Shadow Report no.2. On the Action Plan for the implementation of the steps proposed by the European Commission in its Opinion on Moldova’s EU membership application
Introduction
On 23 June 2022, the Republic of Moldova obtained the European Union (EU) candidate country status. The EU decision was based on the favourable opinion of the European Commission, after the evaluation of the completed questionnaire, in the context of the accession application submitted by the Republic of Moldova in March 2022. The first report of the European Commission on the progress made by the Republic of Moldova in the EU enlargement policy will be published in autumn 2023.
The answers to the EU questionnaire were also supplemented with the input of Moldovan experts from the diaspora and civil society. IPRE, Expert-Group, and CRJM, in collaboration with the Soros Moldova Foundation, within the #ThinkTanks4EUMembership initiative, contributed to the preparation of the Republic of Moldova’s answers to the EU Questionnaire.
In April 2022, the National Commission for European Integration (NCEI) was established. Chaired by the President of the Republic of Moldova, the Commission is an inclusive platform that brings together members of the Government, parliamentarians, representatives of civil society and local authorities, which ensures the strategic coordination of the European integration process. On 4 August 2022, NCEI approved the Action Plan for the implementation of the measures proposed by the European Commission in its Opinion on the Republic of Moldova’s EU membership application (hereinafter the Action Plan).
In this context, IPRE, Expert-Group and CRJM, as part of the #ThinkTanks4EUMembership initiative, in cooperation with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation have started a process of monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the 9 recommendations of the European Commission.
The results of the monitoring exercise are reflected in the #MoldovaEUCandidateCheck Monitoring Table available online here: https://9pasi.euromonitor.md/en.
On 13 April 2023, the first #MoldovaEUCandidateCheck Shadow Report and Monitoring Table was published, reflecting the results of the initial assessments for the period 1 July 2022 – 31 March 2023.
The second Progress Report includes revised and updated information on the progress, shortcomings and priorities for the period 1 July 2022 – 30 June 2023, given that the deadline for meeting the 9 commitments is June 2023. This report also takes into account interim findings and additional priorities in the form of so- called “deltas”, which will be taken into account by the European Commission when preparing the first Report under the EU Enlargement Package, to be published in autumn this year.
Disclaimer:
This publication is developed within the “Moldova-EU Candidate Check: 9 steps towards the opening of accession negotiations with the European Union” Project implemented by the Institute for European Policies and Reforms, Expert-Group, and the Centre for Legal Resources of Moldova (CRJM), in cooperation with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES). The publication represents an independent evaluation by the authors on the degree of implementation of the Action Plan for the implementation of the 9 key political and economic criteria identified by the European Commission in its June 2022 opinion, approved by the National Commission for European Integration (NCEI), which also includes representatives of IPRE and Expert- Grup, civil society organizations that are members of the National Platform of the Civil Society Forum of the Eastern Partnership. The opinions presented in the report belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the position of the National Platform of the Civil Society Forum of the Eastern Partnership, NCEI, or the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.
