The European Commission has published its 2026 Enlargement Report on the Republic of Moldova. Brussels acknowledges the country’s progress but also points to several outstanding challenges, stressing that adopted reforms must deliver tangible results.
The document states that Moldova has set itself the goal of completing accession negotiations by 2028 and joining the European Union in 2030.
According to the report, the parliamentary elections held in September 2025 reaffirmed the population’s growing pro-European aspirations, although social polarisation remains a concern. EU representatives say the situation remains more challenging in the financial, economic and judicial sectors, while the energy system has become more resilient and significant progress has been made in customs.
“The European Commission today published its annual Enlargement Package, which shows where each candidate country stands on its path towards the European Union. The report on the Republic of Moldova reflects the work carried out over the past year to align with EU standards. Over the last 12 months, we have made progress across all 33 negotiating chapters.
“We have set ourselves the goal of completing accession negotiations by 2028. The European Commission considers this objective ambitious but achievable if we maintain the pace of reforms. This assessment should give us confidence that, by continuing our work, we can achieve the goals we have set as a country.
“The report also identifies areas where further work is needed: implementing adopted laws and delivering concrete results in corruption cases. We know what needs to be done. I thank everyone working towards this goal every day — in public institutions, civil society and the private sector,” President Maia Sandu said following the publication of the document.
Prime Minister Vasile Tofan also said he had received the report from the EU Ambassador to Chișinău, Iwona Piórko. He described the assessment as very positive, saying it “confirms that the reforms of recent years have brought us closer than ever to our goal”.
“The Commission states directly that our target of provisionally closing negotiations in early 2028 is ambitious but achievable if we maintain the pace of reforms. This is important recognition for Moldova and for everyone who has worked towards this result — in institutions and across society, including during an extremely difficult period.
“We are pleased with the result, but we will not slow down. European integration is our national project and depends, above all, on how well we do our work at home,” Tofan said.
According to EU representatives, the Commission maintains that the Republic of Moldova has fulfilled the necessary conditions to open all remaining accession negotiating clusters and has accelerated the alignment of its legislation with EU rules.
They stressed that maintaining the current pace of reforms is essential if Moldova is to complete its accession negotiations by early 2028.