Presidency of the European Council Conclusions on Enlargement

Presidency of the European Council Conclusions on Enlargement

The Council commends Moldova for its strong commitment and steadfast work on accession-related reforms despite the challenging circumstances caused by Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and hybrid attacks especially targeting Moldova as well as the recent energy crisis.

The Council welcomes the successful and swift completion of the screening process and takes good note of the Commission's assessment that all 6 clusters are ready to be opened. The Council takes good note of the adoption by Moldova of the roadmaps on the rule of law, on public administration and on democratic institutions, all positively assessed by the Commission. The Council looks forward to the opening of clusters, starting with the fundamentals cluster without delay and followed by the other clusters, in accordance with the enlargement methodology and the negotiating framework. The Council is carrying out work with a view to preparing the next steps.

The Council welcomes the renewed and reinforced political mandate obtained by Moldova's authorities following the referendum on EU membership held on 20 October 2024 and the recent parliamentary elections which reaffirm the European aspirations of the people of Moldova as well as Moldova's commitment to its EU path and to continued EU-related reforms. The Council commends the resilience demonstrated by Moldova's democratic institutions in organising well-managed elections in a challenging context, including intensified foreign interference, disinformation and cyber-attacks, particularly from Russia. The Council takes note of the lessons learned from these attacks, which remain a threat to democratic confidence and media pluralism and will continue its support for Moldova in this domain.

On the fundamentals, the Council underlines the importance of maintaining the pace of reforms, notably in the areas of the rule of law, justice, security, and fundamental rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. It welcomes Moldova's inclusive approach to reform implementation, involving civil society, the private sector, and representatives of the diaspora. The Council also welcomes Moldova's request to join the EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA), reflecting its commitment to further align with EU standards on the protection and promotion of fundamental rights.

Building on the significant progress already achieved, Moldova should continue advancing its comprehensive justice reform, including finalising the vetting and appointment of judges and prosecutors, and strengthening the independence and integrity of the judiciary, leading to a positive track record of investigations, prosecutions and final judgments at all levels. The Council encourages Moldova to improve the functioning of the National Integrity Authority (NIA) to effectively verify the assets and personal interests of high-level public officials.

The Council encourages Moldova to continue fighting corruption, increasing prosecution capacity and improving judicial independence. The Council welcomes Moldova's fight against illicit financing, as well as its focus on creating a solid track record of investigations, prosecutions and convictions, including in high-level cases. It commends Moldova's systemic approach to de-oligarchisation and encourages continued implementation of the related actions. The Council also notes the authorities' commitment to tackling money laundering, including through enhanced cooperation with the EU's Financial Action Task Force and the use of new technological tools including during election periods. The Council welcomes Moldova's efforts to strengthen public administration and finance management, including local government reform. It encourages continued improvement in administrative capacity in key institutions.

The Council commends Moldova's resilience in the face of Russia's unprecedented hybrid attacks, and reconfirms the EU's continued support, including through the EU Partnership Mission in Moldova. It welcomes Moldova's proactive efforts to counter disinformation, including the development of a national communication strategy and innovative, community-based approaches to engage local actors such as farmers, youth organisations, and faith leaders. The Council encourages continued engagement in Gagauzia, and recalls the importance of countering disinformation and promoting inclusive and objective communication on EU integration at the local level. The Council encourages Moldova to continue these inclusive efforts to strengthen societal resilience, foster voter participation, and safeguard freedom of expression, including by aligning the strategic investment law to European standards.

The Council welcomes Moldova's steady progress in enhancing its energy security and independence of supply. The Council also notes positively Moldova's commitment to accelerating infrastructure interconnections to reduce vulnerabilities and to strengthen regional resilience. The EU stands ready to continue supporting this process.

On the economic criteria, the Council welcomes the good progress made towards establishing a functioning market economy and encourages Moldova to intensify its efforts to advance its capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the EU. The Council underscores the importance of continuing transformative economic reforms and deepening sectoral cooperation with the EU. The Council recommends pursuing a fiscal policy that ensures debt sustainability. This includes increasing public investments to drive economic growth, notably through the Growth Plan for Moldova. The Council welcomes the setting up of the EUR 1.9 billion Reform and Growth Facility, part of this Growth Plan, and takes positive note of the reforms implemented so far and the disbursement of corresponding funds, and recalls the need for continued reform efforts in this regard.

The Council remains committed to further progress Moldova's gradual integration in the EU internal market, on the basis of enhanced implementation of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. It encourages increasing the capacity of the Agency for Interventions and Payments in Agriculture, and supports further reform coordination with EU assistance.

The EU reaffirms its strong and unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova within its internationally recognised borders and remains fully committed to supporting a comprehensive, peaceful, and sustainable settlement of the Transnistrian conflict. It calls on Russia to withdraw its military forces illegally stationed on the territory of Moldova.

The Council strongly commends Moldova for its consistent cooperation on foreign and security policy issues, and its continued efforts towards full alignment with the EU CFSP, including on restrictive measures, in line with the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states. Moldova's very high level of alignment constitutes a strong signal of Moldova's strategic commitment to its EU path. The Council welcomes Moldova's cooperation in preventing the circumvention of sanctions against Russia and Belarus and its active participation in EU missions and operations under the CSDP. The Council welcomes Moldova's readiness to enhance cooperation in the framework of the Security and Defence Partnership with the EU.

For the full text of the document: https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-16933-2025-INIT/en/pdf