Moldova Submits New EU Accession Progress Report Amid Renewed Enlargement Push

Moldova submitted a new EU accession progress report on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine has pushed enlargement back on the European Union's agenda. The report, delivered by Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Cristina Gherasimov, covers Moldova's progress from June 2023 to March 2024 and will be submitted in two stages, with the first in April and the second in September.

The EU has opened accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova and granted candidate status to Georgia, seeing enlargement as a security instrument in light of the ongoing conflict. However, the economic impact of admitting new members, particularly Ukraine, is a concern. While bringing in the Western Balkan countries would offer economic opportunities at a manageable cost, Ukraine's size, agriculture sector, and the ongoing war pose a greater financial burden.

Why this matters: Moldova's progress towards EU accession is significant in the context of the renewed push for enlargement following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The success of Moldova and other candidate countries in meeting accession criteria will shape the future of the European Union and its ability to promote stability and security in the region.

The document reflects Moldova's progress on the 2023 package and meeting the accession criteria, with the evaluation results set to be available in the autumn. The European Union adopts conclusions on enlargement and assesses the progress made towards integration by candidate countries. The latest conclusions from December 2023 showed that Moldova has made substantial progress and strengthened the implementation of reforms.

EU advisors urged Moldova to establish a solid track record of investigations and convictions in the fight against corruption and encouraged the government to pursue reforms in the economic field, leveraging the EU-Republic of Moldova Association Agreement and the Deep Free Trade Agreement. The future makeup of the new EU Parliament, to be elected in June, will determine the success of the accession process for Moldova and other candidate countries.

Moldova's submission of its new EU accession progress report marks an important step in its journey towards European integration. The report highlights the country's efforts to implement reforms and meet accession criteria, as acknowledged by the EU's conclusions in December 2023. As Moldova continues to work towards establishing a solid track record in fighting corruption and pursuing economic reforms, the support and guidance of the EU will be crucial in ensuring the success of its accession process.

Key Takeaways

• Moldova submitted new EU accession progress report on April 24, 2024.
• EU opened accession talks with Ukraine, Moldova, and granted candidate status to Georgia.
• Economic impact of admitting new members, especially Ukraine, is a concern for the EU.
• Moldova made substantial progress and strengthened reforms, per EU conclusions in Dec 2023.
• Moldova's accession process success depends on EU support and fighting corruption.