Statement by Commissioner Dombrovskis at press conference with Vasile Tofan, Prime Minister of Moldova

Thank you, Prime Minister. Good afternoon, everyone.

First of all, I would like to thank Prime Minister Tofan for his warm welcome and for a productive and open discussion today.

Moldova and the EU are at an important juncture. Accession negotiations with the EU are now formally under way, and a new government has hit the ground running.

There has been good progress on the gradual integration of Moldova into the EU's Single Market.

This includes Moldova's inclusion in the EU Roam-Like-At-Home area, the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) and the Cybersecurity Reserve. 

I welcome the government's commitment to keep economic growth at the centre of its agenda.

I am well aware of how challenging it is with the impact of Russia's war of aggression next door and global shocks affecting energy markets.

But, Moldova has made important progress since it applied for EU Membership.

It has cut red tape, improved the management of public investment, and strengthened the country's energy security.

And these reforms are already paying off.

At the EU-Moldova Investment Conference last month, investment plans worth €641 million were announced, backed by international financial institutions and private investors.

That is a clear signal that reform attracts investment and should maintain the reform momentum.

While we welcome the fact that the government has maintained a strong commitment to reform over the past year, there is still work ahead to prepare Moldova for EU accession.

And to ensure that it makes the most of the opportunities offered by further economic integration with the EU so that every single household feels the benefit.

To that end, we also discussed the EU's €1.9 billion Growth Plan for Moldova.

Implementation is advancing well.

More than €503 million in EU grants and loans has already been made available to Moldova.

We are currently assessing the reform steps due in June, which could unlock more than €157 million in further support shortly.

But the most demanding part of the journey lies ahead.

While we have passed the halfway point of the Reform Agenda in time, with an impressive track record so far, around two-thirds of the reform steps are still to be done.

Forty reforms are due in December alone and a further 67 are planned for 2027.

Several of these, including the reform of state-owned enterprises and of public administration, will be particularly complex.

Delivering them will require sustained commitment at the highest level and a whole-of-government effort.

Looking ahead, it is vital that the Growth Plan is used for high-quality investment and that it translates into stronger and lasting growth.

On trade, the benefits of integration are already clear. The EU is by far Moldova's largest trading partner.

Our relationship rests on deep integration and preferential access through our Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area.

This is a crucial element of Moldova's economic integration into the EU's Single Market.

Finally, I encourage Moldova to continue its engagement with international partners, notably the International Monetary Fund.

This international support is crucial for any country undertaking such a major transition.

I will conclude by reaffirming that Moldova can count on our support as it continues its path towards EU membership.

The EU will continue to stand by Moldova and its people on every step of the way.

Thank you.