Moldova eyes EU membership by 2030

Moldova is advancing in its European Union accession process based on merit, Moldovan President Maia Sandu said. The head of state said the authorities aim to prepare the country for EU membership by 2030, following the agenda established during the accession negotiations, CE Report quotes MOLDPRES.

“We believe in a merit-based process. The agenda we have announced is based on the standard process, not shortcuts. Through this merit-based process, we can prepare the country for accession by 2030,” President Maia Sandu said.

Regarding the common European path of Moldova and Ukraine, Sandu explained why the two countries are moving forward together in the EU accession process, despite each having its own pace of preparation.

“There was a discussion that if both countries are technically ready to open negotiations on the first cluster, the first group of chapters, this should happen for both countries. And that happened, because Cluster 1, or negotiations on Cluster 1, was opened. Further on, if both countries are ready for the other clusters, this can also happen together. There are areas where things are easier for Moldova and areas where Ukraine can move faster than Moldova. So, each country has its own pace,” the president said.

Sandu added that the authorities aim to fulfill all the necessary conditions by 2028 so that Moldova can continue the negotiations at the same pace.

“By 2028, we have to fulfill all the conditions. This is the program we are following, and it is also the program our colleagues in Brussels are following. Now we will see how we manage, but I am confident that we will continue at the same pace. The Commission says every time that Moldova is the country moving at the fastest pace on this path. We simply started much later and have ground to make up,” Sandu said.

Moldova opened EU accession negotiations on the first cluster, “Fundamentals,” on June 15, 2026, during the second EU–Moldova Intergovernmental Conference in Luxembourg.

A month later, on July 14, 2026, the country opened negotiations on Cluster 6, “External Relations,” covering chapters related to external relations as well as foreign, security and defense policy.

Photo: Chat GPT