Moldova & the EU
EU-Moldova relations: pursuing common goals
From the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement to the Association Agreement
Relations between the EU and Moldova have been guided by the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and the ENP Action Plan. Now, they will be replaced by the EU-Moldova Association Agreement (AA), including a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) and an Association Agenda. The assistance to be provided during the programming period 2014-2020 is synchronised with the priorities and objective set out in the new Agreements. EU bilateral assistance to Moldova under the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) sharply increased from € 40 million in 2007 to € 131 million in 2014.
EU assistance is being used to support the implementation of several key reforms in the justice, education, economic development and energy sectors. Additional budget lines have also been targeted for macro-financial assistance, investments in infrastructures and Cross Border Cooperation (CBC) projects. In addition, Moldova profits from numerous thematic programmes, mainly supporting civil society and regional programmes linked with Trans-European networks.
Substantial funds have been used to support Moldova in the implementation of the Association Agreement and its Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. This is mainly done through the programme for Comprehensive Institution Building (CIB), through Twinning, the EU High Level Policy Advisors (in areas such as Agriculture and Food Industry, Trade and Taxation), as well as budget support for Economic Stimulation in Rural Areas supporting SMEs and regional development.
In addition, the Neighbourhood Investment Facility (NIF) is contributing to several projects, including the EIB financial support programme to the wine sector (€ 75 million). The ENI programming is in progress and three focal-sectors will be included in the future EU-Moldova Single Support Framework (2014-2017): public administration reform; agriculture and rural development; police reform and border management, in support of the implementation of the Association Agenda.