EUBAM Mission: A Successful Story for the Sectoral Cooperation between EU and Moldova
Author: Mihai Mogâldea, associate expert, Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE)
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In 2019, we will celebrate the 14th anniversary since the launch of the EU Border Assistance Mission to the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. During this time, EUBAM has become one of the most sustainable and efficient EU missions in the Eastern Neighborhood. Its mandate has been extended five times since 2007, demonstrating a clear EU commitment to assist the Moldovan and Ukrainian authorities in improving institutional capacity and enhancing border security.
In the context of the strain on bilateral relations between Chisinau and Brussels following the events of June 2018, EUBAM remains a relevant example of how the transfer of good sectoral practices from the European to the national level can be ensured, even when political cooperation is in a deadlock. In this case, at least two key conditions need to be fulfilled: (1) an official request from the Moldovan authorities to benefit from EU sectoral assistance and (2) de facto implementation of mutually agreed strategic reforms with EU experts. These premises ensured the launch of the EUBAM Mission and its sustainability so far.
NOTE: This editorial was prepared in the context of the EU Debate Cafe “Strengthening the frontiers of the EU and the Republic of Moldova in the age of multiple challenges“organized in Chisinau on April 22, 2019 by the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE) in cooperation and with the support of Hanns Seidel Foundation in the Republic of Moldova in the framework of the ”EU Debates Cafe” project.
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