Moldova

Cultural, scientific and technical cooperation

Cultural exchanges and French teaching in Moldova have imbibed generations with French culture in the country. Despite the conflicts, divisions and ruptures that have marked Europe’s history over the centuries, the Moldovan people have maintained a special connection with France, its culture and its language.

The Alliance Française branch in Chișinău was inaugurated in December 1995. Moldova has been a member of the International Organisation of La Francophonie since 1996. On the sidelines of the last Francophonie Summit in Yerevan in October 2018, Moldova signed a linguistic pact aimed at giving a greater role to French in its education system. Today, French is taught as a foreign language in Moldova and continues to be followed by whole classes of pupils and students across the country, at all levels. Around 40% of secondary school pupils learn French. The Alliance Française branch in Chișinău is one of the largest in Europe, with almost 3,500 learners, and is an essential symbol of France’s presence in Moldova.

In terms of decentralized cooperation many projects are in place with villages in Moldova to improve infrastructure, including for waste processing, water quality, the energy transition and the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage.

Relations with the European Union

The EU is Moldova’s leading trading partner, foreign investor and aid donor. On 1 September 2014, the EU and Moldova signed an Association Agreement which includes a reform agenda as well as the implementation of a free trade area gradually eliminating trade tariffs between the two sides. Meanwhile, the liberalization of short-stay visas, allowing Moldovans to move freely within the Schengen Area for up to three months, has been effective since April 2014.

These developments are part of the “Eastern Partnership” which frames the EU’s Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) with regard to the countries of Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. Among all ENP partners, Moldova is the leading beneficiary per capita of assistance from Brussels.

The EU’s political priorities in Moldova, supported by all Member States’ diplomatic representations, include institution building, justice reform, the business climate, freedom of expression and human rights, improving health and social conditions, and combating trafficking, organized crime, corruption and money laundering.

Maia Sandu’s visits to Brussels on 18 January 2021 and Paris on 4 February 2021, and Charles Michel’s visit to Chișinău on 28 February 2021 (accompanied by the President of the European Investment Bank) confirmed the progress of the EU-Moldova relationship. The European Commission’s announcement of an economic recovery plan for Moldova on 2 June 2021 is in line with this trend. The plan provides for public and private investment of up to €600 million between 2021 and 2024 (Team Europe approach), around five pillars: (i) improving public financial management and macroeconomic stability; (ii) supporting an innovative economy and SMEs; (iii) investing in infrastructure; (iv) strengthening education and employment; and (v) supporting the rule of law, justice and anti-corruption. Conditionality will remain central (progress expected on justice and anti-corruption reforms). This is expected to be one of the flagship projects of the Eastern Partnership by 2025.

The EU has provided significant support to Moldova during the COVID-19 crisis. In addition to redirecting funds of €87 million to help address urgent needs, the European Union is providing €100 million in emergency assistance under the Macro-Financial Assistance Instrument (MFA). Emergency aid of €60 million has also been granted to address the gas crisis. Concerning access to vaccines, Moldova is a beneficiary of the COVAX Facility, a pillar of the ACT-Accelerator initiative launched by France, Germany, the EU and WHO.

The 6th Association Council meeting on 28 October 2021 was an opportunity to launch new cooperation: (i) the EU-Moldova High Level Dialogue on energy; (ii) high-level dialogue on political and security issues, opened on 18 March 2022; (iii) the signing of a Horizon 2020 Association Agreement.

In the context of the war in Ukraine, Moldova applied for EU membership on 3 March 2022, the same day as Georgia and a few days after Ukraine (28 February), and submitted its replies to the Commission’s first questionnaire on 22 April. In April 2022, The EU also granted a new macro-financial assistance operation (MFA) of €150 million to Moldova to address the fiscal and economic consequences of the conflict.