EU and Council of Europe Review Moldova’s Reform Progress

The EU and the Council of Europe assessed the progress of reforms in Moldova

Moldova and its international partners discussed the results of reforms under the ‘Partnership for Good Governance’ programme for 2023–2027. At the fourth meeting of the Local Co-ordination Committee, held on 30 October in Chișinău, participants reviewed the progress made, existing challenges and priorities for the programme’s final phase.

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Corina Călugăru, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasised the importance of the partnership with the European Union and the Council of Europe for strengthening democratic institutions, the rule of law and the protection of fundamental rights in the context of Moldova’s European integration.

She stated that, in the remaining period, it is necessary to step up reforms, ensure effective inter-ministerial coordination and draw on European expertise to achieve sustainable results.

Martina Spernbauer, Head of the Governance Section at the EU Delegation to Moldova, highlighted the programme’s contribution to judicial reform, institutional capacity-building, the fight against financial crime and the protection of fundamental rights. She emphasised that legislative changes must be accompanied by effective implementation in order to deliver tangible results for citizens.

Schnutz Dürr, Head of the Programme Coordination Department at the Council of Europe’s Directorate, highlighted the importance of the Venice Commission’s expertise – including through its rapid reaction mechanism – in bringing national legislation into line with European standards.

Five areas of cooperation

The discussions covered five thematic areas of the programme:

– modernisation of the judicial system;

– preventing and combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism;

– combating discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes;

– improving women’s access to justice;

– combating violence against women.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the Council of Europe, the EU, Moldovan state institutions and civil society.

Particular mention was made of the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ readiness to host the programme’s regional conference in Chișinău in January 2027. This is intended to serve as a platform for assessing the results achieved and defining priorities for further cooperation.

The participants reaffirmed the importance of continued cooperation between national institutions, the EU and the Council of Europe to consolidate the results of the reforms and advance Moldova’s path towards European integration.

This story was translated with the assistance of artificial intelligence.The translation was also reviewed by the Logos Press editorial team.

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