The EU candidate country Moldova is set to receive €1.8 billion in financial assistance. Like Georgia, Moldova applied for EU membership following the outbreak of war in Ukraine in 2022. However, unlike Georgia, the Moldovan government never withdrew the issue of opening accession negotiations from its agenda.
Moldova signed an Association Agreement with the European Union in 2016. In June 2022, the European Commission recommended granting Moldova candidate status, which was later approved by the European Council. In November 2023, the European Commission issued a recommendation to begin accession negotiations with Moldova. The €1.8 billion aid package—known as the Moldova Growth Facility—is the largest support package ever allocated to the country. The assistance is planned for the years 2025 to 2027 and focuses on three main areas: financial aid, increased access to the EU single market, and support for socio-economic reforms.
The package aims to boost Moldova’s economy and accelerate reforms to bring the country closer to the European Union. According to the EU, Moldova received €430 million in loans between 2021 and 2024. The European Union remains Moldova’s largest financial backer.
