Moldova says it is ready to open negotiations on clusters, but admits that the decision remains a political one in the EU.

The Republic of Moldova asserts that it is ready for the formal opening of accession negotiations on clusters, but admits that the decision remains a political one within the European Union, even though technical negotiations have already been launched on all clusters, and the European Commission confirmed as early as March 2025 that Chișinău is ready to open the first cluster. The topic was brought back to the attention of the European debate by the Vice-President of the European Parliament, Victor Negrescu, who asked the President of the European Council, António Costa, to support the opening of negotiations on clusters before the European Council meeting in June.

In short

The Republic of Moldova says it is ready for the formal opening of negotiations on clusters, following the confirmation from the European Commission in March 2025. Chișinău claims that technical negotiations have already been launched on all clusters, and the authorities are working on the intermediate benchmark criteria. From the perspective of the Moldovan authorities, the remaining obstacle is a political one and depends on the position of some member states, especially regarding the advancement of accession negotiations with Ukraine. The Republic of Moldova states that it will continue its reforms at the same pace and maintains the objective of being ready for accession by 2030. Victor Negrescu has called for the opening of negotiations on clusters for the Republic of Moldova before the next European Council meeting.

The Republic of Moldova states that it has entered a phase in which the technical conditions for moving to the formal opening of accession negotiations on clusters are met, but recognizes that the final decision still depends on the political will of the member states of the European Union.

According to the position expressed by the Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to the European Union, Daniela Morari, the European Commission confirmed as early as March 2025 that the Republic of Moldova is ready to open the first cluster of negotiations. At the same time, technical negotiations have been launched on all clusters, and the Moldovan authorities are working to meet the intermediate benchmark criteria.

"Already in March 2025, the European Commission confirmed that the Republic of Moldova is ready to open the first cluster of negotiations. At the same time, Moldova benefits from the support of all 27 member states, reaffirmed also in the recent conclusions of the European Council. Meanwhile, technical negotiations have been launched on all clusters, and the authorities are working intensively to meet the intermediate benchmark criteria. In this context, Chișinău remains optimistic that EU member states will make the decision regarding the formal opening of negotiations on clusters as soon as possible," said Daniela Morari.

The message conveyed by Chișinău shows that, from the perspective of the Moldovan authorities, the issue is no longer whether the Republic of Moldova is ready to enter a new phase of negotiations, but rather the moment when this assessment will be transformed into a formal decision at the level of the member states. The Moldovan authorities assert that they have continued their reform path and have made constant progress in aligning with the EU acquis.

"The decision to open official negotiations is, in essence, a political one and depends on the position of some EU member states regarding the advancement of the accession process, especially concerning the accession negotiations with Ukraine. The Republic of Moldova has continued its efforts, delivering reforms and making constant progress in aligning with the EU acquis, demonstrating that it is ready for this new stage," stated Daniela Morari.

This wording indicates that the Republic of Moldova's file remains linked not only to its own technical progress but also to the broader political climate in the Union regarding enlargement, especially in relation to Ukraine. At the same time, Chișinău avoids a confrontational tone and insists that it will continue reforms regardless of the pace of political decision-making.

The Moldovan authorities say they have set an ambitious timeline so that the Republic of Moldova is ready for accession to the European Union by 2030, and assert that the technical negotiations already underway provide a clear framework for continuing reforms.

"Chișinău has set an ambitious timeline to be ready for EU accession by 2030. In this regard, efforts are focused on delivering reforms and maintaining a sustained pace of achieving the commitments made. Technical negotiations are already underway, the roadmaps are well known, and the authorities are making constant progress. Of course, from a political standpoint, it is important that the formal opening of the clusters takes place as soon as possible. Moldova will continue reforms at the same ambitious and accelerated pace, maintaining dialogue with Brussels and demonstrating concrete results to support internal and European backing for the accession path," said Daniela Morari.

Chișinău's position comes at a time when the issue of opening negotiations on clusters for the Republic of Moldova has been brought back to the forefront at the European level. On April 15, Vice-President of the European Parliament Victor Negrescu announced that he had sent a letter to the President of the European Council, António Costa, requesting the advancement of the European path of the Republic of Moldova through the opening of negotiations on clusters before the June European Council meeting. The Vice-President of the European Parliament supports that the Republic of Moldova has demonstrated concrete progress in aligning with the European acquis and that a positive decision would send a strong political signal, strengthen the credibility of the enlargement process, and demonstrate that the European Union respects its commitments.

In the message conveyed by the Moldovan authorities, the line remains a cautious one. The Republic of Moldova does not contest the political nature of the decision but insists that it is technically ready, that reforms continue, and that a formal decision is expected as soon as possible from the member states.

The file for opening negotiations on clusters for the Republic of Moldova has become one of the sensitive topics of the European Union's enlargement policy. The Republic of Moldova asserts that the technical assessment is favorable, that technical negotiations have already been launched on all clusters, and that its objective remains accession by 2030. In parallel, Victor Negrescu has officially requested that the subject be placed high on the agenda of the next European Council, linking a potential positive decision to the credibility of the EU's enlargement policy, the strengthening of reforms, and the stability of the region.