Republic of Moldova opens accession negotiations on four thematic clusters
The Republic of Moldova has made further progress on its path towards European Union membership. Accession negotiations were opened in June 2024. By November 2026, Moldova had completed the screening process and opened negotiations on four thematic clusters: “Fundamentals”, “External Relations”, “Internal Market” and “Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth”.
The screening process enabled the European Commission to assess the Republic of Moldova’s level of preparedness for aligning its national legislation and policies with European Union standards.
Accession negotiations are structured around 35 chapters, grouped into six thematic clusters. They cover areas such as the rule of law, the functioning of democratic institutions, public administration reform, the free movement of goods and capital, competition, financial services, energy, the environment, agriculture, transport, education and external relations.
The first cluster, “Fundamentals”, plays a central role in the accession process. It is the first to be opened and the last to be closed, as progress in its areas determines the overall pace of accession negotiations.
As negotiations advance, the Republic of Moldova will need to meet the benchmarks set for each chapter before they can be provisionally closed. Once all chapters have been provisionally closed and the country is considered ready for accession, EU Member States must unanimously approve its admission to the European Union.
The pace of Moldova’s accession will depend on the progress made in implementing the necessary reforms and on the ability of its institutions to transpose and enforce European standards.
