  241/2025  amended  the  Regulation  on  the  financing  mechanism  for 
performance sports, ensuring more efficient and result-based planning of public financial resources. 
Moldova continued to participate in the European Week of Sport. 

On culture, the Ministry of Culture started the formulation of a comprehensive National Strategy for 
Culture and Heritage for the years 2025-2035, with technical assistance from UNESCO and financial 

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support  from  the  EU.  The  strategy  sets  out  priority  directions  for  strengthening  the  cultural  and 
creative  sectors,  promoting  cultural  diversity  and  ensuring  sustainable  management  of  national 
heritage. Two rounds of consultations with sectoral stakeholders were held in the first  half of 2025, 
and the final approval of the Strategy is slated for the end of the year 2025. Moldova has ratified the 
2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions 
and will, as of 2026, join the Creative Europe programme. 

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 and interoperability with the EU electronic customs environment. 

Moldova has successfully migrated to the New Computerised Transit System – Phase 5 (NCTS P5) 
nation-wide  as  of  1  October  2024.  A  monitoring  mission  has  concluded  that  Moldova  has 
demonstrated  a  good  level  of  preparation  for  adhering  to  the  Common  Transit  convention,  though 
certain technical arrangements (ICS2, analysis of data on security and safety aspects, etc.) are pending 
implementation.  While  there  is  an  improvement  overall,  efforts  are  needed  to  reinforce  the  IT 
component of the customs administration, including staffing. 

Moldova has continued to implement modernised customs legislation, which is broadly aligned with 
that  of  the  EU.  The  country  regularly  harmonises  its  customs  tariff  nomenclature  with  the  EU 
combined  nomenclature,  and  has  an  authorised  economic  operators  programme  with  a  total  of  152 
authorisations issued, including 49 on security/safety aspects enjoying mutual recognition with the EU 
Member States. Moldova has achieved substantial progress in its alignment with the EU customs code 
with the EU’s. However, the implementation of this Customs Code is not yet fully completed as there 
are  still  transitional  provisions  in  place.  Further  efforts  are  required  to  prepare  the  phasing  out  of 
transitional provisions in the Moldovan Customs Code as well as bringing the national legislation into 
full  alignment  with  the  EU  customs  legislation,  particularly  in  areas  such  as  the  introduction  and 
import of cultural goods, where transposition is either incomplete or has not yet occurred.  

The  Customs  Service  formed  a  dedicated  working  group  to  optimise  and  reform  its  organisational 
structure  on  18  September  2024.  This  group  is  responsible  for  completing  the  reorganisation  of 
customs subdivisions to enhance service efficiency and integrity.  

In  June  2025,  the  Common  Transit  Convention  monitoring  mission  assessed  positively  Moldova’s 
readiness  for  the  accession  to  the  Convention,  which  is  expected  by  1  November  2025.  Moldova 
adopted  a  regulation  on  April  2025  putting  in  place  a  tracking  and  tracing  system  for  tobacco 
products, pursuant to the (WHO FCTC) Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products. 

Risk management was applied systematically, with the percentage of customs control (both physical 
and documentary control) at 16.3% for imports, and 3.3% for exports. 

Moldova has not yet aligned with the Combined Transport Directive.  

On administrative and operational capacity, there is a need to strengthen the institutional capacity 
of  the  Customs  Service,  promoting  a  higher  level  of  integrity  standards  and  minimising  corruption 
risks. This requires greater automation and optimisation of internal processes for customs clearance, 
and wider access for traders to customs simplification and digital procedures.  

Within the context of this reorganisation, there is a need to continue optimising internal procedures 
and  ensuring  adequate  division  of  competences between  central  and  regional customs  offices  under 
the  principle  of  a  Single  Legal  Entity.  Actions  should  be  taken  for  those  customs  functions  most 
vulnerable to corruption, such as periodical rotation of staff holding sensitive posts, robust monitoring 
and evaluation of progress on anti-corruption measures, among others. 

Moldova  continued  to  cooperate  with  the  EU  Member  States  under  the  EU-Moldova  Association 
Agreement  Protocol  III  on  mutual  administrative  assistance  in  customs  matters,  and  with  the 

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European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) to investigate suspected cross-border customs offences and other 
illegal activities. 

CLUSTER 4: THE GREEN AGENDA AND SUSTAINABLE CONNECTIVITY 

The  cluster  on  Green  Agenda  and  sustainable  connectivity  covers:  transport  policy  (Chapter  14); 
energy  (Chapter  15);  trans-European  networks  (Chapter  21);  and  environment  and  climate  change 
(Chapter 27). 

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,  multimodal  transport,  aviation 
and maritime transport. 

On  general  transport,  after  adopting  the  Mobility  Strategy  for  2030,  steps  have  been  taken  to 
develop the action plan for its implementation. The intelligent transport systems (ITS) strategy for all 
modes  of  transport  is  currently  under  development.  As  an  observer,  Moldova  continued  to  actively 
participate in the work of the Transport Community Treaty (TCT). A Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan 
for  Soroca  was  approved  by  the  Municipal  Council,  while  in  Comrat  the  plan  is  in  public 
consultations. 

On  road  transport,  some  progress  was  achieved.  Legislation  on  market  access,  profession  of  road 
transport  operators,  digital  tachographs  and  access  to  the  haulage  market  is  partially  aligned. 
Furthermore, Moldova has ratified the Protocol to the Interbus Agreement regarding the international 
regular  and  special  regular  carriage  of  passengers  by  coach  and  bus,  which  entered  into  force  on  1 
October 2024.  

National legislation is partially aligned with the EU acquis on road safety and Moldova has approved 
a  road  safety  strategy.  Further  actions  are  needed  to  align  with  provisions  related  to  guidelines  for 
road safety audits/inspections of infrastructure and vehicles, and to enhance the road safety crash data 
system.  The  National  Road  Safety  Programme  for  2024-2030  is  nearing  finalisation,  with  ongoing 
public consultation and pending official approval from the relevant authorities. The data system for 
crash data collection is under development.  

The  agreement  to  temporarily  liberalise  bilateral  and  transit  road  transport  between  the  EU  and 
Moldova, signed in June 2022 was extended until March 2027. 

On vehicle equipment, Moldova has partially aligned with the Directive on tyre tread depth and the 
Directive  on  speed  limitation  devices.  Additionally,  as  of  1 June  2026,  all  relevant  vehicles  are 
required to have speed limitation devices, extending the requirement beyond just those registered after 
16 September 2014. 

No  progress  was  achieved  on  the 
legislation  regarding  the  transport  of 
remains 
dangerous  goods,  which 
partially aligned with the EU acquis. 

review  of 

A  comprehensive 
the 
national  road  transport  framework  is 
underway,  aiming  to  align  it  with  EU 
rules.  This  review  will  identify  gaps 
and  inconsistencies,  and  subsequently 
a new draft law or amendments will be 
prepared to ensure full compliance with EU social and market rules for road transport. 

78 

 
 
 
On rail transport, after the adoption of the Railway Code in 2024, steps were taken to unbundle the 
railway  state  enterprise  by  adopting  the  general  conditions  of  the  multi-annual  contract  for  the 
management of railway infrastructure. At the same time, efforts need to be taken to further align the 
Railway Code to the EU acquis. 

There  are  no  existing  regulations  governing  interoperability.  Moldova  should  further  pursue 
alignment  with  the  fourth  railway  package,  including  adoption  of  the  technical  specifications  for 
interoperability and the common safety methods. 

On maritime transport, all Moldovan flag vessels remain on the blacklist of the Paris Memorandum 
of Understanding on Port State Control, due to ship inspections which took place in past years. Efforts 
are  taken  with  the  support  of  the  Transport  Community  Secretariat  to  improve  quality  of  safety, 
security, and environmental standards of ships flying under the Moldovan flag. Moldova still needs to 
fully align with the Port Services Regulation. 

On inland waterways, Moldova still needs to align with the related acquis. 

On aviation, the country is mostly aligned with the EU acquis, having implemented more than half of 
the  legal  acts  listed  under  the  EU-Moldova  Common  Aviation  Area  Agreement  in  its  legislation. 
Moldova  has  a  good  level  of  alignment  with  the  EU  aviation  rules  in  several  key  areas,  including 
market access, safety, security, environment, social aspects, and consumer protection. However, the 
alignment with air navigation services rules as well as airport legislation such as airport charges and 
ground  handling  is  only  partial.  Regarding  the  protection  of  air  passenger  rights,  the  aviation 
regulatory framework is partially aligned with relevant EU regulations. Moldova should address the 
remaining outstanding issues.  

There  are  no  legal  and  technical  provisions  on  intermodal  transport  in  Moldova.  Moldova  needs  to 
apply EU passenger rights acquis for all modes of transport and make further progress to align with 
outstanding  provisions  regarding  passenger  rights,  especially  in  bus,  coach  and  waterborne 
sectors. The updates introduced to the road transport code also regulate the rights of passengers. 

Chapter 15 - Energy 

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

On  security  of  supply,  Moldova  managed  to  successfully  phase  out  its  dependency  on  MGRES 
power plant, by switching to supply of electricity from Romania. Gas stored in Ukraine and Romania 
was used to cover the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 winter consumption. Gas Emergency Regulation and 
Preventive Action Plan were approved in October 2024 and the Electricity Emergency Regulation and 
Preventive  Action  Plan  were  approved  in  December 2024,  after  positive  assessments  of  the  Energy 
Community  Secretariat.  There  has  been  no  progress  on  Oil  Stocks  Directive.  In  March  2025,  the 
government  adopted  a  decision  to  stipulate  a  full  phase  out  of  any  form  of  dependence  on  Russian 
supply of energy resources. 

Regarding  internal  energy  markets,  the  Parliament  approved  on  June  2025  the  Electricity  Law, 
aligning  with  the  EU  Package  on  Electricity  Integration.  Similarly,  Moldova  amended  the  Fiscal 
Code, which was harmonized with the EU VAT legislation concerning reverse charge mechanism for 
electricity  and  natural  gas.  An  amendment  to  the  Gas  Law  obliged  natural  gas  supply  entities  to 
maintain natural gas reserves equal to at least 15% of the average annual consumption (over the past 5 
years)  by  households  and  essential  service  providers  in  areas.  Moreover,  the  framework  for  the 
gradual phase down of Public Service Obligation for large industrial gas consumers was established – 
based on the decision of National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE), has started in October and 
will  be  finalised  by  1  April  2026.    Progress  was  achieved  also  concerning  the  unbundling  of  the 

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transmission networks (‘Moldovagaz’ and ‘Moldovatransgaz’). A new deadline of 31 July 2025 was 
set for the complete ownership unbundling process for the transmission networks. 

Moldova further progressed on the promotion of renewable energy sources, the Regulation on the 
statistical transfer of quantities of energy from renewable sources and Regulation on the calculation of 
energy consumption from renewable sources were approved in February 2025, while the Regulation 
on solid biofuels was approved in November 2024. The Ministry of Energy concluded in April 2025 a 
tender  for  large  investments  in  solar  (60 MW)  and  wind  power  (105  MW),  receiving  42  bids. 
Moreover, in April 2025, the government developed the Action Plan for renewable energy and storage 
auctions in 2026, which will lead to the publication of hybrid auction for wind capacity and storage.  

On  energy  efficiency,  substantial  progress  has  been  achieved  in  institutional  development.  The 
former  Energy  Efficiency  Agency  was  reorganised  into  the  National  Centre  for  Sustainable  Energy 
(NCSE),  with  a  focus  on  the  management  of  energy  efficiency  projects  in  public  and  residential 
buildings in an open and transparent manner, with oversight from the donors’ community. NCSE has 
launched the two calls for proposals for the selection of residential buildings to conduct energy audits. 
As the first step in the entire financing procedure, 59 energy audits have been completed, of which 10 
have  already  been  assigned  to  project  design.  Under  the  second  financial  product,  NCSE  has 
identified  180  vulnerable  individual  houses  for  future  energy  audits,  58  energy  audits  have  been 
carried  out  and  120  are  in  preparation.  42  financing  contracts  have  already  been  signed,  and 
construction tenders will soon be launched.  

In  December  2024,  the  Regulation  on  energy  audits  of  large  enterprise,  which  impose  the  audit 
obligation to 45 large enterprises to conduct energy audit, was approved.  

Following  the  2023  Law  on  the  energy  performance  of  buildings  to  align  with  the  Energy 
Performance  of  Buildings  Directive,  in  September  2024  the  Energy  Performance  Certification 
Regulation and the Regulation on Energy Auditors and Installers were adopted.    

On nuclear energy, nuclear safety and radiation protection, Moldova still needs to fully align with 
and  implement  the  Euratom  Directives  on  nuclear  safety,  management  of  spent  fuels  and  nuclear 
waste, basic safety standards and drinking water. Moldova is only partially aligned with the Council 
Directive laying down basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure 
to ionising radiation. Moldova is not yet a member of ECURIE and EURDEP systems.   

On  nuclear  safeguards,  upon  EU  accession,  the  existing  systems  of  accountancy  and  control  of 
nuclear materials in Moldova will need to be adapted to accommodate for the safeguards provisions 
(Chapter 7) of the Euratom Treaty.   

The  Law  on  energy  was  amended  to  align  with  the  EU  Regulation  on  Governance  of  the  Energy 
Union and Climate Action and the EU Regulation on trans-European energy infrastructure. Based on 
this,  the  National  Energy  and  Climate  Plan  (NECP)  was  drafted,  revised  according  to  the 
recommendations  received  from  the  Energy  Community  Secretariat,  publicly  consulted  and  finally 
approved by the Government in February 2025.  

Chapter 21 - Trans-European networks 

The EU promotes trans-European networks (TENs) in the areas of transport, telecommunications and 
energy to strengthen the internal market and contribute to growth and employment. 

On transport networks, the current strategic framework for transport infrastructure is outlined in the 
2030 National Strategy for Development, which entered into force in autumn 2024. After completing 
a pre-feasibility study for the completion of the Chișinău ring road, a feasibility study is ongoing for 
identifying the most suitable axes for the future road.  A corridor study for development of the TEN-T 
core  network  along  the  Iași  -  Ungheni  –  Chișinău  –  Odesa  axis  is  also  ongoing.  Three  other  road 
TEN-T  border  infrastructure  projects  with  Romania  are  delayed,  mainly  due  to  administrative 

80 

 
 
procedures and adjustment of project scope with introduction of coordinated controls. The Road Fund 
remains the primary source of national budget funding for public road maintenance.  

Regarding  rail,  rehabilitation  works  for  the  north-south  railway  corridor  continue  to  be  delayed.  In 
terms  of  European  standard  gauge  deployment  in  Moldova,  some  progress  was  made.  Moldova  is 
ought to receive support from Connecting Europe Facility for upgrading the rail connection between 
Ungheni (MD) and Iasi (RO).  Authorities have kicked off the rehabilitation works and are aiming to 
open  this  branch  to  traffic  by  autumn  2025.  Rehabilitation  works  on  the  Basarabeasca-Giurgiulești 
railway segment are currently ongoing.  

On  energy  networks,  infrastructure  projects  should  be  accelerated  to  reduce  Moldova’s  structural 
vulnerability and improve its connectivity with neighbouring countries. Moldova is aligned with the 
former Regulation on guidelines for trans-European energy infrastructure but not yet aligned with the 
current TEN-E Regulation.  

Moldova still needs to develop its regional electricity connections in line with the Central and South-
Eastern  Europe  Energy  Connectivity  (CESEC)  action  plan  on  electricity  and  renewable  energy.  In 
particular, Moldova should advance work on its main infrastructure projects: the 400kV Vulcanesti- 
Chișinău power line, the 400 kV Bălți–Suceava power line, and the 330 kV Bălți - Dnestrovsc HPP-2 
power line, respectively. 

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. 

Environment 

On  horizontal  legislation,  guidelines  for  the  implementation  of  the  Environmental  Impact 
Assessment  (EIA)  procedure  have  been  adopted  as  implementing  legislation  to  the  Law  on  EIA. 
However, the institutional capacity of the Environmental Agency is insufficient to ensure the effective 
implementation  of  these  requirements  and  the  level  of  preparedness  of  private  sector  to  fulfil  the 
obligations  is  low.  Moldova  has  not  aligned  its  national  legislation  with  the  Environmental  Crime 
Directive. On 22 June 2025, a law on environmental liability regarding the prevention and repair of 
environmental damage was adopted. 

Alignment  of  air  quality  standards  to  the  EU  acquis  has  progressed.  In  February  2025,  the 
government  approved  the  establishment  of  the  national  inventory  system  of  air  pollutant  emissions 
and  the  national integrated  air quality monitoring system.  Furthermore,  Moldova  initiated  efforts  to 
assess  existing  air  quality  monitoring  stations  and  procure  additional  ones,  while  updating  the 
Strategy for Air Quality Monitoring and Management. 

The implementation of the regional solid waste management system is ongoing and advancing in all 
regions. However, addressing specific waste-streams requires further attention. The existing Extended 
Producer Responsibility legal framework on six waste streams has been revised and updated, and new 
frameworks  for  Extended  Producer  Responsibility  (EPR)  schemes  covering  construction  and  textile 
waste are under development. While the Program on promotion of Green and Circular economy was 
adopted  in  2024,  the  implementation  of  circular  economy  policies  needs  improvement.  Domestic 
capacities  of  recycling  of  waste  are  very  low  and  limited  only  to  private  waste  recyclers.  The 
intersectoral  component  of  circular  economy  and  involvement  of  other  line  ministries  is  at  a  very 
initial stage. 

On water management, the Law on drinking water was amended in May 2025 to partially meet the 
requirements  of  the  EU  Directive  on  the  quality  of  water  intended  for  human  consumption.  The 
Methodology  for  the  Assessment  and  Classification  of  Groundwater  Bodies  was  approved.  The 
development  of  specialised  section  on  water  and  sanitation,  as  part  of  the  national  territorial 

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development  plan,  is  in  progress.  Moldova  needs  to  strengthen  the  consistency  of  inter-sectoral 
policies  and  inter-institutional  coordination  to  ensure  the  coherence  and  synergy  between  the 
water/wastewater policy and the development of the related infrastructures. Furthermore, capacity for 
monitoring  of  ground  and  surface  water  needs  to  be  strengthened  and  the  annual  water  monitoring 
programme  should  be  implemented.  The  water  laboratory  needs  to  renew  its  accreditation.  The 
Government Decision on the river basin management plan for the Nistru river (cycle II) (2025-2030) 
was approved in February 2025.  

On  nature  protection,  Moldova  continues  implementing  the  national  afforestation  programme.  
Moldova should continue the work on identifying and pre-designating sites that will be covered by the 
Natura  2000  network  and  provide  for  administrative  capacity  to  manage  the  sites.  The  reform  of 
Moldsilva (the Agency for forestry and hunting) and the establishment of an independent agency for 
protected areas remain pending. 

On industrial pollution control and risk management, the Guide on procedures for the application 
of  the  Law  on  the  control  of  major  accident  hazards  was  issued  in  April  2025.  The  Government 
approved  a  methodology  related  to  environmental  permits  and  several  Eco-labelling  criteria  were 
approved  by  the  Minister  of  Environment.  Moldova  is  working  on  updating  the  existing  pollutant 
release  and  transfer  register  (PRTR)  platform.  This  includes  revising  data  clusters  to  ensure  full 
compliance with EU standards of pollutions data collection, monitoring and reporting requirements as 
well Greenhouse Gas emissions data collection and reporting requirements. However, Moldova still 
lacks  enforcement  mechanism  to  ensure  that  reporting  obligations  are  implemented  by  economic 
actors.  In  this  regard,  Moldova  would  benefit  from  developing  a  coherent  legal  framework, 
strengthening  institutional  capacity  along  with  methodological  support  mechanisms  for  economic 
actors  to  strengthen  the  private  sector’s  capacity  to  understand  and  comply  with  reporting 
requirements. 

Moldova is not aligned with the provisions on environmental noise. 

On  chemicals,  Moldova  is  currently  revising the  national legislation to  align  with  the  EU  REACH 
and CLP Regulations.  

On  civil  protection  and  disaster  management,  Moldova  is  a  full  member  of  the  UCPM  since 
January  2024.  Moldova  is  encouraged  to  improve  its  resilience  to  disasters  through  prevention  and 
preparedness  actions  and  make  use,  where  appropriate,  of  the  scientific  partnership  for  natural 
hazards, through the Emergency Response Coordination Centre 

Climate change 

Moldova  made  good  progress  on  climate  over  the  reporting  period,  building  on  the  adoption  of  a 
climate law in 2024, although continued efforts are required to ensure a swift alignment with the EU 
climate acquis.   

On  carbon  pricing,  alignment  with  the  EU  system  for  the  monitoring,  reporting  and  verification 
(MRV-A)  of  greenhouse  gas  emissions  at  installation  level  is  still  incomplete  and  requires  further 
efforts. Building on the 2024 Climate Law, the implementing legislation for a fully functioning MRV-
A  system  at  installation  level  is  under  development  and  only  partially  adopted.  The  aim  is  to  start 
collecting and verifying greenhouse gas emission data as of 2026. Additional work will be necessary 
for full alignment with the EU MRV-A system.  

The National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) was adopted in February 2025. The country published 
a new Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement in May 2025, with a slightly 
enhanced  emission  reduction  target  for  2030  (-71%  compared  to  1990  level)  and  a  new  reduction 
target for 2035 (-75% compared to 1990). This means that most of the remaining mitigation efforts 
are postponed to after 2035.  Furthermore, Moldova still lacks a long-term low-emission development 
strategy. 

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The Climate Law established a National Commission on Climate Change, which is now operational. 
However  concrete  improvements  on  mainstreaming  of  climate  across  all  policies  are  still  limited. 
Moldova needs to significantly reinforce administrative capacity to make progress in aligning with the 
EU  climate  acquis  and  to  effectively  address  climate  mitigation  and  adaptation.  The  ongoing 
institutional reforms are critical steps in this regard. 

Moldova adopted a national disaster risk reduction strategy in December 2024, confirming a strong 
commitment in this area.  

Moldova does not align with EU standards on light- and heavy-duty vehicles’ emissions and neither 
does  it  implement  the  Carbon  Capture  and  Storage  Directive.  An  Article  5  Party  to  the  Montreal 
Protocol,  Moldova  has  legislation  on  ozone-depleting  substances  and  fluorinated  gases  but  is  only 
partially aligned with EU standards in this field. 

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). 

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;  preserves  rural  areas 
and landscapes; and supports the rural economy by promoting jobs in farming, agri-food industries 
and related sectors. This requires robust management and control systems. There are also common 
EU rules for marketing standards, quality policy and organic farming. 

On horizontal issues, a new law on financing, management and monitoring of agricultural policy was 
adopted  and  will  enter  into  force  in  2026.  It  will  be  implemented  through  a  Strategic  Plan  for  the 
period 2025-2030, currently under preparation.   

Further  efforts  are  required  towards  establishing  the  integrated  administration  and  control  system 
(IACS). A pilot project to establish a farm register and a land parcel identification system (LPIS) was 
conducted  in  five  districts.  The  farm  register  and  LPIS  must  be  rolled  out  across  the  country.  The 
establishment of the IACS requires substantial capacity strengthening of the Agency for Interventions 
and  Payments  in  Agriculture  (AIPA)  and  this  must  include  the  allocation  of  additional  human 
resources with an effective staff retention policy. A farm sustainability data network (FSDN) remains 
to be set up.  

The legislative framework for the Farm Advisory Service in the form of Agricultural Chambers has 
been  approved,  pending  the  adoption  of  implementing  procedures,  including  for  the  creation  of  an 
Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS).  

Regarding  agricultural  markets  -  common  market  organisation,  efforts  are  needed  to  further 
develop the regulatory framework in line with the EU  acquis. The reporting period saw progress in 
aligning with EU standards for fruits, vegetables and wine.  

The  rural  development  framework  policy  document  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 the corresponding financial support. According to the National Programme for 
Agriculture  and  Rural  Development  2025-2030,  Moldova  will  continue  to  implement  rural 
development measures focused on investment and related support elements. 

On quality policy, Moldova needs to continue to align with the latest EU acquis in the area.  

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In the area of organic farming, alignment with the EU acquis continued. Further work is required, in 
particular on the supervision of certification bodies and traceability of products. The system of control 
and enforcement should be strengthened. 

During  the  reporting  period,  Moldova  strengthened  anti-corruption  measures  in  agriculture  through 
AIPA’s new anti-bribery policy and an Action Plan under the National Integrity and Anti-Corruption 
Programme  2024–2028.  Measures  focused  on  merit-based  hiring,  asset  and  interest  declarations, 
conflict-of-interest  monitoring,  and  strict  gift  rules.  In  2024,  only  three  criminal  cases  involving 
subsidy  beneficiaries  were  opened,  with  two  sent  to  court,  while  digitalizing  subsidy  applications 
remains a key future step. 

Chapter 12 - Food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy 

The EU food acquis including hygiene rules for foodstuff production ensures a high level of food and 
feed safety, and a high level of protection of consumers’ interests. Animal health and welfare, and the 
safety of food of animal origin, are safeguarded together with the quality of seeds, plant reproductive 
material, the protection against harmful organisms, animal nutrition and the use of plant protection 
products. 

In the area of general food safety, institutional and human resource capacity was further developed 
within  the  reporting  period.  The  Human  Resources  Development  Strategy  2024-2027  was 
implemented  through  a  training  programme  for  central  level  staff  and  staff  from  territorial 
subdivisions (inspectors) of the National Food Safety Agency. 

Moldova further strengthened its official controls oversight at various stages of the agri-food chain, 
including  the  labelling  of  food  products,  in  line  with  EU  standards,  and  clearly  designated  the 
responsible  competent  authorities.  A  new  law  on  official  controls  was  adopted,  ensuring  a  broad 
alignment with the EU acquis.  

New microbiological testing methods were accredited at the national reference laboratory. However, 
Moldova  still  needs a  national  network  of laboratories, and a multiannual  control  plan aligned  with 
EU acquis requirements. 

On  veterinary  policy,  new  implementing  measures  on  the  prevention,  control  and  eradication  of 
transmissible  diseases  in  animals  were  established,  aligning  national  legislation  with  the  EU 
Regulation  on  transmissible  animal  diseases.  The  country  continued  implementing  the  EU  funded 
programmes for African swine fever, avian influenza and rabies prevention and control. The country 
also  enhanced  Avian  influenza  and  African  swine  fever  detection  and  response,  learning  from  the 
2024/2025 outbreaks. 

On animal welfare, while some progress was made in aligning sanitary and veterinary norms related 
to  the  protection  and  welfare  of  animals  during  transport,  the  consistent  implementation  of  animal 
welfare  standards  during  transport,  at  farm  and  slaughter  stages,  remains  a  significant  area  for 
improvement in many establishments and for many operators. 

On  the  placing  of  food,  feed  and  animal  by-products  on  the  market,  Moldova  implemented  its 
national residue monitoring plan for residues of pharmacologically active substances, pesticides and 
contaminants in animal and animal products. Its scope was further extended in 2025, including other 
eggs (quail) and pork meat (growing stage and slaughterhouse). 

Capacity to sample, analyse, and report antimicrobial resistance in food-producing animals and fresh 
meat  increased  as  a  result of  improvements  to the institutional framework,  laboratory  infrastructure 
and staff training. 

The traceability mechanisms of animal drugs and medicines from import of substances to farm level 
application  was  redefined  and  its  digitalisation  was  launched,  ensuring  interoperability  with  the 
animal register and laboratory testing. 

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On  food  safety  rules,  requirements  were  aligned  with  those  of  the  EU  regarding  microbiological 
criteria for food products and labelling of certain product categories. The implementation of Hazard 
Analysis  and  Critical  Control  Points  (HACCP)  by  food  operators  at  all  stages  of  production, 
processing  and  distribution  remains  a  concern.  While  increasing  the  number  of  risk-based  official 
controls obtained at the farm, production and distribution level, more awareness raising, training and 
investments for and by business operators are required to accelerate positive change. 

On specific rules for feed no progress was reported. 

On phytosanitary policy, the legislative framework for plant health and placing of plant protection 
products  on  the  market  was  further  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis.  Market  surveillance  remains  to  be 
improved  from  marketing  and  circulation  of  plant  protection  products  to  farm  level  application, 
especially the sustainable use of pesticides, and the recovery and destruction of obsolete products. 

On genetically modified organisms, Moldova adopted several pieces of implementing legislation on 
their genetically modified organisms law. 

Chapter 13 - Fisheries and aquaculture 

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 needs to continue further aligning with the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), particularly 
in  areas  relevant  to  a  landlocked  country,  focusing  on  the  development  of  its  aquaculture  and  fish 
processing  sectors.  In  this  regard,  Moldova  has  advanced  sector-specific  legislation,  including  the 
adoption of a law on aquaculture sector policy and market organisation in December 2024. The new 
legislative  framework  is  partially  aligned  with  key  EU  CFP  regulations  and  supports  sustainable 
development, improved market standards and the fight against illegal fishing.  

Moldova has also made progress on aligning quality and marketing standards with those under the 
EU  common  market  organisation  in  fishery  and  aquaculture  products  through  the  adoption  of  new 
legislation on quality requirements for fishery and aquaculture products. 

In  the  area  of  inspection  and  control,  new  legislation  improves  the  traceability  of  fishery  and 
aquaculture products and strengthens import inspections to prevent importation of illegal, unreported 
and unregulated (IUU) fishing. This provides the necessary normative framework for the alignment 
with  the  EU  standards  and  acquis  in  the  field.  This  mechanism  will  complement  existing  controls 
carried  out  by  national  authorities,  including  the  National  Food  Safety  Agency  (ANSA)  and  the 
Customs  Service,  which  currently  oversee  the  quality,  safety,  and  traceability  of  imported  fish  and 
fishery products. The agency will also be responsible for monitoring the implementation of the new 
provisions  for  the  prevention,  deterrence,  and  elimination  of  illegal,  unreported,  and  unregulated 
fishing, which will enter into force in 2027. 

In  the  area  of  structural  actions,  to  enhance  administrative  capacity  and  preparedness  for 
administering future support schemes from the newly created National Fund for Support of Maritime 
Affairs,  Fisheries,  and  Aquaculture  and  subsequently  the  European  Maritime,  Fisheries  and 
Aquaculture  Fund  (EMFAF)  once  Moldova  becomes  an  EU  Member  State,  further  development  is 
necessary.  In  this  context,  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Food  Industry  has  prepared  a  technical 
profile for aquaculture within its administrative structure. 

Concerning  international  agreements,  international  cooperation  activities  should  be  further 
strengthened.  Progress  should  be  made  in  integrating  international  fisheries  agreements  into  the 
national  framework,  in  finalising  legislation  covering  the  definition  of  fishing  vessels  in  line  with 

85 

 
 
 
 
international  fisheries  instruments,  and  in  adopting  new  rules  with  regards  to  the  registration  and 
deregistration of vessels engaging in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. 

As  regards to  the  wider  blue  economy, Moldova  continues  to  participate  in  the Common Maritime 
Agenda.  It  maintains  a  strong  commitment  at  both  the  grassroots  and  ministerial  level,  with  the 
Ministry of Environment coordinating cooperation among participating countries under the initiative 
during the reporting period. This positive regional cooperation should continue. 

Moldova is not aligned with the acquis on State aid in the area of fisheries and aquaculture. A system 
for state aid control in these sectors needs to be set up. 

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. 
On the legislative framework, Moldova has in place a framework of strategic documents including 
the  National  Strategy  for  Regional  Development  (2022-2028),  the  National  Programme  for  Local 
Development (2024-2028), and a national programme for the development of cities. The development 
and  implementation  of  a  dedicated  legal  framework  for  the  European  Regional  Development  Fund 
and the Cohesion Fund is pending.  

The  authorities  are  considering  available  options  to  encourage  initiatives  under  the  European 
groupings of territorial cooperation (EGTC).  

In April 2025, amendments to the operational framework of the National Fund for Regional and Local 
Development came into effect, making intermunicipal development associations eligible to apply for 
competitive calls for the selection of regional development projects financed from the Fund. 

Efforts are underway to update the regulatory framework governing local action groups (LAGs), with 
the  goal  of  bringing  it  in  line  with  European  standards  on  community-led  local  development.  The 
proposed  changes  aim  to  streamline  the  operational  processes  of  LAGs,  clarify  their  roles  in  rural 
development, and enhance transparency in monitoring and supervising local partnerships, ultimately 
strengthening the effectiveness of local development initiatives. 

The current institutional framework supports management of EU funds, with the State Chancellery 
acting  as  the  national  coordinating  authority  and  being  responsible  for  all  five  Interreg  cooperation 
programmes in which Moldova participates. A National Working Group comprised of representatives 
from key ministries and government agencies oversees the management of EU funds including cross-
border, transnational, and interregional cooperation programmes. 

On administrative capacity, the concept for strengthening the capacity of local public authorities in 
the  implementation,  monitoring,  and  evaluation  of  projects  was  approved  in  November  2024. 
Moldova is also strengthening its administrative capacity to manage EU funds to ensure the efficient 
management  of  cross-border  and  transnational  cooperation  initiatives  under  the  Interreg  umbrella. 
High  turnover  of  staff  is  a  challenge  that  Moldova  continues  to  address  through  salary  increases, 
improved working conditions, and enhanced training programmes, as well as a dedicated ‘SPRINT’ 
programme  for  civil  servants.  While  adequate  administrative  capacity  exists  for  monitoring  and 
evaluation  under  EU  indirect  management,  the  timely  integration  of  recommendations  remains  a 
challenge. 

Multiannual  programming  takes  place  via  the  medium-term  budget  framework  approved  by  the 
government.  The  current  National  Programme  for  Local  Development  aligns  with  the  National 
Strategy for Regional Development 2022-2028 and strengthens national involvement in regional and 
local development initiatives. 

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Significant progress has been achieved in setting up two critical management systems: an information 
system specifically designed for managing regional and local projects was launched in July 2024 and 
a Register of Capital Investment Projects, which is already operational and mandatory for all large-
scale investment projects. 

On  financial  management,  control  and  audit,  Moldova’s  implementation  of  activities  and  the 
improved  effectiveness  of  its  management  and  control  systems  demonstrate  its  capacity  for  sound 
financial management. A nationwide management information system is being rolled out. 

On  the  fight  against  corruption  Moldova  strengthened  its  capacity  in  regional  policy  and  funds 
management through new risk registers and disciplinary committees, strict rules on gifts and conflicts 
of interest, and integrity-based hiring, with 307 civil servants recruited on merit. The National Anti-
Corruption Centre also flagged procurement irregularities to OLAF.   

A key gap remains the need for full digitalization of project management systems to reduce risks of 
favouritism and undue influence. 

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 resource based 
on value added tax. Member States must have the appropriate administrative capacity to adequately 
coordinate and ensure the correct calculation, collection, payment and control of own resources. 

There  was  some  to  good  progress  in  the  underlying  policy  areas  that  indirectly  affect  the  own 
resources  system  (for  progress  in  these  areas,  see  Chapters  16  –  Taxation,  17-  Economic  and 
monetary policy; 18 – Statistics, 29 – Customs union, and 32 – Financial control). 

Capacity-building  activities  on  the  EU  own  resources  system  and  anti-fraud  rules  have  intensified 
through in-person and online workshops.  

Progress  was  also  made  towards  putting  in  place  the  necessary  administrative  structures.  The 
members  of  Working  Group  33,  who  attended  the  capacity-building  events,  also  function  as  the 
provisional coordinating body. According to the  National Plan for Accession (NPA) 2025-2027, the 
official  creation  of a  Coordination  Body for  Own Resources through  an  Order  of the Ministry  of 
Finance was finalised in July 2025. 

On  traditional  own  resources,  some progress  was  achieved.  The  Customs  Service,  responsible for 
the  collection  of  import/export  duties,  operates  through  the  ‘Asycuda  World’  integrated  customs 
information  system,  which  includes  an  ‘Accounting’  module  for  the  systematic  recording  and 
monitoring of customs debt. Daily and monthly reconciliations with the State Treasury are carried out 
to  ensure  data  accuracy.  The  system  automatically  calculates  duties  linked  to  customs  declarations 
and  prevents  validation  if  financial  guarantees  are  missing,  enhancing  the  integrity  of  customs 
operations. Nonetheless, Moldova needs to continue upgrading its IT infrastructure to fully meet EU 
requirements for a traditional own resources system. 

Regarding legislative alignment, Moldova partially aligned with the provisions of the EU Regulation 
on  customs  duty  exemptions  through  its  Customs  Code.  Although  some  articles  remain  unaligned, 
significant progress was made, with national provisions covering various exemptions. Moldova must 
continue  aligning  its  legislation  with  the  EU  acquis,  especially  on  VAT  structure,  exemptions, 
deductions, special schemes, and the scope of reduced rates. 

On  the  gross  national  income  (GNI)  resource,  no  progress  was  made  during  the  reporting  period 
regarding the alignment with the European System of Accounts (ESA) 2010 standards. Moldova still 
needs  to  ensure  the  compilation  of  national  accounts  and  GNI  based  on  ESA  2010  definitions  and 
accounting rules. 

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Further  efforts  are  needed  to  fully  align  legislation,  strengthen  anti-fraud  measures,  upgrade  IT 
systems, and operationalise the own resources coordination body. 

CLUSTER 6: EXTERNAL RELATIONS 

There are two chapters in this cluster: External relations (Chapter 30); Foreign, security and defence 
policy (Chapter 31). 

Chapter 30 - External relations 

The EU has a common commercial policy towards 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. 

On  the  common  commercial  policy,  Moldova  continued  to  coordinate  its  positions  and  align  its 
policies closely with those of the EU, including within the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and its 
Dispute  Settlement  Body.  In  addition,  the  authorities  followed  up  on  the  recommendations  of  last 
year report and adjusted the legislation related to the temporary import licensing system, which had 
been  introduced  previously  by  the  Commission  for  Emergency  Situations  (CSE).  The  Parliament 
adopted the amendments, which aligned the system with the provisions of the EU-Moldova DCFTA 
and WTO agreements. The amendments entered into force in February 2025. 

The authorities continued the work on alignment with the EU acquis in the export of dual-use items, 
aligning with the EU  acquis  on setting up a Union regime for the control of exports and its annual 
updates as regards the list of dual-use items. The law on the control regime of trade in strategic goods 
entered into force in January 2025. Also in January 2025, the Government approved a decision setting 
out the organisation and functioning of the National Commission for the Control of Trade in Strategic 
Goods,  as  well  as  the  mechanisms  for  issuing  authorisations  for  the  trade  of  strategic  goods  and 
related  documents,  the  procedure  for  registering  applicants,  and  the  lists  for  controlling  strategic 
goods. Moldova is neither a participant nor an adherent to the Australia Group and is encouraged to 
become an adherent and eventually a member. 

On  bilateral  trade  agreements,  Moldova’s  Free  Trade  Agreement  (FTA)  with  EFTA  states  fully 
entered  into  force  on  1 April  2025,  following  the  finalisation  of  the  ratification  process  by  all 
participating countries. Moldova should continue to coordinate closely with the EU on international 
trade negotiations, to ensure that, when it joins the EU, its commitments are compatible with those of 
the EU and ensuring the integration of an EU accession-linked expiration clause in the provisions of 
bilateral free trade and investment agreements.  

Moldova has 41 bilateral investment treaties, of which 20 are with EU Member States covering 21 
EU countries. 

In April 2025, the Parliament adopted amendments to the Law on the  screening of investments in 
strategic  sectors.  Nevertheless,  the  functioning  of  the  Council  for  the  promotion  of  investment 
projects of national importance remains to be aligned with international and EU standards.  

On development policy and humanitarian aid, in May 2025, the Law on international cooperation 
aiming to reorganisation of the Ministry was approved. Moldova remains a recipient of aid rather than 
a donor. It does not have a development policy, nor does it provide structural technical assistance to 
any  partner  countries.  Moldova  should  continue  to  build  up  the  capacity  of  a  new  department  for 
development  cooperation  within  the  Ministry  of  Foreign  Affairs  and  work  further  on  a  legal 
framework on international cooperation, development and humanitarian aid to non-EU countries, in 
line with EU policies and principles. Moldova has provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine in the form 
of both goods and supplies.  

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Chapter 31 - Foreign, security and defence policy 

Member States must be able to conduct political dialogues in the framework of foreign, security and 
defence  policy,  align  with  EU  statements,  take  part  in  EU  action,  and  apply  agreed  sanctions  and 
restrictive measures. 

The  political  dialogue  between  the  EU  and  Moldova  on  foreign  and  security  policy  continued 
intensively. In November 2024, the eighth Security and Defence Dialogue was hosted by Moldova in 
Chișinău. 

In  December  2024,  the  Parliament  adopted  a  National  Defence  Strategy  for  the  next  decade, 
identifying Russia as the source of major threats to Moldova’s security, and the EU accession process 
as strategically important for strengthening security and national resilience. The strategy is designed 
to guide integration into the EU’s security and defence architecture and sets ambitions to align with 
the EU’s Strategic Compass. 

The institutional framework enabling Moldova’s participation in common foreign and security policy 
(CFSP) and common security and defence policy (CSDP) is in place. In 2024, Moldova’s alignment 
with  statements  by  the  High  Representative on behalf  of  the  EU  and  Council  decision  on sanctions 
was at 91%. As of 24 October 2025, its alignment rate was 88%.  

On restrictive measures, Moldova remains aligned with individual sanctions for violations of Ukraine’s 
sovereignty and territorial integrity, listing numerous Russian individuals and entities, as well as with the 
sanctions  regime  targeting  those  seeking  to  destabilise  Moldova.  There  has  been  good  cooperation 
with the EU on preventing circumvention of sanctions against Russia and Belarus related to Russia’s 
war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine.  Moldova  undertook  efforts  to  improve  the  implementation  of 
sanctions, including a more centralised coordination mechanism. In 2025, Moldova also adopted the 
list  of  common  high  priority  items  to  avoid  the  export  of  dual-use  goods.  The  robustness  of 
implementation should be further strengthened. 

As  a  member  of  multiple  international  organisations,  Moldova  has  continued  to  align  with 
international and EU initiatives in support of Ukraine and supported relevant resolutions of the UN 
General Assembly, the Human Rights Council and the Council of Europe, among others. At the  UN 
General Assembly for example, Moldova co-sponsored the Resolution ‘Advancing a comprehensive, 
just and lasting peace in Ukraine’ marking the third anniversary of the Russia’s full-scale invasion of 
Ukraine. Moldova is party to the Rome Statue of the International Criminal Court. 

Moldova  continued  to  support  EU  measures  and  documents  on  conflict  prevention,  but  its  own 
capacity in this field remains limited. Moldova should keep measures included in its National Action 
Plan for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security 
beyond 2027. 

On disarmament and non-proliferation, Moldova systematically aligned with EU statements in the 
framework of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of nuclear weapons (NPT), as well as other NPD 
fora. It participates in the Proliferation Security Initiative and The Hague Code of Conduct and is a 
party to the Chemical Weapons Conventions (CWC), the Biological Weapons Conventions (BWC), 
the  Anti-Personnel  Mine  Ban  Convention  (APMBC)  and  the  Arms  Trade  Treaty.  In  August  2025, 
Moldova adopted the national policy document for small arms and light weapons (SALW). 

On  security  measures,  Moldova  continued  to  implement  the  agreement  with  the  EU  on  security 
procedures for exchanging and protecting classified information. Moldova is gradually upgrading the 
existing systems to be able to proceed to a more comprehensive exchange of classified information 
electronically. 

Cooperation in the field of common security and defence policy (CSDP) has substantially increased, 
under  the  strategic  framework  of  the  EU-Moldova  Security  and  Defence  Partnership.  Moldova  has 

89 

 
 
been  contributing  to  Operation  EUFOR  ALTHEA  in  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  and  continues  to 
contribute  to  EUTM  Somalia.  At  the  same time,  Moldova  continued  efforts to modernise  its armed 
forces, using the substantial support through the European Peace Facility.  

Regarding  hybrid  threats,  Moldova  has  been  implementing  a  range  of  measures  to  increase 
resilience and improve its ability to counter hybrid threats and foreign information manipulation and 
interference (FIMI). In 2025 efforts were undertaken to increase the operational capacity of the Centre 
for Strategic Communications and Countering Disinformation as well as that of the National Agency 
for  Cyber  Security.  Moldova  has  also  taken  additional  significant  steps  to  reduce  its  energy 
vulnerability, and it has improved crisis management structures with the EU’s support. Moldova has 
aligned  with  the  July  2025  Statement  by the  High  Representative  on  behalf  of  the  EU  condemning 
Russia’s  persistent  hybrid  campaigns  against  the  EU,  its  Member  States  and  partners.    The  fight 
against FIMI and disinformation is especially crucial in rural and less developed regions that tend to 
be less resistant to such hybrid attacks. 

90 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ANNEX I – RELATIONS BETWEEN THE EU AND MOLDOVA 

On  3 March  2022,  Moldova  applied  for  a  membership  of  the  EU  and  was  granted  a  European 
perspective  and  candidate  country  status  in  June  2022.  In  December  2023,  the  European  Council 
decided  to  open  accession  negotiations  with  the  country.  The  first  intergovernmental  conference 
opening the negotiations took place on 25 June 2024. 

Moldova continues to broadly implement its obligations under the  Association Agreement (AA). A 
Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), which was signed in 2014 and fully entered 
into force in July 2016. The AA/DCFTA remains the bilateral legal instrument serving as the basis for 
political  association  and  economic  integration  between  the  EU  and  Moldova.  Regular  political  and 
economic dialogue between the EU and Moldova has continued through the AA/DCFTA structures. 

The first ever EU-Moldova Summit took place on 4 July 2025. The latest EU-Moldova Association 
Council  meeting  was  held  in  June  2025  and  the  latest  EU-Moldova  Association  Committee  in 
December  2024.  The  11th  meeting  of  the  EU-Moldova  Association  Committee  in  Trade 
Configuration  took  place  in  November  2024,  and  the  EU-Moldova  Parliamentary  Association 
Committee held a meeting on December 2024. Trade relations with the EU have further intensified 
since  the  start  of  Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine.  The  EU  is  Moldova’s  biggest  trade 
partner,  accounting  for  54%  of  its  total  trade  volume  in  2024.  Moldova  and  the  EU  reached  an 
additional  tariff  liberalisation  under  Article  147  of  the  EU-Moldova  Association  Agreement  on  24 
July 2025, coinciding with the expiry of the autonomous trade measures granted to the country since 
July 2022. The Commission proposal was adopted on 28 July 2025 and approved by the Council on 
18 September. The agreement was formally adopted by the EU-Moldova Association Committee in 
Trade  Configuration  on  19  September.  In  addition  to  the  AA/DCFTA  structures,  a  Human  Rights 
Dialogue with Moldova is in place since 2010. The High-Level Energy Dialogue continued holding 
biannual  meetings  during  the  reporting  period,  and  the  latest  High-Level  Political  and  Security 
Dialogue was held in April 2024. The high-level Transport Dialogue was launched in February 2024 
to further deepen cooperation on connectivity and its second meeting took place in April 2025. The 
EU remains fully committed to supporting a comprehensive, peaceful, and sustainable settlement of 
the  Transnistrian  conflict,  based  on  the  sovereignty  and  territorial  integrity  of  Moldova  within  its 
internationally recognised borders. The DCFTA applies to the entire territory of Moldova. 

Citizens of Moldova have enjoyed visa-free travel to the Schengen area since April 2014. As part of 
the  visa  liberalisation  monitoring  mechanism,  the  Commission  has  regularly  assessed  the  progress 
made  by  the  country  in  implementing  reforms  under  the  visa  roadmap.  The  Commission’s  seventh 
report  under  the  Visa  Suspension  Mechanism,  published  in  October  2024,  concluded  that  Moldova 
continues  to  take  action  to  address  the  recommendations  made  in  the  previous  year’s  report.  A 
readmission agreement between the European Union and Moldova entered into force in January 2018. 
In April 2025, the Commission proposed that countries that have been granted the status of candidate 
country be designed as safe countries of origin at the EU level. 

The  EU  remained  deeply  committed  under  the  common  foreign  and  security  policy  to  deepen 
cooperation  with  Moldova  in  these  areas.  In  2024,  Moldova  became  the  first  country  to  sign  a 
Security and Defence Partnership with the EU. The EU Partnership Mission in Moldova (EUPM) 
continued  supporting  Moldovan  institutions  in  building  resilience,  while  the  assistance  to  the 
Moldovan  Armed  Forces  provided  through  the  European  Peace  Facility  (EPF)  reached  EUR 197 
million. In addition, the EU has kept in place a dedicated sanctions regime targeting individuals and 
entities who try to destabilise Moldova. 

The  EU  is  the  largest  provider  of  financial  assistance  to  Moldova.  In  2021-2025,  the  EU  allocated 
over  EUR 1.2  billion  in  grants  to  Moldova.  Since  2021,  the  EU  has  mobilised  EUR 1.7  billion  for 
projects  in  Moldova,  together  with  international  financial  institutions.  The  EU  has  been  an  active 
member of the Moldova Partnership Platform since it was set up in 2022. To help support Moldova’s 

91 

 
 
integration into the EU and its reforms, the EU is providing up to EUR 1.9 billion for the period from 
2025  to  2027,  through  the  new  Moldova  Growth  Plan.  This  is  the largest  EU  financial  support 
package since Moldova’s independence and comes on top of the EU’s existing support. 

Bilateral  annual  programmes  are  complemented  by  a  package  of  multi-country  and  regional 
programmes  supporting  civil  society  and  the  energy  sector,  strengthening  border  management  and 
assisting  with  migration  and  security  in  a  broader  sense.  The  country  also  receives  support  from 
TAIEX  and  competitiveness  programmes  together  with  international  financial  institutions  and 
international organisations. 

Since  its  launch  in  2009,  Moldova  has  participated  in  the  Eastern  Partnership  (EaP).  This 
overarching framework has given a further boost to bilateral and regional relations with the EU. 

Since 2014, Moldova has progressively extended its participation in EU programmes. It has joined 
the  EU  customs  programme,  Fiscalis,  LIFE,  EU4Health,  Horizon  Europe,  the  Connecting  Europe 
facility (CEF), the single market programme, the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), Digital 
Europe,  Employment  and  Social  Innovation  (EaSI),  the  Citizen,  Equality,  Rights  and  Values 
Programme  (CERV),  and  the  Justice  Programme.  Organisations  and  individuals  from  Moldova  are 
also  eligible  for  certain  schemes  under  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.  To  strengthen  the 
digital sector, to enhance access to EU initiatives and funds and to support the development of social 
and  solidarity  economy,  Moldova  is  participating  as  an  observer  in  three  pilot  projects  under  the 
Technical Support Instrument. 

92 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ANNEX II – STATISTICAL ANNEX 

STATISTICAL DATA (as of 11/09/2025) 

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 per capita (euro) 
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 (%) 
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) 
4) 
4) 
4) 
4) 

4) 
4) 
4) 

4) 
4) 
4) 
4) 
4) 
4) 
4) 
4) 

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 

93 

2012 
3 560 i 
33 846 w 

2020 
2 685 i 
33 847 w 

2021 
2 644 i 
33 849 w 

2022 
2 565 i 
33 849 w 

2023 
2 513 pi 
33 849 w 

2024 
2 423 pi 
33 849 w 

2012 
105 480 w 
6 778 w 
1 904 w 
5 069 w 
: 
-  0.6 w 
-  2 iw 
2 w 

6 w 
119.3 iw 
: 

12.1 w 
16.8 w 
7.9 w 
63.2 w 
109.8 w 
23.6 w 
31.1 w 
65.2 w 
: 

2012 
85.6 w 
49 747 w 
12.3 w 

2020 
199 734 w 
10 116 w 
3 839 w 
12 989 w 
: 
-  8.3 w 
-  4 iw 
-  4 w 

5 w 
135.7 iw 
: 

10.8 w 
15.2 w 
11.5 w 
62.5 w 
99.6 w 
24.9 w 
27.9 w 
51.4 w 
: 

2020 
107.1 w 
37 228 w 
10.9 w 

2021 
242 079 w 
11 569 w 
4 457 w 
16 377 w 
31.5 ew 
13.9 w 
1 iw 
13 w 

-  5 w 
123.0 iw 
46 ew 

12.3 w 
14.7 w 
9.3 w 
63.6 w 
100.3 w 
24.1 w 
30.6 w 
57.8 w 
: 

2021 
120.3 w 
38 783 w 
11.3 w 

2022 
274 488 w 
13 795 w 
5 455 w 
17 461 w 
30.9 ew 
-  4.6 w 
2 iw 
-  7 w 

3 w 
137.7 iw 
44 ew 

9.4 w 
13.3 w 
8.8 w 
68.4 w 
102.4 w 
22.1 w 
41.2 w 
70.9 w 
: 

2022 
115.1 w 
42 056 w 
11.0 w 

2023 
303 554 w 
15 454 w 
6 288 w 
20 910 w 
34.9 ew 
1.2 w 
3 iw 
-  2 w 

7 w 
144.9 iw 
47 ew 

7.1 w 
12.2 w 
8.3 w 
71.3 w 
103.7 w 
19.4 w 
35.1 w 
58.9 w 
: 

2023 
110.3 w 
46 653 w 
: 

2024 
323 817 pw 
16 819 pw 
6 843 pw 
22 634 pw 
35.0 ew 
0.1 pw 
-  4 piw 
4 pw 

3 pw 
156.8 piw 
47 ew 

8.2 pw 
11.3 pw 
8.2 pw 
72.3 pw 
104.7 pw 
20.0 pw 
31.4 pw 
57.3 pw 
: 

2024 
109.4 w 
: 
: 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6.4 w 

7.5 w 

8.6 w 

5.3 w 

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 (%) 

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 (%) 
Gross external debt of the whole economy, relative to total exports (%) 
Money supply: M1 (banknotes, coins, overnight deposits, million euro) 
Total credit by monetary financial institutions to residents (consolidated) (million euro) 
*Annual change in financial sector liabilities (%) 

5) 

57.6 iw 

69.9 iw 

71.1 iw 

: 
: 

2012 
4.6 w 

2012 
-  500.9 w 
- 2 387.6 w 
84.0 w 
630.5 w 
1 172.3 w 
121.1 w 
-  8.1 iw 
: 
174.8 w 
20.7 dw 
: 
195.5 dw 
: 
-  27.0 w 
11.2 diw 

2012 
-  1.7 ew 
19.8 ew 
31.8 ew 
33.5 ew 

2012 
65.1 iw 
209.2 w 
1 288.2 w 
: 
: 

Note 
6) 

Note 

7) 
4) 

Note 

Note 
4) 

8) 
8) 

: 
: 

2020 
3.8 w 

2020 
-  777.9 w 
- 2 714.4 w 
349.2 w 
342.3 w 
1 245.0 w 
75.4 w 
-  9.3 iw 
: 
133.3 w 
3.3 dw 
: 
136.6 dw 
: 
-  40.4 w 
9.2 diw 

2020 
-  5.3 ew 
32.0 ew 
31.4 ew 
36.7 ew 

2020 
65.1 iw 
233.2 w 
2 617.3 w 
2 498.9 iw 
12.8 ew 

: 
: 

2021 
5.1 w 

2021 
- 1 435.7 w 
- 3 540.6 w 
399.3 w 
225.2 w 
1 480.5 w 
156.4 w 
-  9.8 iw 
: 
314.2 w 
12.1 dw 
: 
326.3 dw 
: 
-  39.8 w 
9.0 diw 

2021 
-  1.9 ew 
33.9 ew 
32.0 ew 
33.9 ew 

2021 
66.6 iw 
217.7 w 
3 027.9 w 
2 873.5 iw 
8.7 ew 

94 

: 

: 

: 
: 

: 

: 

: 
: 

: 

: 
: 

2022 
28.7 w 

2023 
13.4 w 

2024 
4.7 w 

2022 
- 2 358.1 w 
- 4 933.1 w 
863.0 w 
56.7 w 
1 655.2 w 
279.0 w 
-  12.4 iw 
: 
514.0 w 
42.7 dw 
: 
556.7 dw 
: 
-  42.3 w 
8.3 diw 

2022 
-  3.2 ew 
34.2 ew 
33.3 ew 
36.5 ew 

2022 
65.3 iw 
158.4 w 
3 115.9 w 
3 284.7 iw 
13.1 ew 

2023 
- 1 750.4 w 
- 4 501.6 w 
827.4 w 
246.6 w 
1 677.3 w 
283.6 w 
-  13.6 iw 
: 
315.8 w 
14.4 dw 
: 
330.2 dw 
: 
-  34.7 w 
6.7 diw 

2023 
-  5.1 ew 
35.4 ew 
33.4 ew 
38.5 ew 

2023 
58.9 iw 
167.8 w 
4 137.3 w 
3 444.2 iw 
10.6 ew 

2024 
- 2 695.6 pw 
- 5 193.3 pw 
849.1 pw 
145.9 pw 
1 502.7 pw 
141.2 pw 
-  14.8 piw 
: 
225.3 pw 
82.8 dpw 
: 
308.0 dpw 
: 
-  31.8 pw 
5.7 pdiw 

2024 
-  3.9 ew 
38.0 ew 
34.1 ew 
37.9 ew 

2024 
58.1 piw 
185.0 pw 
4 874.9 w 
4 045.8 iw 
5.0 ew 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
*Private debt, consolidated, relative to GDP (%) 
Interest rates: day-to-day money rate, 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) 

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 (%) 
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 (%) 

95 

8) 

9) 
9) 

Note 

Note 

Note 
10) 

10) 

10) 
10) 

10) 

10) 

10) 

58.1 ew 
: 
19.751 
125.1 w 
0.2 iw 
3 082.9 w 

2020 
4 732 w 
2 160 w 
- 2 572 iw 
113.5 iw 
66.4 iw 
45.6 iw 

52.9 ew 
: 
20.922 
123.0 w 
0.0 iw 
3 445.8 w 

2021 
6 085 w 
2 670 w 
- 3 415 iw 
110.4 iw 
61.0 iw 
43.8 iw 

51.4 ew 
: 
19.900 
132.4 w 
0.1 iw 
4 206.0 w 

2022 
8 788 w 
4 114 w 
- 4 673 iw 
105.4 iw 
58.4 iw 
47.4 iw 

2020 
-  3.7 e 

2021 
-  6.2 ep 

2022 
-  3.6 ep 

: 
: 
15.563 
109.8 w 
0.0 iw 
1 896.6 w 

2012 
4 052 w 
1 681 w 
- 2 371 iw 
98.2 iw 
43.0 iw 
43.5 iw 

2012 
0.0 

10.2 
67.0 
74.9 

45.6 ew 
: 
19.643 
146.2 w 
0.2 iw 
4 903.5 w 

2023 
8 021 w 
3 746 w 
- 4 275 iw 
96.0 iw 
65.4 iw 
48.3 iw 

2023 
-  3.9 ep 

10.0 
67.5 ep 
76.4 ep 

2023 
58.4 w 

45.9 ew 
: 
19.253 
157.1 w 
0.3 iw 
5 247.5 pw 

2024 
8 385 w 
3 286 w 
- 5 099 iw 
: 
67.3 iw 
50.2 iw 

2024 
-  4.1 ep 

: 
: 
: 

2024 
: 

8.7 
: 
: 

: 
: 
: 

2012 
49.5 w 

2020 
51.1 w 

2021 
52.8 w 

9.0 p 
: 
: 

2022 
53.7 w 

46.7 w 

49.1 w 

51.1 w 

52.1 w 

55.7 w 

47.9 w 
45.6 w 
40.4 w 

26.4 w 
13.2 w 
6.1 w 
54.3 w 
28.1 w 
71.9 w 
5.6 w 
6.8 w 

53.1 w 
45.5 w 
40.5 w 

21.1 w 
14.6 w 
7.2 w 
57.1 w 
29.6 w 
70.4 w 
3.8 w 
4.3 w 

55.6 w 
46.9 w 
42.6 w 

21.5 w 
14.4 w 
7.7 w 
56.4 w 
28.6 w 
71.4 w 
3.2 w 
3.9 w 

55.8 w 
48.7 w 
44.1 w 

20.8 w 
14.8 w 
7.7 w 
56.7 w 
28.8 w 
71.2 w 
3.1 w 
3.6 w 

58.8 w 
53.0 w 
47.1 w 

20.9 w 
14.4 w 
7.1 w 
57.6 w 
28.5 w 
71.5 w 
4.6 w 
5.0 w 

: 

: 
: 
: 

: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 

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) 
Fixed broadband penetration (per 100 inhabitants) 

Infrastructure 
Density of railway network (lines in operation per thousand km²) 

Length of motorways (kilometres) 

Education, Innovation and Research 
Percentage of persons aged 30-34 with a tertiary education level (ISCED 2011 levels 5 to 8) 
Percentage of persons aged 30-34 with a tertiary education level (ISCED 2011 levels 5 to 8), males 
Percentage of persons aged 30-34 with a tertiary education level (ISCED 2011 levels 5 to 8), females 
Participation in early childhood education (children aged 3 and over) 
Participation in early childhood education (children aged 3 and over), males 
Participation in early childhood education (children aged 3 and over), females 
Low achieving 15-year-olds in reading 
Low achieving 15-year-olds in mathematics 
Low achieving 15-year-olds in science 
Early leavers from education and training: proportion of persons aged 18-24 with at most lower 
secondary education (at most ISCED 2011 level 2) who are not in further education or training 
Early leavers from education and training: proportion of men aged 18-24 with at most lower 
secondary education (at most ISCED 2011 level 2) who are not in further education or training 

Note 
11) 

Note 

Note 
4) 

Note 

4.3 w 
13.1 w 
1.7 w 

4.3 w 

4.3 w 

2012 
3 386 w 
: 

34 w 
21.0 w 

2012 
128.0 
1 197.4 w 
: 
: 

2012 
34.2 iw 

: 

2012 
33.2 w 
28.7 w 
37.6 w 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
21.2 w 

3.3 w 
10.9 w 
0.7 w 

5.8 w 

2.0 w 

2020 
7 943 w 
133 w 

35 w 
26.3 w 

2020 
256.0 e 
1 564.0 w 
90.3 w 
27 w 

2020 
34.0 iw 

0 

2020 
31.5 w 
24.3 w 
38.2 w 
94.1 w 
94.6 w 
93.5 w 
: 
: 
: 
16.9 w 

2.5 w 
9.2 w 
0.8 w 

4.2 w 

1.7 w 

2021 
8 980 w 
143 w 

36 w 
26.1 w 

2021 
279.0 e 
1 834.7 w 
104.8 w 
30 w 

2021 
34.0 iw 

0 

2021 
31.8 w 
28.6 w 
34.7 w 
89.2 w 
89.6 w 
88.9 w 
: 
: 
: 
19.6 w 

2.6 w 
10.7 w 
0.7 w 

3.8 w 

1.7 w 

2022 
10 447 w 
129 w 

35 w 
21.4 w 

2022 
297.0 ep 
2 057.1 w 
113.5 w 
32 w 

2022 
34.0 iw 

0 

2022 
31.8 w 
27.8 w 
35.2 w 
94.4 w 
94.4 w 
94.5 w 
: 
: 
: 
21.5 w 

4.2 w 
11.5 w 
0.8 w 

5.8 w 

2.3 w 

2023 
12 209 w 
133 w 

36 w 
20.7 w 

2023 
325.0 ep 
2 139.1 w 
119.8 w 
35 w 

2023 
34.0 iw 

0 

2023 
31.3 w 
23.5 w 
38.1 w 
98.9 w 
99.2 w 
98.6 w 
: 
: 
: 
17.5 w 

: 
: 
: 

: 

: 

2024 
: 
: 

: 
: 

2024 
354.0 
: 
: 
: 

2024 
: 

: 

2024 
: 
: 
: 
104.9 pw 
105.1 pw 
104.7 pw 
: 
: 
: 
: 

25.8 w 

20.6 w 

23.1 w 

24.5 w 

18.6 w 

: 

96 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Early leavers from education and training: proportion of women aged 18-24 with at most lower 
secondary education (at most ISCED 2011 level 2) who are not in further education or training 
Proportion of persons aged 25-64 having participated in education and training (last 4 weeks) 
Proportion of persons aged 25-64 having participated in education and training (last 4 weeks), men 
Proportion of persons aged 25-64 having participated in education and training (last 4 weeks), women 
Exposure of vocational education and training (VET) graduates to work-based learning (% of 
population aged 20-34) 
Share of individuals having at least basic digital skills (% of population aged 16-74) 
Share of individuals having at least basic digital skills (% of population aged 16-74), males 
Share of individuals having at least basic digital skills (% of population aged 16-74), females 
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 output volume index (at producer prices) (2015 = 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) 
Harvested crop production: sugar beet (thousand tonnes) 

16.2 w 

13.1 w 

16.1 w 

18.7 w 

16.4 w 

1.5 w 
: 
: 
: 

: 
: 
: 
6.8 iw 
0.35 iw 
: 
31.1 w 

2012 
29.2 ew 
174.5 w 
1.7 
: 

2012 
594 
11 
0 
0 
1 928 i 
2 533 
932 

1.1 w 
0.8 w 
1.3 w 
: 

: 
: 
: 
: 
0.24 iw 
: 
64.6 w 

2020 
30.5 ew 
83.6 w 
3.1 
: 

2020 
682 
5 
0 
0 
2 103 i 
2 715 
983 

1.1 w 
0.9 w 
1.2 w 
: 

: 
: 
: 
: 
0.23 iw 
: 
66.8 w 

2021 
32.3 ew 
73.6 w 
3.6 
: 

2021 
762 
5 
0 
0 
2 306 i 
3 009 
1 131 

1.3 w 
1.1 w 
1.4 w 
: 

: 
: 
: 
: 
0.23 iw 
: 
67.5 w 

2022 
30.5 ew 
62.8 w 
5.5 
: 

2022 
525 
5 
0 
0 
2 181 i 
2 692 
995 

: 
: 
: 
: 

: 
: 
: 
: 
0.22 iw 
: 
70.6 w 

2023 
: 
49.8 w 
9.2 
: 

2023 
586 
4 
0 
0 
1 944 i 
2 573 
1 169 

: 

: 
: 
: 
: 

: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 

2024 
: 
: 
: 
: 

2024 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 
: 

2012 
73.3 w 
: 
191.2 w 
410.4 w 
824.0 iw 
524.6 w 
1 206.3 iw 
587.0 w 

2020 
110.5 w 
: 
108.9 w 
339.5 w 
616.4 iw 
321.7 w 
1 505.3 iw 
423.2 w 

2021 
178.1 w 
: 
104.1 w 
347.9 w 
573.7 iw 
295.3 w 
4 690.0 iw 
757.8 w 

2022 
150.9 w 
: 
102.4 w 
340.1 w 
558.7 iw 
270.5 w 
1 784.4 iw 
478.2 w 

2023 
153.7 w 
: 
101.0 w 
350.7 w 
549.9 iw 
261.3 w 
3 214.8 iw 
428.3 w 

2024 
: 
: 
98.8 w 
379.6 w 
561.7 iw 
267.2 w 
: 
291.4 w 

4) 
4) 

Note 

Note 

Note 

12 

97 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Harvested crop production: vegetables (thousand tonnes) 

231.1 w 

226.8 w 

232.0 w 

286.1 w 

322.6 w 

323.0 w 

98 

 
 
 
99