Dan Alexe | Brussels leaders praise progress, congratulate Maia Sandu and announce investments
During a press conference concluding the second Moldova-EU summit in Brussels, António Costa, the President of the European Council, referred to Moldova as a "future EU member." He made this statement following discussions with President Maia Sandu and Ursula von der Leyen, the Head of the European Commission.
A week after the first group of EU accession negotiations began on June 15, António Costa congratulated Maia Sandu for her courage and personal involvement in the progress achieved.
“The balance sheet is impressive,” he stated.
“We will be with you every step of the way,” Ursula von der Leyen assured, adding, “You have maintained your direction despite the attacks. Moldova’s experience in combating hybrid threats has also benefited other countries.”
Von der Leyen highlighted all of Chișinău’s recent advancements, particularly through participation in the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), the “Roam Like at Home” initiative, the European roaming space for telephony, and the “Creative Europe” program. She noted that “Moldovan citizens and businesses are already feeling the changes.”
Additionally, von der Leyen pointed out that Moldova has completed 93% of the required reforms, which led to the release of €500 million from the Growth Plan for the Republic of Moldova, valued at €1.9 billion for the period from 2025 to 2027. If Moldova maintains its progress until the end of the year, another €500 million could be released.
Current status of EU funds delivered so far
To date, the Republic of Moldova has received approximately €504 million of the €1.9 billion package, just over a quarter of the total. The money has been distributed in several tranches:
€270 million – Pre-financing (July 2025): At the first EU-Moldova summit in July 2025, von der Leyen announced the release of €270 million as pre-financing under the Growth Plan.
€18.9 million – First regular payment (September 2025): The European Commission made the first regular payment after confirming that Moldova had met four reform indicators, including the development of competitive electricity and gas markets and measures to ensure energy security.
€189 million – Second tranche (May 2026): The Republic of Moldova received €189 million in the second tranche, which is not intended to cover the budget deficit but is exclusively for investments and economic development projects.
Further release of funds
On June 22, a new EU-supported investment worth €232.7 million was announced, allocated under the Growth Plan for the rehabilitation of the Porumbrei-Comrat road.
Leaders expressed their approval of Moldova's progress in its gradual integration into the EU.
In addition, a new €11 million support initiative will help strengthen Moldova's resilience against hybrid attacks. Furthermore, €17 million will be invested in border infrastructure to enhance security and territorial integrity.
The Commission also supports Moldova's full participation in the upcoming Erasmus+ program and plans to extend the DiscoverEU rail pass for young Moldovans in 2027.
However, Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the need for patience regarding the opening of the remaining chapters in the negotiations. She concluded that we should avoid taking a rigid or "short-sighted" approach. The extension will be granted "on merit," based on each candidate's efforts.
