EU aims to accelerate Moldova’s accession talks, says von der Leyen

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union aims to open all remaining accession negotiation clusters with Moldova as quickly as possible following the launch of talks on the first cluster, “Fundamentals,” last week.

Speaking at the opening of the second EU–Moldova Summit in Brussels, von der Leyen welcomed Moldovan President Maia Sandu and praised the country’s progress on its path toward European Union membership, CE Report quotes MOLDPRES.

“A warm welcome, dear Maia. It is wonderful to have you here for our second summit with Moldova. We have two important topics. The first is, of course, accession. Last week, we effectively opened the first and most important door, the first cluster, and the goal must now be to open all the other clusters as quickly as possible. The Commission has recommended that the Council open these clusters,” von der Leyen said.

The European Commission president also highlighted the importance of the EU Growth Plan for Moldova and commended the country's rapid implementation of reforms.

“It is impressive to see how quickly and effectively you are implementing the necessary reforms. These reforms create a level playing field with our single market and open the doors of the single market to Moldovan companies,” she said.

Von der Leyen noted that the EU Growth Plan for Moldova is worth €1.9 billion and confirmed that the first funding installments have already been disbursed.

“I look forward very much to continuing this cooperation together with you,” she added.

The EU–Moldova Summit serves as a high-level dialogue platform reflecting the increasingly close partnership between Brussels and Chisinau, as well as Moldova’s commitment to joining the European Union.

The summit takes place just one week after the official opening of accession negotiations on the “Fundamentals” cluster, marking a new stage in Moldova’s European integration process.

During the meeting, leaders are expected to discuss the next steps in the accession negotiations, Moldova’s reform agenda, regional developments, cooperation in security, defense and energy, as well as continued EU support for the country’s economic development.

According to Moldova’s Presidency, both the European Commission and the European Council have confirmed that Moldova is ready to begin negotiations on all chapter clusters in line with the EU’s merit-based accession process.

At the conclusion of the summit, joint press statements are expected from Maia Sandu, Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa.

The Brussels meeting is the second summit of its kind between Moldova and the European Union. The first high-level gathering was held in Chisinau on July 4, 2025.

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