Stolojan: Three Criteria Met, Moldova Will Join the EU in 7 Years

At the end of 2022, Maia Sandu expressed the wish for her country to join the European Union by early 2030. “Is it possible that in seven years (2023-2029) the Republic of Moldova will pass the stages necessary for EU accession? My answer is yes, but under certain conditions,” former Romanian MEP Teodor Stolojan said, rupor.md reports. The Republic of Moldova had the shortest period between applying for EU membership - March 3, 2022 – and obtaining the candidate country status – June 23, 2022. In case of Romania, it took two years. The accelerated obtaining of the status of candidate country is explained by the Association Agreement signed by the EU and the Republic of Moldova in June 2014. But the former MP argues that other stages of Moldova’s accession to the EU will not be as fast. “Is this fact a reason to believe that the Republic of Moldova will pass other stages of accession to the EU as quickly? Certainly not. It took Romania more than two years, from obtaining candidate country status, to starting accession negotiations, and another six years before joining the EU. We have examples of candidate countries that waited for many years because they did not meet the criteria for EU accession,” Stolojan believes. Yet, he believes that if the three conditions are met, Moldova will be able to join the European Union in 7 years. “The Republic of Moldova can join the EU before the end of this decade under the following conditions:

1. The political configuration in the Republic of Moldova will remain favorable for EU accession, the Government must continue the necessary reforms in the next 6 years;
2. The Republic of Moldova will meet the EU accession criteria, namely the criteria of political, economic and administrative capacity to fulfil its obligations as a EU Member State;
3. The Republic of Moldova will use Romania’s positive experience in the EU accession process. The pace of the accession process depends crucially on how long it will take to negotiate the 35 chapters that cover all EU legislation and standards, as well as the signing of the Association Agreement to be ratified by each EU member state and the Republic of Moldova,” the former MP concluded.