Institutionalization of European Union membership of the Republic of Moldova

Abstract

Moldova is a parliamentary democracy that has recently embarked on a strong reform agenda despite a series of exogenous crises. The parliamentary nature of the democracy has been confirmed by recent competitive elections at parliamentary and presidential level. The country’s legal and constitutional framework largely corresponds to European and international standards. As regards the political criteria, Moldova has a solid foundation in place to reach the stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities. As regards the economic criteria, Moldova has pursued reasonably sound macroeconomic policies, significantly strengthened financial sector stability, and improved the business environment. Speaking about capacity to fulfil the obligations of membership, Moldova has worked since 2016 on the implementation of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement, including a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (AA/DFCTA). These agreements already capture significant amount of the EU acquis and Moldova has gradually taken up the alignment process across many sectors and has a satisfactory track record of implementation. Overall, Moldova is a European State committed to respecting and promoting the values on which the European Union is founded.