On Thursday 4 September, the European Commission announced that it had paid Moldova €18.9 million under the ‘Reform and Growth Facility’. On 4 July, the European Commission had already announced a payment of €270 million in pre-financing under the Facility, which has been given a budget of €1.9 billion for 2025–2027 (see EUROPE 13594/24).
In parallel, and taking into account the progress made by Moldova in terms of its reforms, the EU launched a Call for Expression of Interest (EOI) on the same day, with the intention of encouraging companies to explore investment opportunities in Moldova.
“The initiative aims to build a pipeline of transformative private investments in Moldova that could receive support from the European Commission and partner financial institutions, such as the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development”, stated the European Commission in its press release.
“We will collect business ideas and investment projects from Moldovan and European companies. If these ideas meet the criteria, the European Commission will work with these investors, in order to turn plans into real projects, through consultancy, assistance and grants. The experience of the Member States shows that the stronger the economy is, the more investments it attracts”, added the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, on a visit to Chișinău.
Moldova is waiting to open negotiations on the first cluster of chapters. According to Ms Kos, the country could finalise these negotiations by the end of 2028. “In the last three years, you have achieved more than in the previous 30. Structural reforms linked to the growth plan and preparations for EU membership are progressing at pace. Over the coming weeks, Moldova will complete its preparations for the negotiations. This was achieved at record speed. And if we maintain this pace, finalising the negotiations from a technical point of view by the end of 2028 will of course be possible”, she explained at a press briefing with Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Cristina Gherasimov.
The latter stressed that the emphasis should be on continuing reforms, particularly in the justice system, strengthening institutions, modernising public administration and strengthening the market economy.
The day before, the President of the European Council, António Costa, had estimated that immediately after the next elections, on 28 September, the EU would “certainly have in place the necessary conditions to officially open negotiations”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)