Agriculture Ministry Advances the EU Accession Talks with Sector Stakeholders

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI) held a new round of consultations with key stakeholders in preparation for Moldova’s EU accession negotiations. The meeting brought together representatives from the agricultural sector, the business community, the National Agency for Food Safety (NAFS), and the Agency for Intervention and Payments in Agriculture (AIPA).

Participants focused on aligning Moldova’s agricultural legislation and practices with EU standards under Chapters 11 (Agriculture and Rural Development), 12 (Food Safety, Sanitary, and Phytosanitary Policies), and 13 (Fisheries and Aquaculture)—all coordinated by the MAFI as part of the EU integration process.

Farmer representatives called for:

• Reasonable transition periods for adopting EU regulations,
• Access to technical and financial assistance to meet compliance standards,
• Continuous dialogue and a permanent mechanism for information and training related to integration requirements.

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Participants also discussed drafting Moldova’s official negotiation positions for each chapter. They emphasized the importance of reflecting the private sector’s perspective in the documents that Moldova will present to the European Commission.

Minister of Agriculture Ludmila Catlabuga reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to transparent and collaborative work with the associative sector.

“European integration is a shared responsibility,” the minister said. “Public authorities must develop clear policies and regulations, while the private sector must adapt its practices and production processes to EU standards.”

The MAFI announced that bilateral screening sessions with the European Commission for Chapters 11 and 12 will resume in September. By the end of October, Moldova will submit its official negotiation positions, which include technically and economically grounded proposals developed together with sector associations. The ministry emphasized that public institutions must continue working closely with the private sector to build a resilient and competitive agricultural system aligned with European standards—an essential component of Moldova’s irreversible path toward EU membership.