Moldova has launched technical consultations with the European Union on three key negotiation clusters as part of its accession process, Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Cristina Gherasimov said, NewsMaker reported on December 15.

Gherasimov said the consultations were held with representatives of the European Commission and the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The discussions covered three of the six negotiation clusters: Fundamental Values, Internal Market and External Relations.

According to the deputy prime minister, the selected clusters are central to the accession negotiations of any EU candidate country. She said the launch of consultations at the technical level represents an important step that will allow Moldova to move towards more substantive work in the negotiation process.

“The start of technical consultations opens the way for receiving recommendations, monitoring and guidance from the European Commission and EU member states,” Gherasimov said. She added that this phase would help Moldova maintain the pace of reforms required for accession.

Gherasimov noted that the process ahead remains demanding, stressing that significant work still lies ahead for the authorities. However, she said Moldova has already demonstrated its readiness to advance along its chosen European path.

“Moldova has shown that it is prepared to move forward,” she said, adding that the government is focused on strengthening institutional capacity and aligning national legislation with EU standards.

The deputy prime minister said Moldovan authorities are working to improve their level of preparation ahead of the next stage of accession negotiations, which are expected to intensify next year. She described the technical consultations as an opportunity to better understand the expectations of EU institutions and member states across the three clusters.

The Fundamental Values cluster covers areas such as the rule of law, justice reform and fundamental rights, while the Internal Market cluster focuses on economic integration and alignment with EU market rules. The External Relations cluster includes foreign policy, trade and relations with third countries.

Moldova was granted EU candidate status in 2022 and has since accelerated reforms aimed at aligning with EU legislation and standards. The government has repeatedly stated that EU integration remains a strategic priority and that progress in the negotiation clusters will be essential for advancing the accession talks.