A Historical overview of Competition in the Context of the European Integration of the Republic of Moldova
A Historical overview of Competition in the Context of the European Integration of the Republic of Moldova

Author(s): Alexandru Bălan, Aliona Balan
Subject(s): National Economy, Business Economy / Management, EU-Approach / EU-Accession / EU-Development
Published by: Publishing Inc. European Readings & Prodifmultimedia/Editura Napoca Star
Keywords: European Neighbourhood Policy; economic integration; Republic of Moldova;
Summary/Abstract: This paper revisits the development of the Republic of Moldova’s competition policy as part of the country’s historical path to European Union membership. In 2005, the Republic of Moldova was among the first states to agree on a political Action Plan within the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) following the enlargement of the EU in 2004. The new perspectives offered by the ENP included inter alia, the advancement of the cooperation to a significant degree of economic integration into the EU’s internal market. To this end, competition policy played an essential role. The actions agreed upon in the EU - Moldova ENP Action Plan were the development of full transparency in the State aid area aid and ensuring the compatibility of the national antitrust legislation and merger control regime with the EU competition policy. In June 2014, the EU - Moldova ENP Action Plan was replaced by the Association Agenda between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova, built on the EU - Republic of Moldova Association Agreement. Competition was one of the priority policies of the Association Agenda. Republic of Moldova’s application for membership of the European Union in March 2022 marked a step of historical significance. EU granted candidate status to the Republic of Moldova in June 2022. In its Opinion, the European Commission recommended the fulfilment of several steps upon granting the EU candidate status. One of the listed steps was implementing the commitment to limit the “excessive influence of vested interests” in the country’s life. This specific recommendation aimed at improving the competition legislation of the Republic of Moldova and strengthening the institutional and administrative capacities of the Competition Council, including the practical application of the competition rules. The EU opened accession negotiations with the Republic of Moldova in June 2024.

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