Moldova Growth Plan

Background

The Moldova Economic Growth Plan is the most important tangible support to Moldova's European integration aspirations, following the granting of EU candidacy status. It is designed to accelerate Moldova's economic development, improve living standards of Moldovan population, and promote sustainable growth.

This support is particularly vital amid ongoing Russian hybrid threat that endanger the country's social stability and democratic institutions.

The EESC supports the position of the European Commission and the European Parliament to engage the social partners, civil society organisations, the expert community, academia and local public authorities in the development, monitoring and implementation of the reform agenda. Civil society should play a pivotal role in increasing the degree of accountability of the government.

Key points

In the opinion the EESC:

• recommends two conceptual adjustments to this impressive financial support package: a) increasing the share of grants from the current proportion of 16% to 35% and b) increasing the minimum share of the total loan amount to be allocated to investments from 25% to 35%;
• suggests that the Plan should allocate enough investment in research and development (R&D) in order to support the transition to the new model of economic growth based on higher value added and productivity;
• draws attention to the importance of calibrating the Plan to Moldova's local and regional development needs as an indispensable condition for balanced and sustainable development across the country;
• considers that proper funding should be provided for creating and ensuring the proper functioning of the economic and social committee in the Republic of Moldova, in line with the formal request from the National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova, the Confederation of Employers and Civil Society Organisations.

Additional Information

• EESC section: External Relations (REX)
• Opinion number: REX/595
• Opinion type: Referral: COM(2024) 470 final, COM(2024) 470 final
• Rapporteur: Dumitru FORNEA, (Workers, - GR II/Romania)
• Date of adoption by the section: 10/03/2025
• Date of adoption in plenary: 26-27 March 2025
• Result of the vote in plenary: 142 in favour/0 against/1 abstentions

Contact

Millie Tsoumani

Press Officer, Tel.: +32 (0) 2 546 9088, Email: Amalia.tsoumani@eesc.europa.eu

Katarina Albrechtova

Policy Officer, Tel.:+32 (2) 546 9460, Email: Katarina.Albrechtova@eesc.europa.eu