Delegates from the EU Council’s Horizontal Working Party on Enhancing Resilience and Countering Hybrid Threats visit Moldova
The delegates of the EU Council’s Horizontal Working Party on Enhancing Resilience and Countering Hybrid Threats (HWP ERCHT), representing 27 EU Member States and EU institutions, conducted their first working visit to the Republic of Moldova, between the 31st of March – 1st of April 2025. The visit was organised at the initiative of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU and represents an opportunity for the Working Party to get first-hand information from a country particularly experienced in dealing with hybrid threats. It is a prime example of ongoing cooperation across the continent in responding to an ever-more complex threat environment, underlining the EU’s coordinated efforts in supporting Moldova’s overall security.
The HWP ERCHT delegates had the opportunity to engage in discussions with high-level representatives of key institutions of the Republic of Moldova (hereafter: Moldova) and other key stakeholders, including civil society organisations. The discussions focused primarily on Moldova’s experience dealing with an ongoing barrage of hybrid threats.
They covered Moldova’s ongoing efforts to combat foreign information manipulation and interference (including disinformation and interference in electoral processes), cyber-attacks and other hybrid threats, as well as initiatives to enhance preparedness and response mechanisms in crisis management.
They highlighted the complex challenges that the country faces as a direct result of foreign interference coming from Russia, as well as the important lessons learned from this experience, that could serve as best practices for other countries.
This visit provided an opportunity for HWP ERCHT delegates to share their knowledge while also learning from Moldova’s experience in navigating these complex challenges.
Furthermore, the delegates had the chance to engage with EUPM Moldova, gather insights into EUPM’s work, the implementation of the Mission’s mandate, and the ongoing EU efforts towards consolidating Moldova’s resilience and security, also contributing to the wider process of Moldova's accession to the European Union.
HWP ERCHT delegates also met with the EU Delegation in the Republic of Moldova, and were briefed on wider EU support to Moldova as well as the ongoing EU accession process.
Background
EUPM Moldova is the EU’s first civilian Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) mission with a unique mandate dedicated to increasing Moldova’s resilience, its crisis management capacities, its capacities to respond to and counter hybrid threats, including cyber-attacks and foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI). EUPM Moldova is a non-executive mission and has an advisory role. The Mission offers strategic advice to Moldovan authorities and operational support, through a projects cell, towards the implementation of this strategic advice by partner institutions in Moldova.