News about EU
The EU Council’s Working Group on Enlargement (COELA) will, on Wednesday, July 22, will resume negotiations with Hungary on the approval of the screening results for Clusters 2 and 3 for Moldova and Ukraine, in order to begin the formal process of opening the clusters.
A protest was lodged with Moldovan Ambassador Lilian Darii, specifically regarding two incidents involving staff and vehicles of the Russian Embassy in Moldova.
Former high-ranking officials from Germany and Russia held a secret meeting in Baku on July 12–14 to discuss ways to end the armed conflict in Ukraine.
Prime Ministerial candidate Vasile Tofan believes that a “unique window of opportunity” has now opened for the new government to lead the country out of the crisis.
Moldova will serve as a test case for the latest reforms aimed at integrating the European Union’s gas market when mandatory rules for the allocation of bundled capacity take effect at its borders on August 5.
The Cabinet of Ministers is preparing to expand the list of excise-taxable goods, citing public health concerns and a desire to bring the tax system in line with European standards. However, the new package of amendments reveals a mixed approach to potentially harmful products: some goods are subject to excise taxes, while others are completely removed from the legal market.
A delegation from Moldova took part in the 68th series of meetings of the Assembly of Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), held in Geneva. Participants at the forum adopted decisions on the development of the international intellectual property protection system and approved the organization’s new leadership.
The European Commission has fined the Chinese marketplace AliExpress €550 million ($629 million) for failing to stop the sale of illegal, unsafe, and counterfeit goods on its platform. This is the largest fine imposed under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA).
Paris and Berlin intend to reignite Europe’s economic “engine” by focusing on artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and reducing the administrative burden on businesses.
King Charles III of the United Kingdom accepted Keir Starmer’s resignation as prime minister. The audience took place on July 20 at Buckingham Palace, according to the royal press office.
Moldova’s Prime Minister-designate Vasile Tofan presented the government’s action plan, titled “A European Economy, an Effective State”, with which the cabinet he has formed intends to seek a vote of confidence from Parliament on July 21.
Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and Poland have called for a further relaxation of banking regulations in the European Union. According to the bloc’s largest economies, the current rules limit banks’ ability to lend to businesses and compete with U.S. financial institutions.
A new version of the Classification of Economic Activities is being developed in Moldova. The document will be fully harmonized with the European version.
It will become more difficult to book an apartment in Cyprus through Airbnb or Booking.com. The island’s authorities are preparing a major reform of the short-term rental market following the tragedy in Limassol, where people died when a residential building collapsed. As the investigation revealed, several apartments in the building—which had been declared unsafe—were officially registered for tourist accommodation.
The housing market in Europe picked up steam again in 2025, although real estate prices continued to rise in most countries.
The Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova (CALM) presented Prime Minister-designate Vasile Tofan with a package of proposals for reforming local public administration.
Since the beginning of 2026, the regional offices of the National Agency for Employment (ANOFM) have helped 13,013 people find jobs. This is more than half of the annual target set by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, which aims to place 25,000 job seekers in employment.
The American Chamber of Commerce in Moldova (AmCham Moldova) proposes updating the Law on Accounting and Financial Reporting to reflect the EU’s constantly changing requirements.
Last week, competition and state aid were the focus of discussions between antitrust authorities and the business community. Representatives of the antitrust authorities from Romania, Poland, and Lithuania shared their experience with Moldovan businesses regarding investigations into violations of competition law and the application of state aid legislation.
Bulgaria has gained significant international recognition as a destination for remote work. Condé Nast Traveler, an American travel magazine often referred to as the “bible” for tourists, has included it among the most affordable destinations in the European Union for digital nomads.
