Moldau und Europa: Mehr als eine Nachbarschaft?
Moldova and Europe: More than a Neighborhood?

Summary/Abstract: This article discusses the future relationship between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova. For this purpose, it outlines the new strategy of the EU towards its new neighbourhood, based on the Commission Communication on Wider Europe of 11 March 2003. Against this backdrop, it summarises the expectations of the Moldovan side and compares them with current Moldovan realities. It concludes that the current state of affairs in Moldova with regard to democracy, human rights, rule of law and economic reform does not make EU membership a realistic perspective in the short and medium term. At the same time, stronger EU involvement and especially the constructive use of sticks and carrots as well as the denial of carrots would be decisive in producing positive developments in these fields. This kind of involvement is necessary in order to stabilise this crisis-ridden country and to prepare it for EU membership in the long term. After Romania’s accession to the EU in 2007, Moldova will become its direct neighbour, and as already more than 300,000 inhabitants of Moldova hold a Romanian passport which would allow them to travel freely in the Schengen area, the EU has no alternative than to become more vigorously engaged in Moldova.

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