News about European integration

The government has approved the Regulations on the Assessment and Management of Environmental Noise. The document mandates the monitoring of noise levels from road, rail, and air transportation, as well as from large industrial facilities.

Hungary opposed sending a letter to the European Council and the European Commission outlining the common position of all 27 EU countries on the issue of Ukraine and Moldova’s accession to the bloc, Politico reports, citing two sources.

All European driver’s licenses will become valid in the Republic of Moldova thanks to the implementation of the principle of mutual recognition and the automatic equivalence of license categories. This important change is provided for in a draft government resolution developed by the Agency for Public Services and promoted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs as part of preparations for the country’s integration into the European Union. The new rules will make life much easier for drivers: the process of recognizing documents will be automatic, without the need to take additional exams or go through unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles.

For the first time, the European Union has publicly indicated the possibility of treating Moldova and Ukraine separately in the EU accession process, even though Brussels has viewed the two countries as a single political package since the start of the war in Ukraine.

Representatives of Moldovan business associations signed a joint agreement to promote environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) principles during an event titled “ESG for Strong Business.”

The European Commission has announced a call for proposals worth 1.1 billion euros to modernize the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), with a particular focus on rail transport, more environmentally friendly maritime transport, and military mobility. The funding will be directed toward supporting high-speed railways, the decarbonization of ports, the electrification of roads and airports, and the digitalization of freight transport. For the first time, Moldova and Ukraine will be able to participate in this program through the Connecting Europe Facility.

In the five years since European integration began, no major foreign corporations have set up operations in the country. And that makes sense. Business goes where there are huge markets, cheap energy, and raw materials. In this regard, we objectively lag behind our neighbors.

Moldova has made significant progress in the European integration of its energy sector, both in implementing legislative reforms and in developing strategic infrastructure.

During the second EU–Moldova summit, held today in Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the allocation of new tranches of financial support for Moldova. The funds will be directed toward infrastructure development and strengthening the country’s security.

Maya Sandu, President of the Republic of Moldova, expressed her support for the United Kingdom’s possible return to the European Union.

The proposed changes to the 2027 tax policy are raising more and more questions and comments. Ion Sturza, former Prime Minister of Moldova (1998–1999), has also shared his views on social media. Here are his main points.

The Federation of Public Service Workers’ Unions (SINDASP), which represents the interests of more than 16,000 union members, expresses its concern and disagreement with the bills concerning the reform of tax, customs policy, and the wage system. The organization notes that, in addition to reducing pay scales and cutting a number of wage supplements, the government is blocking collective bargaining and restricting workers’ labor rights.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s statements that Ukraine cannot become an EU member while it remains at war, and that it could be granted interim status, send an important signal to Moldova.

Tomorrow, June 22, the European Union–Republic of Moldova Summit will take place in Brussels.

FIEZOLE—In a short essay published nearly 40 years ago, French writer Emmanuel Carrère noted that alternative history (imaginary chronicles of what might have been) is driven by a strong sense of intolerance toward the inevitable.

UPDATED. Parliament will consider a proposal to significantly expand the staff of the National Anti-Corruption Center. Deputies Andrian Keptonar and Veronika Roshka have introduced a bill to increase the agency’s staff by 150 employees at once.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk acknowledged that at the European Council summit he supported the position of his Hungarian counterpart, Péter Magyar,  who insisted that the EU summit’s final document contain no mention of Ukraine’s accelerated accession to the European Union.

Logos Press continues Alexandru Bejenari’s series of articles on transition communication in Moldova. The first article discussed why good news about the country’s future doesn’t always become a common thread.

A new mechanism for airlines to report their greenhouse gas emissions will be implemented in the Republic of Moldova. The data will be collected and verified by the country’s authorities. The goal is to assess and, if necessary, mitigate the environmental impact of aviation.

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar stated that Budapest had succeeded in having the wording regarding the accelerated accession of Ukraine and Moldova to the European Union removed from the European Council’s final declaration. According to Magyar in X, all member states of the bloc have agreed on the revised version of the document.