At the same time, the experts noted the unstable nature of economic growth due to external shocks and structural vulnerabilities, including dependence on energy resources, which reduces the competitiveness of the Moldovan economy.
“Moldova has made progress in advancing key reforms. Further efforts to accelerate structural reforms in areas such as state-owned enterprises, financial markets, and competition will be important to achieve productivity gains and support stronger and more sustainable economic growth. Today’s discussion confirms the authorities’ commitment to this agenda, and the OECD’s competitiveness outlook will support these efforts with concrete and actionable recommendations,” said Daniel Quadbeck, Head of the OECD’s Eastern Europe Unit, at the meeting at the Ministry of Economic Development.
Discussions with government authorities and the business community were aimed at confirming the accuracy of the preliminary results, identifying data gaps and supplementing the analysis with updated information. Participants also identified a number of priority reforms needed to bring the regulatory framework in line with European and international standards.
“The assessment of Moldova’s competitiveness in cooperation with international partners is an important tool for justifying efficient public policies and accelerating the European integration process. It is important to use the results of these analyses to implement reforms aimed at achieving concrete results for the economy and citizens,” said Natalia Selevestru, State Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization.
Progress or regression?
The analysis covers aspects related to investment policy, the functioning of financial markets, the management of state-owned enterprises and competition policy, as well as transportation infrastructure, integration into global value chains, employment and skills development.
In the investment area, the development of a new draft investment law initiated by the Ministry of Economic Development and Development was praised, emphasizing “the need to integrate sustainability criteria and better monitor the impact of foreign direct investment on small and medium-sized enterprises.” At the same time, despite sufficient capital in the banking sector, “the development of alternative sources of financing remains limited”.
“Strengthening the competitiveness of Moldova’s economy directly depends on our ability to implement consistent structural reforms, improve the investment climate and provide more diversified access to finance for the business environment. In this process, it is crucial to fully utilize the support of international partners and maintain a permanent dialogue with the private sector in order to transform policy recommendations into concrete results for the economy,” said Oleg Bivol, State Secretary of the Ministry.
Regarding the management of state-owned enterprises, the adoption of the State Ownership Strategy “is an important step, but it is necessary to accelerate the implementation of corporate governance standards and the optimization of the portfolio of enterprises.” In the labor market, efforts to promote dual education and digitalization were noted, but “better institutional coordination and reduction of urban-rural disparities are needed.”
The final recommendations will be included in the full Competitiveness Outlook-2026 report, scheduled for completion in the third and fourth quarters of this year. “This document will be an important strategic tool to strengthen further actions of the Moldovan government aimed at increasing the competitiveness of the national economy and moving the country on the European path,” the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization said in an official statement.
