EU – Moldova: cooperation news, April - May 2023

NEWSLETTER OF THE DELEGATION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION TO THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA

EU – MOLDOVA: COOPERATION NEWS

MOBILITY AND PEOPLE

Embracing Unity: a vibrant celebration of Europe Day in Moldova

Reunion of Erasmus+ structural Capacity Building in Higher Education projects implemented in Moldova

New opportunities for young people: the second edition of the EU Internship Programme, launched on 4 May

Government, universities and the EU High Level Advisers Mission will cooperate for the implementation of an Internship Programme for Young People

Internship Programme information campaign reaches the capital city: Prime Minister meets students to tell them about the unique opportunity

Junior Vox by #EU4Moldova: Local Communities - what would children do if they were to become mayors?

Europe Day 2023: PPF Project brings together young people to challenge their knowledge on fundamental EU and financial - economic concepts

EU continues to support Moldova's mass media

The school in Mălăiești and the kindergarten in Teiul village, on the left bank of the Nistru, have been rehabilitated with the support of the EU

5 educational institutions on the left bank of the Nistru river will use virtual reality glasses as teaching materials

STRONGER SOCIETY

"Saved Food Basket" – information campaign launched in Moldova, with the support of the European Union

Civil society in Moldova will be more actively involved in the country's EU integration process

Students and teachers from Anenii Noi raion wish for a bright future without corruption

Together we make our voice heard – message of the Civil Society Organisations Fair, 2nd edition

Public debate in Telenești on "The contribution of women to the sustainable development of communities"

EU supports the right of every child to a family

A sensory room was inaugurated in Criuleni to assist children with developmental and behavioural disorders

Community House, a social service for people with mental disabilities, was launched in Fălești district

A daycare centre for teenagers with autism has been opened in Chișinău with the support of the European Union

Two social laundry services in Glodeni and Dondușeni districts were inaugurated with the support of the European Union

Solutions and donations offered to help strengthen the EVA project’s Specialised Service for Victims of Sexual Violence

INSTITUTIONS AND GOVERNMENT

Presentation of the handbook on legal approximation as a key element for the successful integration process of the Republic of Moldova into the European Union

EU High Level Advisers: new Mission to help Moldova get closer to the European Union

New joint projects for the Republic of Moldova presented by the European Union and the Council of Europe under the third phase of the Partnership for Good Governance (2023-2027)

Professional guidance workshops for students of the Faculty of Law of the State University of Moldova

Standardisation of the professional traineeship of lawyers with the EU assistance

EU4Accountability collects data on social accountability in Moldova and supports good practices from local NGOs

Transparency in public policy making enables emerging social accountability practices to rise in the country

The voice and experiences of human rights defenders made more prominent for the Moldovan society

The team of the EU project "Strengthening supervision, corporate governance and risk management in the financial sector" interacted with the visitors of the European Village in Chișinău

EUBAM strengthens the capacity of the Border Police of Moldova

EUBAM keeps helping its partner services to better fight against drug trafficking

EUBAM met with European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Security and Defence

New hope for the Moldovan government securities market with the EU assistance

Training session on appraisal of the public investment projects – organised with the EU support

Increasing the visibility of EU external actions in Moldova with a focus on budget support: training for public institutions - beneficiaries of EU assistance

Kingdom of the Netherlands' experience in the field of cadastre and NSDI shared with Moldovan authorities

The European Union offers 400,000 euros for the development of four clusters in the Cahul and Ungheni regions

Cahul Business Summit 2023 brought together entrepreneurs, public authorities, specialists in agriculture and tourism

Students from four Moldovan Vocational Educational and Training (VET) institutions develop their 21st-century skills

Social economy - promoted in Moldova with EU support

European Union awards a new 8 million euros grant to support entrepreneurship in Moldova Young entrepreneurs from both banks of the

Exchange of experience with sustainable European Cities

Ambitious European objectives embraced by 11 new signatory localities of the Covenant of Mayors

New solutions for renewable energy promoted through the Covenant of Mayors

Over 600 pupils and teachers of ‘Constantin Spataru’ Lyceum in Leova benefit from modern study and work conditions

Ten Republican hospitals from the Republic of Moldova will be improved from the energy efficiency perspective with the EU support

European green transition initiatives promoted in the northern capital, Bălți Aligning to the EU Green Deal objectives: Programme on the promotion of Green and Circular Economy in the Republic of Moldova for the period 2023-2027

Improving the quality control of Strategic Environmental Assessment and Environmental Impact Assessment documentation Advancing the Emerald Network in Moldova

EU support

INATBA event supports Eastern Partnership blockchain development and international cooperation

MOBILITY AND PEOPLE

Embracing Unity: a vibrant celebration of Europe Day in Moldova

Europe Day 2023 in Moldova was celebrated with great enthusiasm and excitement, beginning with heartfelt messages of solidarity from the EU Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova, Jānis Mažeiks, and the Ambassadors of EU Member States. The festivities extended beyond a single day, encompassing multiple events, including the

European Village in Chișinău on 13 May, the European Village in Leova on 20 May, and the captivating European Film and Culture Festival. These events aimed to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Europe, promote unity in diversity, and highlight the EU's support for Moldova.

European Village in Chișinău:

The European Village event, held in Chișinău on 13 May, served as the grand opener for the Europe Day celebrations. This dynamic and interactive event attracted around 8,000 visitors, bringing together people of all ages to revel in the essence of European values, culture, and traditions. Families, friends, and individuals alike had the perfect opportunity to engage in a wide range of activities tailored to their interests, while also learning about the EU-funded projects implemented throughout the country.

One of the main attractions of the event was the "Team Europe" Alley, where visitors had the chance to delve into the diverse cultures and traditions of European Union member states. Embassies' representatives provided captivating insights into their respective nations' unique customs, offering a delightful blend of cultural experiences and gastronomic delights.

The "EU-Moldova: Stronger Together" Alley showcased the impact of EU assistance on Moldova, presenting various EU-funded projects that have positively influenced the country's development. Visitors had the opportunity to engage with individuals involved in these projects, interact with beneficiaries, and learn about the innovative ideas, services, and products that have been implemented over the years.

The event also featured a dedicated Youth pavilion, where young participants were engaged in a quiz focused on financial education and EU assistance to Moldova. Energy experts also had the opportunity to exchange insights and explore innovative solutions for sustainability and environmental protection. Clusters from Cahul and Ungheni regions were honoured for their remarkable contributions to regional economic development at a grants awarding ceremony.

The European Village event ensured that children were not left out, offering a dedicated Children Pavilion filled with interactive games, drawing spaces, a captivating magic show, and more. Meanwhile, older visitors enjoyed the ambiance of the "Golden Age" Area, with dances and music. The event culminated in a spectacular evening concert featuring renowned

national bands, including the inte rnationally acclaimed Zdob și Zdub. The concert served as a fantastic finale, bringing together the diverse cultures of Europe through music and dance. The evening concluded with the live transmission of the Eurovision 2023 Grand Final, adding an extra layer of excitement to the festivities.

European Village in Leova:

Following the success of the European Village event in Chișinău, the celebration extended to the southern region of Moldova with the European Village in Leova on 20 May. With approximately 3,000 visitors, the event celebrated the cultural richness and diversity of Europe, while also highlighting the EU's assistance to Moldova. It offered engaging activities for visitors of all ages, ensuring that everyone could be a part of

the festivities. The event concluded with a remarkable evening concert featuring the renowned Moldovan band Zdob și Zdub and Advahov brothers, leaving a lasting impression on all attendees.

European Film and Culture Festival:

From 11 to 31 May, the European Film and Culture Festival captivated audiences across Moldova. The festival featured a selection of 9 documentary and artistic films generously

provided by EU member state embassies. Screenings took place in 12 localities across Moldova, allowing people to immerse themselves in European cinema and explore the diverse cultural offerings from European partners.

Europe Day celebrations in Moldova showcased the strong bond between the

European Union and the country, while celebrating the cultural richness and diversity of Europe. These events provided a platform for people of all ages to come together, celebrate, and foster a deeper appreciation for the values and traditions that bind Europe.

Reunion of Erasmus+ structural Capacity Building in Higher Education projects implemented in Moldova

In light of the promotion of the results of the Erasmus+ Programme and on the occasion of the celebration of Europe Days, the National Erasmus+ Office, in cooperation with the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova and the Ministry of Education and Research, has organised the Cluster Meeting dedicated to the national impact of structural Capacities Building

in Higher Education projects (CBHE), implemented in the Republic of Moldova. The purpose of the event was to highlight the impact at the systemic level in the reform of higher education as a result of the implementation of eight CBHE structural projects, in a total budget of over 7.2 million euros.

The event took place on 17 May, 2023, at the Moldova State University.

The event was attended by the Minister of Education and Research in the Republic of Moldova, Anatolie Topală; the deputy in the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova and member of the Culture, Education, Research, Youth, Sport and Mass Media Committee, Virgiliu Pâslariuc; the rector of the State University of Moldova, Igor Șarov, as well as

the secretary of state within the Ministry of Education and Research in the Republic of Moldova, Nadejda Velișco. Minister Topală highly appreciated the support offered to the educational system in our country by the European programmes: "I encourage academics and universities to develop structural projects necessary for the largescale reforms that have been launched. The Ministry of Education and Research will support and appreciate the contribution of

academics who implement projects through the new changes to the "Methodology of financing higher education institutions"".

The event brought together more than 50 representatives of academic and administrative staff, coordinators of Erasmus+ CBHE projects, but also beneficiaries of the Erasmus+ Programme from universities across all country.

Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education projects are transnational cooperation actions based on multilateral partnerships, primarily between higher education institutions in the programme countries (EU countries and 6 countries associated to the programme) and eligible partner countries (rest of the world, including the Republic of Moldova). The structural capacity building projects aim to have an impact on higher education systems and promote reforms at the national level in the Republic of Moldova.

The international consortia of seven of the eight CBHE structural projects, implemented in the Republic of Moldova, are coordinated by the higher education institutions from the Republic of Moldova. These consortia involved 39 universities from 16 European countries, along with 15 higher education institutions, the Council of Rectors, ANACEC, local enterprises and NGOs from the Republic of Moldova.

All these projects include the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova as a partner, and pursue reform promotion objectives in very diverse areas of higher education: internationalisation (ELEVATE project), development of lifelong learning model (COMPASS), research management capabilities and open science (MINERVA), quality assurance (QFORTE), leadership and management of higher education (MHELM), dual education (COOPERA), work-based studies (WBL4JOB) and online education quality (MEDIA).

Therefore, these Erasmus+ projects have already managed to produce impact in the field of higher education, to train staff from Moldovan universities within European Union institutions, but also to technically equip higher education institutions in the Republic of Moldova.

During the years 2014-2022, the Erasmus+ Programme had a major impact on the development of higher education in the Republic of Moldova through its various projects, such as: over 800 international credit mobility projects, which involved about 4000 academic exchanges of students and academic staff, 24 capacity building in higher education projects and 27 Jean Monnet projects.

New opportunities for young people: the second edition of the EU Internship Programme, launched

on 4 May

A new edition of the Internship Programme in state institutions, aiming to build the capacities of young graduates, raise their interest but also enhance their chances to start a career in the civil service, was launched on 4 May. The 2023 edition is designed to provide the chance to motivated

students of the final year of studies, master students and recent graduates to spend two months in a paid internship in state institutions, being mentored by EU High Level Advisers and working hand in hand with civil servants. The Programme is entirely funded by the European Union.

The opening ceremony took place in the Cahul State University ‘B.P.Hasdeu’ and gathered over 100 students eager to learn about the opportunity. During the event, representatives of the Government, of the EU Delegation to Moldova and EU High Level Advisers shared the stories of their professional lives and answered the questions of potential interns.

The selection process of the Programme is highly competitive: after the application procedure, comprising of a CV and a motivation letter, the short-listed candidates

will be interviewed by a Selection Committee involving Government & EU officials, and the finalists will be enrolled in the two-months programme. Over the course of June-August, the selected interns will spend two full months in state institutions like the Prime Minister’s Office, the State Chancellery, line ministries and agencies, as well as the Presidential Administration.

Last year’s pilot edition of the Programme included 47 interns, out of which some have already started their careers in the civil service.

Government, universities and the EU High Level Advisers Mission will cooperate for the implementation of an Internship Programme for Young People

A Memorandum of Understanding was officially signed on 11 May by the Secretary General of the Government, the President of the Rectors’ Council and the Team Leader of the EU High Level Advisers’ Mission during a launch event of the Internship Programme in the ‘Alecu Russo’ Bălți State University.

The signing parties agreed to cooperate for the efficient implementation of the joint EU – Moldova initiative designed to enhance young people’s skills and promote their enrolment in the civil service.

The Internship Programme-2023, being at its second year of implementation, seeks to identify motivated students, master students and recent graduates, offering them the possibility of two-months paid internships in state institutions like the State Chancellery, Prime Minister’s Office, line ministries and subordinated agencies, as well the Presidential Administration. This year’s Programme is focused on the topics of the Negotiation clusters: Fundamentals, Internal

Markets, Competitiveness & Inclusive Growth, Green

agenda & sustainable connectivity, Resources, agriculture & cohesion, External relations.

The event was opened by the Rector Natalia Gasitoi, who mentioned that the event is very opportune given that the ‘Alecu Russo’ Bălți State University is hosting these days a Career Fair for students, and a career in the civil service can be a dream for many of them.

The speakers of the event – Secretary General of the Government, Head of the Rectors Council, Programme Manager at the Delegation of the European Union, EU High Level Adviser on Education & Research – shared their stories of professional development and career, having afterwards an open discussion with the students and answering their questions.

The selection process of the Programme consists of an application procedure, comprising a CV and a motivation letter, followed by interviews with a Selection Committee involving Government & EU officials, the finalists being enrolled in the two-months programme.

More details about the Programme, its regulation and deadline for submission of applications are available at https://www. eu-advisers.md/internship/

Internship Programme information campaign reaches the capital city: Prime Minister meets students to tell them about the unique opportunity

The information campaign of the Internship Programme, after covering the South and North of the country, reached the capital city – on 16 May 2023, over 100 students gathered in the Senate Room of the State University of Moldova, interested to find out

details about the internship opportunity, but also to learn from first-hand about the career experience of the Prime Minister, the Head of Operations Section of the European Union Delegation, as well as the EU High Level Adviser on Reforms Coordination.

The interns who will be selected to join the programme will have the opportunity to work for two months, in central public institutions, hand in hand with civil servants and mentored by the EU High Level Advisers. This year’s edition is built around the topics of the EU negotiation clusters: Fundamentals, Internal Markets, Competitiveness & Inclusive Growth, Green agenda & sustainable connectivity, Resources, agriculture & cohesion, External relations.

Prime Minister Dorin Recean mentioned:

“I invite you to accept this challenge, sign up for the internship programme and choose a career in the public service. Our objective is to build a competitive public sector, that’s why I encourage you to be ambitious and contribute, along with us, to the process of our country’s accession to the European Union.”

For her part, Magdalena Mueller-Uri noted that, after 21 years in public service, she is still “fascinated by what she is doing” and encourages young people to take advantage of this opportunity in the hope that they will discover the importance of work for the benefit of citizens and will want to become part of such a complex system as the public administration is.

The Internship Programme is a joint initiative of the Government of the Republic of Moldova and the European Union, offering paid internships in state institutions to students of the last year of I cycle of studies, master students and recent graduates, with the aim of enhancing their chances of starting a career in the civil service. This is the Programme’s second year, last year’s edition having been graduated by 47 interns, some of which being already employed in the country’s civil service.

Junior Vox by #EU4Moldova: Local Communities - what would children do if they were to become mayors?

Imagine the incredible world we could create by paying closer attention to the unspoken words of children! During the Europe Days, we inquired about the aspirations of the young ones, questioning what they would do if they were the mayors of their towns. Their creativity not only brought smiles to our faces, but also filled us with tremendous hope for the future of our communities.

As one of the “EU4Moldova: Local Communities” programme’s objective is the development of the local public services and the capacity development of the local public authorities, we are proud to be inspired by some of these ideas and present to you some remarkable thoughts from the wonderful children of Moldova.

„If

» I would open a free painting school (Ana, 6 years old).

» I would ask people to sort the garbage (Laura, 5 years old).

» I would build more amusement parks (Sofia, 9 years old).

» I would build a well so that all people can drink clean water (Ștefan, 9 years old).

» I would fix all the roads (Matei, 11 years old).

» I would build more sports fields and put more trash cans (Damian, age 7).

» I would plant many, many trees (Eva, 10 years old).

Since in June we celebrate the International Day of Children, we wish all children and their parents to take care of their inner child and have the power of bringing to life all the magnificent ideas that they hold in their hearts.

The "EU4Moldova: Local Communities" programme is a Team Europe initiative, running until 2025, with the beautiful and ambitious aim to enhance the quality of life of all people living in Edineț, Străseni, and Leova districts.

The "EU4Moldova: Local Communities" programme is financed by the European Union, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland –Polish aid; and jointly implemented by the German Development Cooperation through GIZ, the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and the Solidarity Fund PL (SFPL) in Moldova.

I were mayor...”:

Europe Day 2023: PPF Project brings together young people to challenge their knowledge on fundamental EU and financial - economic concepts

The EU-funded “Support the Moldovan Government in Identifying and Preparing Projects Linked to the Implementation of the Association Agreement” Project team in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance

organised a quiz/game on European Union themes and themes related to economic issues of Moldova for youth as part of Europe Day 2023 – European Village in Chișinău held on 13 May 2023.

The aim of the event was to bring together pupils and students from Moldova stimulating them to improve their knowledge on the European Union and on fundamental economic and financial concepts in an interactive way. The quiz/game also aimed at building a team spirit and developing analytical skills.

Five teams (between 3 and 6 members) participated in the quiz/game and everyone received EU branded gifts from the PPF project. Minister of Finance Veronica Sirețeanu opened the event and awarded the gifts. She congratulated all participants and invited them to visit the Ministry of Finance.

EU continues to support Moldova's mass media

Media outlets in Moldova currently rely heavily on external support for their survival. They encounter significant challenges in terms of their economic viability, security concerns, and mental well-being. However, these independent media organisations play a crucial role in Moldova's transition to democracy.

The Action “EU Support for Local Media Outlets in the Republic of Moldova”, led by Slovak Agency for International Development Cooperation in partnership with Solidarity Fund PL and People in Need Slovakia together with their implementing partners, including People in Need Czech Republic Slovak Foreign Policy Association, CU Sens and Thomson Media gGmbH, aims to support a more favourable environment for local independent media outlets to strengthen their capacities, independence, sustainability, and professionalism, as well as their ability to produce high quality, factbased and reliable journalistic content. The project beneficiaries include 15 local media outlets from the northern, central, and southern regions of the Republic of Moldova.

Tailored Support for Diverse Needs

Recognizing the unique circumstances of each media outlet, mentorship, and training

programs within the Action address a wide range of topics. Respecting the language and location disparities, size, professional skill sets and security threats, the program provides a customized support to meet the specific needs of each participant.

"Locally in Moldova, it is very rare to see examples of new media appearing, and even the existing ones are on the brink of disappearing. At the same time, I consider that the local and regional media are one of the most important sources of information for people outside Chișinău. Media landscape is transforming, so the help to local media enables them to adapt to the new environments to make them stronger and with a view of the future.

That is why supporting media startups and local media is essential for a democratic country, and I am proud that I can help my colleagues doing this work,"

said Alexandru Lebedev, CEO at #diez, one of the 24 mentors providing support within the Action.

Drawing Lessons from Central European Countries

It is worth noting that several other Central European countries, specifically the ones involved in the implementation of this Action, such as Slovakia, Czech Republic and Poland (PL), share a common history as former Eastern Bloc nations.

These countries have successfully undergone their own transitions towards democratic systems and drawing lessons from their experiences, Moldova can benefit from the knowledge and expertise of these nations to navigate its own path to a robust and empowered civil society.

The children of Teiul kindergarten and the students from Mălăiești school now benefit from improved conditions in their institutions. With the support of the EU

Confidence Building Measures Programme, implemented by UNDP, a series of repair works have been carried out to ensure a quality educational process.

On 22 May 2023, during a working visit, Magdalena Mueller-Uri, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation in the Republic of Moldova, and Andrea Cuzyova, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative to the Republic of Moldova, met with representatives of both institutions, including children, students, and their parents.

In its 50 years of existence, the Teiul kindergarten had never undergone major repairs. In 2020, with the support of the EU and UNDP, renovations were done on

the facade, the construction and repair of 5 summer pavilions, the installation of a rainwater drainage system, and the rehabilitation of gallery-type hall, including interior stairs. In 2022, the renovation process continued with the furnishing of classrooms, the transformation of a shed into a sports hall, and the refurbishment of the festive hall. Now, 65 children can enjoy the new conditions created in the preschool institution.

The school in Mălăiești and the kindergarten in Teiul village, on the left bank of the Nistru, have been rehabilitated with the support of the EU

Magdalena Mueller-Uri, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation in the Republic of Moldova, emphasised that "social infrastructure projects within the framework of EU Confidence Building Measures Programme are like a call to action, urging us to continue our unwavering commitment to education. The European Union, together with UNDP, will continue to strive for excellence, to provide an educational experience that empowers our students to reach for the stars, and to build a brighter future for generations to come."

Mălăiești school, attended by over 250 pupils, also underwent a series of renovations. The school canteen was repaired, the sports field was modernized and equipped for basketball, and two workshop classes were created for girls and boys. All of this was made possible with the support of the EU Confidence Building Measures Programme, implemented by UNDP.

"We are delighted with the investments made in the kindergarten. Now children come with pleasure, and I think that's the most important thing,"

said Svetlana Tofan, the director of the Teiul kindergarten.

"The cafeteria was not functional and has not been repaired since the school was inaugurated in 1982. The stadium was not arranged, and children could not enjoy proper sports lessons and activities. Now everything looks different thanks to the support provided by the European Union and UNDP," stated Tatiana Poian, the director of Mălăiești school.

The EU Confidence Building Measures Programme, implemented by UNDP, contributes to the trust-building between residents on both banks of the Nistru river by involving them in joint development projects.

5 educational institutions on the left bank of the Nistru river will use virtual reality glasses as teaching materials

Four schools and one Art College from the left bank of the Nistru will use virtual reality (VR) glasses during lessons. This is possible with the support of the European Union (EU) through Confidence Building Measures Programme, implemented by UNDP.

“VR glasses really involve pupils in the educational process. When a child, during a geography lesson, is simply asked, for example, to tell something about Paris, he/ she will do it, but without much interest. Instead, when he/she takes a virtual tour of the city through the VR glasses, then he/she will rely on his/her impressions,”

mentions Alexandr Volskii, manager of the Digital Transformation Association in Tiraspol. The association benefited from a grant from the European Union and UNDP to promote virtual education in schools.

In addition to VR glasses, 18 teachers from the left bank of the Nistru benefited from IT courses, to later guide the students in the correct use of the latest generation equipment.

Thus, more than 500 children have used VR glasses in English, geography, history, or design lessons, and by the end of 2023, the number of students who will test the equipment will reach 2,000.

“I really enjoyed using the VR glasses, it's incredible. I was impressed by the presentation angle, the graphics, the sound. I was impressed by the simple fact that you jump in a new place, new atmosphere, it's amazing. In this way you can make a tour to museum, being in your classroom,” says Ecaterina Onofrei, student of the College of Arts in Tighina (Bender).

Both students and teachers are excited about using VR glasses in classes.

“Technology is advancing. If our educational institutions raise graphic designers, then the educational system should keep up with the trends, so that our graduates are competitive not only professionally/educationally, but also personally,” says Olga Pogonenco, teacher at the College of Arts from Tighina (Bender).

The Digital Transformation Association in Tiraspol aims to purchase VR glasses for an entire classroom for one of the partner educational institutions.

The Confidence Building Measures Programme, financed by the European Union and implemented by UNDP, contributes to the strengthening of trust between the

inhabitants of both banks of the Nistru river, by involving them in joint development projects.

STRONGER SOCIETY

"Saved Food Basket" – information campaign launched in Moldova, with the support of the European Union

On 27 April 2023, with the support of the European Union, the "Saved Food Basket" information campaign has been launched. The aim of the campaign is to inform the public about the food recovery mechanism and the possibility to donate food.

This mechanism works through the Food Bank of the Republic of Moldova, which collects and redistributes food surplus from shops or agricultural producers to social canteens and other social services.

A culinary workshop was organised at the launch event at the social canteen in the village of Ghetlova, Orhei district. Under the guidance of a professional chef, 25 children from the community prepared dishes using products recovered by the Food Bank, thus learning to use food efficiently and prevent waste.

"It is a unique experience to learn together with the little ones new skills on responsible food consumption that concerns each of us, an opportunity that we had during today's activity. At the same time, the European Union consistently supports initiatives that contribute to the development of inclusive communities through the development of social services aimed at improving the quality of life of people in need'', said Victoria Neaga, Project Manager at the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova.

The products for the culinary workshop were donated by the Food Bank of the Republic of Moldova, which is the first organisation of its kind in the country. Under the project about 5000 food insecure people will benefit from support through the Food Bank.

"With a minimum effort to donate and redistribute surplus food on time, a helping hand can be offered to those who cannot provide for their food needs. In the Republic of Moldova, where about 4% of the population suffers from severe food insecurity, food wastage is a present phenomenon that is little discussed'',

said Ana Prasolov, project director of I.P. "Keystone Moldova".

The campaign will include a series of activities dedicated to economic agents in the agri-food chain, in which civil society organisations will also be involved as potential beneficiaries of the donated products.

The information campaign is launched in the framework of the project "Partnerships for inclusive and sustainable canteen services", financed by the European Union, co-financed and implemented by I.P. "Keystone Moldova", A.O. "CONCORDIA. Social Projects" and I.R.M.S. "Diaconia".

Civil society in Moldova will be more actively involved in the country's EU integration process

On 15 May 2023, The Independent ThinkTank Expert-Grup as the main partner, in partnership with the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE), the Institutum Virtutes Civilis (IVC) and the "Friedrich Ebert" Foundation launched the project "Civil Society for European Integration" , financed by the European Union and cofinanced by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation. 15 civil society organisations from the 5 development regions of the country will receive grants worth EUR 20,000 each.

Beneficiary organisations were selected through an open tender, to which 40 proposals were sent. In the coming months, CSOs involved in the project will be trained and mentored to monitor public budgets at central and local levels and develop independent budget analyses, helping to ensure a transparent, efficient, and aligned budget process to the priorities of the association agenda.

The launch event presented the main objectives of the project, which are to strengthen CSOs' capacities to support and promote the alignment of budget priorities with the Europeanization agenda at the national and local levels, but also to

increase the involvement of the platforms of civil society organisations, so that they act cohesively and provide the necessary support in the implementation of the conditionalities related to the EU candidate status of the Republic of Moldova

At the opening of the event, Jānis Mažeiks, the Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova, stated

“Granting of the EU candidate status to the Republic of Moldova represents a new Chapter in the EU-Moldova relations and a beginning of the transformation of the Moldovan society on the path to the EU membership. On this path, supporting an enabling environment for civil society will continue to be one of the key priorities for the EU as we strongly believe in the fundamental role the civil society plays in helping the country to reach our common European values and standards.”

The project “Civil Society for European Integration” is implemented during the period January 2023- June 2025, by the Independent Think-Tank Expert-Grup, as the main partner, in consortium with Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE), AO Institutum Virtutes Civilis (IVC) and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, financed by the European Union and co-financed by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.

Students and teachers from Anenii Noi raion wish for a bright future without corruption

The "Viitorul Cinstit" project is aimed to reduce corruption tolerance among residents of the Anenii Noi rayon in Moldova. All general education institutions in the area participated in the project, including teachers, student council representatives, and scholars. Project’s activities included training sessions, educational games, a drawing competition, and public awareness campaigns. Over 7,500 students, including those with special educational needs and refugees from Ukraine, and more than 300 teachers participated. The project culminated in a championship of educational games on anticorruption topic, and the winning school received an anticorruption information space equipped with technical equipment, furniture, and

informative materials. The participants shared their experience through different informative events and distributed materials throughout their peer communities.

"Children and young people of today, are tomorrow's present. That's why it is extremely important for you to already get involved in shaping the future you desire—a future where justice, honesty, and common sense are supreme values. Build an honest future, a future without corruption!"

mentioned

The project's winners would participate in an upcoming summer camp, where they would receive workshops in street art to create a public drawings to raise awareness about the importance of fighting corruption.

The ”Viitorul Cinstit” project is part of a local grant program with a strong focus to reduce the level of tolerance of corruption

among citizens. The local grant program is part of the "Strengthening the Rule of Law and Anticorruption Mechanisms in the Republic of Moldova" project, co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH.

Evghenii Poleacov, the president of the Intellectual Games Association of Moldova.

Together we make our voice heard – message of the Civil Society Organisations Fair, 2nd edition

Dozens of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) from across the country participated on Saturday, 13 May, in the second edition of the CSOs Fair, held as part of the 2023 Europe Day. Representatives of the participating civil society organisations had the opportunity to inform visitors of the European Village, located in the Great National Assembly Square, about the services they provide and

the achievements they have made over the years. The second edition of the Civil Society Organisations Fair was organised within the project "Partnerships for women leadership and good governance", implemented by the "Friedrich Ebert" Foundation, Moldova and the PA "Institutum Virtutes Civilis", with the financial support of the European Union and the "Friedrich Ebert" Foundation.

The President of the PA "Institutum Virtutes Civilis," Liliana Palihovici, emphasised that one of the goals of the fair was to strengthen the dialogue between civil society organisations and citizens, who are the direct beneficiaries of the services and activities offered.

"Every day, CSOs contribute to the reform and development of the Republic of Moldova, including the country's European integration. However, we believe that only a small portion of these organisations manage to make their voices heard. By organizing the second edition of the CSOs Fair, we aimed to provide participating organisations with a chance to be more visible,"

said Liliana Palihovici.

Most of the CSOs present at the fair mentioned that since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, they have adapted their programs to the needs of refugees. The Executive Director of the Women's Rights Centre, Mariana Buruiana, mentioned that since February 2022, hundreds of refugee girls and women have been assisted by the organisation's experts. Furthermore, community inclusion projects have been implemented, and safe spaces have been created in regional and village libraries where refugee women and their children can access information and spend their free time meaningfully.

"Despite having to adapt to the realities of the times, we have remained loyal to our organisation's cause: to prevent and combat domestic violence and provide the necessary support to girls and women affected by violence. During the fair, we distributed informational materials about our services, and our Centre's specialists, who work directly with the public and the community, were present to ensure that the information provided comes from the primary source," mentioned Mariana Buruiana.

Among the CSOs at the fair was the NGO "Health for Youth," which created the Youth-Friendly Health Centre Neovita and developed the Youth Klinic network. Specialists offer free advisory assistance to adolescents and young people up to the age of 24. These services include gynecology, urology, psychological counselling, HIV, and family planning. Since last year, these services have also been available to young male and female refugees from Ukraine. The Head of the Neovita Centre, Galina Lesco, states that the CSOs Fair represented an opportunity for citizens to see the extent of the associative sector.

"It was a chance for our potential beneficiaries to understand the diversity of services we offer. Moreover, participating in this fair provided an opportunity to align with the motto of Europe Day: Stronger Together," highlighted Galina Lesco.

Passers-by presented at the Great National Assembly Square had the chance to familiarise themselves with the activities and projects carried out by civil society organisations, learned about volunteer programs in which they could directly get involved, and discover other ways in which

Good practices and innovative approaches in promoting good governance and initiatives in gender equality and inclusion were discussed during the debate with the theme "The Contribution of Women to the Sustainable Development of Communities." The debate was carried out within the project "Partnerships for women leadership and good governance", implemented by the "Friedrich Ebert" Foundation, Moldova and the PA "Institutum Virtutes Civilis", with the

financial support of the European Union and the "Friedrich Ebert" Foundation. The event brought together participants from civil society organisations and local public authorities from the Telenești, Strășeni, Ialoveni, and Rezina districts, aiming to promote and replicate good governance practices through the sharing of experiences and achievements in community development and ensuring good governance at the local level.

Public debate in Telenești on "The contribution of women to the sustainable development of communities"

According to Liliana Palihovici, the president of the PA "Institutum Virtutes Civilis" the project "Partnerships for Women's Leadership and Good Governance" aims to ensure the equitable participation of women and men in sustainable development and decision-making processes.

"This is rarely discussed, this is not well-known, and we believe that this information should be presented, discussed and shared with the public,"

mentioned Liliana Palihovici.

Ana Mihailov, the country director of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, stated that by organizing the debate "The Contribution of Women to the Sustainable Development of Communities," the project team started from the premise that „Moldovan society

disadvantages women in comparison to men, and this happens due to deeply rooted stereotypes and state policies that neglect, not necessarily intentionally, women when developing public policies”.

Among the participants in the debate was Galina Tonu, the vice-president of the Ialoveni district, who mentioned that in recent years, the district administration has made efforts to promote women in leadership positions. "It is hard to imagine that a community can develop when the opinions of all its members are not taken into account. In recent years, women have been increasingly involved in the governance process within the Ialoveni District Council. I can only see improvements resulting from this situation,"

emphasised Galina Tonu.

EU supports the right of every child to a family

In recent years, the importance of providing quality care and support services for children in residential institutions or those at risk of being separated from their families has become increasingly evident. Consequently,

there is a growing need to increase the number of foster parents and parenteducators to provide a suitable alternative for these children.

Authorities have the responsibility to identify family-based forms of protection (Foster Care/Family-Type Homes) for all children who cannot be reintegrated into their biological families. This involves expanding and diversifying the number of Foster Care/parent-educators in counties with children placed in residential services, while ensuring adequate funding. As of the end of 2022, according to official data, 633 children were in residential placements, including 110 children with disabilities placed by the guardianship authority. The deinstitutionalization process requires both the development of a coherent legal framework and the diversification and development of social services based on the individual needs of children, including those with disabilities, as well as the strengthening

With the support of CCF Moldova, within the HOPE Project - Holistic Approach to Child Protection in Moldova, funded by the European Union, the Austrian Development Agency, and Caritas Austria, nine prospective professional foster parents from Cimișlia, Anenii Noi, Strășeni, Nisporeni, and Chișinău participated in an initial training course in May, totalling 50 hours.

One participant, who had experience caring for four biological children, shared:

"At first, I was hesitant to participate because I thought I already had a lot of knowledge, considering that I had already raised four children. But I don't regret it because I learned many details about forms of abuse and how to intervene when a child's behaviour is different,"

(potential professional foster parent, female).

Another participant mentioned:

"This course has increased my confidence even more because I will be taking care of a child with special needs. I know that whatever unclear situation I encounter, I will be guided and helped to the best of their ability. We are deeply grateful!"

(potential professional foster parent, female).

These individuals will subsequently open their homes and hearts to children who are in great need of them. However, continuous support from specialists is necessary from the moment the children are placed. A professional foster parent was invited to share their experience caring for multiple children, which encouraged participants not to be afraid of the initial state of children who come, as they suffer from a lack of love:

"I had the opportunity to take care of a 5-month-old baby. In the first two weeks, he seemed very rigid, always in one positionon his back, with his hands up. I was worried and started stimulating him, talking to him, changing his position, massaging him, to get him out of that state. Gradually, the little one became lively and cheerful, just like any other baby his age..."

(foster parent, female)

It is a priority for authorities to promote alternative family-based care services to ensure every child's right to a family and prevent their institutionalisation, providing a better alternative to placement in residential institutions. Continuous support and guidance for foster parents in situations involving children with various traumatic experiences are crucial. These services offer the opportunity to grow up in a safe and stable family environment, involving biological or extended families and professional foster parents in the care of children.

Analysing the development trends and the evolution of the number of professional foster parents and children placed in alternative family-based services, we have observed a growth in both categories in recent years, which is an encouraging sign. However, there is a need for continuous and sustainable increase in the number of professional foster parents and parenteducators to meet the needs of all children in residential institutions or at risk of separation. Authorities should strengthen policies and programs for the recruitment, training, and support of professional foster parents and parent-educators to encourage more individuals to get involved in this field.

A sensory room was inaugurated in Criuleni to assist children with developmental and behavioural disorders

Children with disabilities and children with developmental and behavioural disorders from Criuleni district will have access to assistance with the application of sensory therapies thanks to a sensory stimulation room set up by the public association “Everyone Contributes to Change” with the support of the European Union and the Soros Foundation Moldova.

Sensory therapy facilitates the learning process and helps the child to become an autonomous adult integrated in society. The activities of this therapy contribute, through special techniques, to the child’s adaptation to the environment. Sensory integration therapy is a component of the complex intervention plan for the recovery of children with certain disorders or disabilities.

“Through the implemented project, we expanded and strengthened the Mobile Team social service and the district service of early intervention: we set up the space, informed

the community, parents, trained specialists, and piloted the services of the sensory room. We also provided a car for the Lăstarel Early Intervention Centre. Thus, specialists can go more easily to families with limited financial means to provide their children with the necessary services free of charge – sensory therapy, physical therapy, psychological assistance,”

said Victoria Secu, executive director of Everyone Contributes to Change at the inauguration of the sensory room.

The use of the sensory room will improve the quality of services provided to at least 100 children annually – 30 beneficiaries of the Mobile Team social service and 70 beneficiaries of the district service of early intervention.

“Everyone Contributes to Change has developed several social services for children and families, proving to be a reliable partner of the European Union. We are happy to work with such organisations and we will continue to support civil society in expanding the social services needed for communities,”

said Victoria Neaga, project manager at the Delegation of the European Union, who attended the event.

The expansion of the Mobile Team service and the district service of early intervention in Criuleni is part of the project “Civil Society Organisations Act for Better Social Services”. The public association “Everyone Contributes to Change” was created in 2000 and by now has developed a number of social and educational support services for people with disabilities at the local and regional level. The association has the status of public benefit.

Community House, a social service for people with mental disabilities, was launched in Fălești district

Six people with mental and psychosocial disabilities from Fălești district will be included in the Community House social service, created by the Association of Parents of People with Disabilities

“Eternitate” in partnership with the Fălești District Council, with the support of the European Union and the Soros Foundation Moldova. The Community House is an ordinary home, furnished and equipped with all the necessary things, and the people living in it are assisted by professionals to acquire independent living skills. Such a service is a solution to avoid placing these people in residential institutions.

With the resources of the project, which had a total budget of 60,000 euros, the “Eternitate” Association purchased a home, furnished and arranged it according to the needs of beneficiaries, equipped it with household

appliances, hired and trained the specialists who will work within the service.

“People with mental and psycho-social disabilities in the Community Home service need ongoing care and support to develop their potential and independent living skills. Living here, they can participate in the life of the community, because they have access to public services, school, medical Centre, cultural Centre, and on holidays they can receive guests. The people of the village know them, can visit them, can go on trips together. In this way, isolation is avoided, and the quality of their life is improved,”

said Ludmila Jalbă, president of the “Eternitate” Association, at the press conference launching the service.

For 2024, the Fălești District Council provided in its budget full financing of this service, 900 thousand lei, which will ensure its sustainability.

The Community House inaugurated in Fălești is one of the 40 social services created as part of the project ‘Civil Society Organisations Act for Better Social Services’, financed by the European Union, co-financed and implemented by the Soros Foundation Moldova in partnership with Keystone Moldova and Institutum Virtutes Civilis.

Better living conditions for the elderly of the

Centre in Anenii Noi district

Placement

Thirty older people and people with disabilities from the Placement Centre in Puhăceni village of Anenii Noi district have better conditions for living and recreational activities, after the rooms were renovated and provided with furniture, household appliances, and other equipment. The 25 employees also benefit from better working conditions. The improvements were made as part of a project carried out by the GENESIS Public Association in partnership with the Anenii Noi District Council with the support of the European Union and the Soros Foundation Moldova.

The bathrooms were repaired and adapted for better access of people with disabilities; the dining room, the laundry room, the medical office, and the bedroom areas were renovated and equipped. A washing machine, a refrigerator, a stove, and other equipment necessary for compliance with state regulations were purchased from the

resources of the project and of the Anenii Noi District Council. Also, the Centre’s team, which works in shifts, was trained to provide palliative care, ensure the protection of people in the service against situations of abuse and violence, apply tools for personalized assistance planning for the beneficiaries of the service.

“Employees in this type of institution have a specific job, they work in day-night shifts, they continuously monitor the health and psychological state of the elderly, therefore they need specific professional skills and continuous training. Through the project, thanks to the assistance of a qualified mentor, we will increase the quality of the services provided,”

said Natalia Procopii-Scobioală, project manager at GENESIS Association, at the presentation event.

“The placement Centre in Anenii Noi went through a period of modernisation and improvement of living conditions and services provided, and we are happy to support such transformations, especially if they are based on a sustainable partnership between civil society and local public authorities,”

said Victoria Neaga, project manager at the Delegation of the European Union in Moldova.

“The 40 social services that we are developing together with our partners as part of the project ‘Civil Society Organisations Act for Better Social Services’ are aimed at improving the quality of life of the most vulnerable categories of the population. We are glad that there is openness at the local level and thus the services developed are sustainable,”

said Petru Culeac, executive director of the Soros Foundation Moldova.

The project “Improving the quality of placement services at the District Asylum for Older People and People with Disabilities from Puhaceni village of Anenii Noi district in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic” has a budget of 49,600 euros and co-financing from the Anenii Noi District Council of 500,000 lei.

Children with rare diseases from Chișinău will be able to attend a daycare Centre, opened in Riscani sector, where they will benefit from recreational activities and special therapies for recovery. The Centre was created by the public association “Children of the Rain” in partnership with the Chișinău Municipality Council with the support of the European Union and the Soros Foundation Moldova.

Children with rare diseases have a hard time integrating into the socio-educational system because of pathologies that seriously affect their health. They constantly need quality rehabilitation and maintenance services, and

their families need psychological and social support to help them provide adequate care for their children. In the Centre, children will receive specific complementary therapies, which will contribute to their well-being.

specialists offer children and parents specialized social and educational services, including physical therapy sessions, speech therapy, psychological and psychopedagogical counselling. Alternative therapies are also applied. “Until now, this category of children was hardly accommodated in the existing Centres. Here we will be able to hold appropriate

Eugenia Rosca, President of “Concordia” PA, said at the service launching event.

The project has a budget of 57,194 euros and is implemented by the public association “Children of the Rain” from Chișinău as part of the project “Civil Society Organisations Act for Better Social Services”.

A daycare Centre for children with rare diseases, “Blue Butterfly”, was inaugurated in Chișinău

Teenagers with developmental disorders in Chișinău will be able to attend the ADIR Daycare Centre for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders, inaugurated on 20 May in the Botanica sector, where they will be able to develop independent living skills, participate in vocational workshops and rehabilitation sessions. The Centre was created by the public association “SOS Autism” in partnership with the Chișinău Municipal Council, with the support of the European Union and the Soros Foundation Moldova.

At the Centre, young people, guided by specialists, will have occupational therapy activities, with the help of which they will develop independent living skills, participate in vocational workshops for making ceramic, wax, and textile objects. Those who have individual recovery programs will have massage and physiotherapy sessions. Social activities will also be organised.

“When a child with autism reaches teenage years, the parent is already very tired emotionally, psychologically, and financially.

At this stage these children become practically invisible. They don’t get much assistance when they become adults. To help them integrate and possibly find a job, we train them in vocational workshops and, where possible, guide them towards social entrepreneurship,”

added Aliona Dumitraș, director of SOS Autism.

A daycare centre for teenagers with autism has been opened in Chișinău with the support of the European Union

The premises of the Centre have been repaired, furnished, and equipped accordingly. The specialists employed here have completed professional training courses to work with this category of beneficiaries.

“In Chișinău, we have several services focused on overcoming crisis situations for children, but we also need to strengthen services for young people who leave school and are unable to integrate or find a job,”

said Angela Cutasevici, deputy mayor of Chișinău for social issues.

The ADIR Centre is one of the 40 social services created in Moldova as part of the project ‘Civil Society Organisations Act for Better Social Services’, financed by the European Union, co-financed and implemented by the Soros Foundation Moldova.

“We supported the service not only financially, but also, together with partner organisations Keystone Moldova and Institutum Virtutes Civilis, we offer support for training and enabling staff, mentoring, so that the service can be qualitative and meet the specific needs of its beneficiaries. We also insist that the services created need to be sustainable, that is why we appreciate the openness of the local public authorities in Chișinău, who have taken over this service and will finance it next year,”

said Daniela Leahu, project director, Soros Foundation Moldova.

Older people and people with disabilities from all localities of Glodeni district use the services of the Mobile Social Laundry, a service launched in April, free of charge. Older people and people with disabilities from Tîrnova commune in Donduseni district have their clothes and linen washed at the recently opened social laundry in the locality. Both laundries were created with the support of the European Union and the Soros Foundation Moldova.

Clothes and bed linen are collected from the beneficiaries’ homes with the service car, brought to the laundry, where they are washed, and then returned to the owners. In Glodeni, the service was created by the public association “Clinica Juridică” from Bălți in partnership with the Glodeni District Council, as part of the project “Civil Society Organisations Act for Better Social

Services”. From the resources of the project, the premises were repaired and furnished, washing machines and a car for the collection and delivery of laundry were purchased, the service staff was hired and trained. The laundry will continue to be managed and financed by the Glodeni Social Assistance and Family Protection Directorate.

Two social laundry services in Glodeni and Dondușeni districts were inaugurated with the support of the European Union

“We aim to improve the living conditions of the elderly in the district, especially of those covered by home care and personal assistance services. At the same time, we facilitate the work of personal assistants and social workers in the community,”

said Ion Crudu, head of the Glodeni Social Assistance and Family Protection Directorate, at the inauguration of the service.

In Tîrnova village of Donduseni district, the laundry was created as part of a project implemented by the “Tîrnoveanca” Public Association and the Local Council.

For the creation of this social service, 42,771 euros were needed, of which 7,800 euros is the contribution of the Tîrnova Communal Council.

“The role of local public authorities is to ensure fairness and respect for human rights for the entire population. That is why, together with civil society, we found solutions for the creation of this social service, which meets the basic needs of older people, people with disabilities, and families with children with limited material possibilities,”

said the mayor of Tîrnova commune, Victor Bodorin, at the inauguration.

Solutions and donations offered to help strengthen the EVA project’s Specialised Service for Victims of Sexual Violence

Thanks to the remarkable efforts of the EVA Project “Strengthened Gender Action in Cahul and Ungheni Districts,” the first Specialist Service for Victims of Sexual Violence in Moldova was created last year, in March 2022. The service offers any adult person who has been a victim of sexual violence the opportunity to benefit from medical, legal, psychological and social assistance in a single location. With the launch of the service, the need for a piloting exercise was identified to analyse how it works in practice. Thus, a workshop was organised to validate the main recommendations and lessons learned, following a piloting exercise of the working procedures within the Specialist Service that was carried out by the International Centre of La Strada Moldova.

Another important aspect of the event was the donation of equipment and goods

and support informational activities in the villages and localities involved.

To improve and facilitate the activities of the 12 partner mayoralties in the Ungheni district, were donated electric generators as well as audio and video equipment for organising conferences.

Five kindergartens in Ungheni city also received furniture sets. The donation included tables and chairs as well as comfortable and practical lockers and beds that will help create a harmonious environment for the children's development.

Until the completion of the EVA project, similar donations such as equipment for the mayoralties and furniture for kindergartens will be offered to Cahul district.

The discussion workshop and donations took place within the EVA project, “Strengthened Gender Action in Cahul and Ungheni Districts,” funded by the European Union and implemented by UN Women in

More gender-sensitive communities and more girls and women protected from violence with EU support

24 communities from Cahul and Ungheni districts have become true champions in promoting gender equality. These remarkable results are thanks to the EVA Project, “Strengthened Gender Action in Cahul and Ungheni Districts,” which was launched in 2020 by UN Women Moldova in partnership with UNICEF and funded by the European Union.

A total of 41 projects, which were implemented by the communities themselves and designed through participatory and inclusive processes, have helped over 12,000 locals benefit from improved services. For three years, mayors and local councillors, local civic activists and beneficiaries have learned how to turn their communities into safe areas for women and children.

As a result of the EVA project’s training courses, dozens of women, including survivors of domestic violence, have found jobs or launched their own businesses, thus preparing them to get involved in their communities.

The project also launched the first specialist service in Moldova to provide services for victims of sexual violence in one place.

INSTITUTIONS AND GOVERNMENT

Presentation of the handbook on legal approximation as a key element for the successful integration process of the Republic of Moldova into the European Union

On 12 January 2023, a public event was held in Europe Café in Chișinău, dedicated to the presentation of the Handbook on the legal approximation, written by Mr Vladimir Međak and Mr Primož Vehar, both experts on the EU-funded project “Support for structured policy dialogue, coordination of the implementation of the Association Agreement and enhancement of the legal approximation process in the Republic of Moldova”. The participants to the event were mostly mass media and representatives of non-governmental organisations.

The Handbook on the legal approximation presents theoretical and practical information on EU legislation and the basic principles of operation of the institutions of the European Union, explains the stages and the process of the legal harmonization process, provides useful advice how to transpose EU legislation, what to do and what not to do in the process, based on the experience of previous rounds of enlargement while placing the entire process into the context of the national legal system

of the Republic of Moldova. The Handbook also explains the next steps for the Republic of Moldova in the EU accession negotiations and the role of the National Parliament in this process. Handbook was drafted by two practically oriented in legal approximation experienced lawyers in close cooperation with the State Chancellery, Centre for Legal Approximation.

Introductory remarks were given by Jānis Mažeiks, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova, Vladimir Cuc, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Adrian Băluțel, State Secretary of the Government and Natalia Suceveanu, Head of the Centre for Legal Approximation, State Chancellery.

The authors of the Handbook, Primož Vehar and Vladimir Međak presented the process of legal harmonization as a key element for the success of the process of integration of the Republic of Moldova into the European Union and also provided answers on several interesting questions from the audience.

Mr. Vehar, the Team Leader of the Project and a former senior official within the Legislative Office of the Government of Slovenia responsible for legal approximation and a former Head of the Secretariat of the Committee on EU Affairs in the Slovenian Parliament, emphasised that legal harmonisation is not a copy paste exercise. He pointed that EU directives and regulations cannot be just copied nor could the Romanian legislation be simple copied, no matter how close it is due to the language, but it can be used as a source of very useful direction, information and comparison. Legal approximation is a highly demanding process of drafting a domestic Moldovan legislation, for citizens and economic operators from Moldova which bring the rule of law, better economic functioning, better social rights, more production and export, cleaner environment, and higher living standard at the end what we can see from the example of the new EU member states in the Central and Eastern Europe. However, legal approximation is not a mechanical

task to be done from today till tomorrow but a demanding process which requests a lot of attention, especially proper planning, impact assessments, consultations as well as resources therefore it has to be done gradually.

Mr. Međak, senior expert on the Project and a former Assistant Director of Government Office for European Integration, responsible for the approximation of legislation and the former Chief lawyer in the EU accession negotiation team of Serbia, emphasised that accession negotiations will be the process of adapting the Moldova’s legal and institutional system to the EU system. He stressed that the main principle of accession negotiations is that negotiations aim at full alignment with and implementation of the EU acquis at a cut-off-date, so that a new member would be able to implement EU policies and take full benefits of EU accession from the moment of accession. At the same time the EU law is not negotiable, so a candidate country can negotiate only “when” and “how” it will harmonise its legislation with the EU

legislation. It can however negotiate possible transitional arrangements and specific arrangements for implementation of the EU law after accession. Nevertheless, at the end of accession negotiations, Moldova will be harmonised with the EU legislation. The process takes time and a lot of effort, but it can be done if there is the will to do it and enough assistance in expertise and funds to support necessary reforms.

In the month after the presentation of the Handbook a series of special legal approximation trainings were held by the authors for the public administration and the Handbook in Romanian was delivered to civil servants attending the training as well as to the Universities. Handbook will contribute to the better implementation of the legal approximation process as one of the key challenges for Republic of Moldova in the efforts to join EU.

The Handbook is also available online:

 In Romanian:

o https://www.eeas.europa.eu/ delegations/moldova/manual-armonizarealegisla%C8%9Biei-ca-element-cheie-pentrusuccesul-procesului-de_ro?s=223

 In English:

o https://www.eeas.europa.eu/ delegations/moldova/handbook-legalapproximation-key-element-succesfulintegration-process-0_en?s=223

The EU-funded project “Support for structured policy dialogue, coordination of the implementation of the Association Agreement and enhancement of the legal approximation process in the Republic of Moldova” aims at increasing the capacities of the Moldova Government and other key national institutions in implementing the EU-Moldova Association Agreement. After Moldova’s receipt of EU Candidacy status, the Project is ready to offer advanced assistance for strengthening the Moldovan administration to be ready for the next steps in EU integration process.

EU High Level Advisers: new Mission to help Moldova get closer to the European Union

A new two-year’ Mission of EU High Level Advisers has recently started its work in the Republic of Moldova: Ten top-level European experts work daily with Moldovan institutions to help them implement the commitments of the Association Agreement and speed up the country’s EU integration process, taking into account the recently acquired candidate status.

Beyond the EU HLAs, the project also deploys a Technical Support Facility of short- and medium-term experts, instrumental in supporting the Moldovan Government in implementing urgent reform priorities and carrying out specific tasks linked with the implementation of the Association Agreement. Additional such sectors supported at present include e.g. Strategic Planning, Anti-Money Laundering & Assets recovery, Reform of the State Labour Inspectorate, Energy Policy & Regulatory Framework, Capacity Development of the Agency of Public Property and Energocom S.A.

At present, the priority sectors covered by the new Mission include: Anticorruption, Customs & Tax Policy (Domestic Revenue Mobilisation), Diplomatic & European Affairs, Education & Research, Energy, Environment and Green Transition, Internal Security Affairs, Local Public Administration Reform, Reforms Coordination, Strategic Coordination & European Affairs. The High Level Advisers provide their policy advice to the following institutions: Prime Minister’s Office, State Chancellery, Presidential Administration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Ministry of Education and Research, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Finance and the Customs Service. The supported sectors and the number of EU HLAs are envisaged to increase in the immediate future.

Over the previous years, the EU High Level Advisers’ Missions proved, according to the Moldovan authorities, one of the most efficient assistance programmes in the development of public policies and resulted in numerous reforms and modernisation in the public system of the country.

The project is implemented in the period of 2 January 2023 – 1 January 2025. The overall objective is to support the Moldovan authorities in the implementation of the reform agenda and in particular, in developing the capacities required for the implementation of the Association Agreement (AA), including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), as well as assist towards the EU Accession negotiation process, following the positive Opinion of the European Commission and subsequent conclusions by the European Council to grant the Republic of Moldova candidate status.

Specifically, the project aims at strengthening policy-making at sector level, strategic planning and policy management capacities, enhancing stakeholders’ knowledge and awareness of the EU policies, legislation and regulations, capacity building in the central level public institutions of the Republic of Moldova. Specific advice will be given to ensure the political, institutional and financial feasibility of the reforms in order to ensure their effective implementation.

Previous phases of the EU High Level Advisers’ Mission have been successfully implemented in 2016 – 2018 and 2019 – 2022, accordingly. More information about the project is available at the www.eu-advisers.md web site and social media: www.facebook.com/euadvisers

10 years of promoting and protecting equality in the Republic of Moldova

The international conference “Equality bodies: new standards, new challenges”, organised on 24 May 2023, marked the 10th anniversary and presented the main achievements of the Equality Council throughout a decade of its activity in the Republic of Moldova. The event brought to discussion the recent developments and standards for promoting equality, diversity, and non-discrimination in the Republic of Moldova and in Europe, but also the challenges to be addressed in the future.

The conference also offered a platform for discussion for participants - national and international experts, representatives of equality bodies, state, and non-state actors active in the field of combating discrimination about the functioning of the anti-discrimination redress mechanisms in the Republic of Moldova, and possibilities to improve relating responses in line with European and international standards in future.

In the result of discussions and as concluding remarks, the importance of continuing and increasing cooperation and exchanges among all relevant actors was highlighted,

for the ultimate goal of a better protection of victims of discrimination, especially those from vulnerable groups in the Republic of Moldova.

This event was organised in cooperation with the Equality Council, in the framework of the project “Combating discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes in the Republic of Moldova”, part of the joint European

Union and Council of Europe programme “Partnership for Good Governance,” cofunded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe.

Launching of the JUSTAT AIS – the national tool for publishing judicial statistics in the Republic of Moldova

The launching of the JUSTAT Automated Information System (AIS) took place on 26 May 2023 in a public event to present this new tool, with the participation of the representatives of the national authorities, partners in charge of developing the tool, and the CEPEJ experts, Rado Brezovar (Slovenia) and Luigi Cipollini (Italy).

JUSTAT has been inspired from the CEPEJSTAT database related to judicial systems of the Council of Europe member States

and developed by a working group with the involvement of representatives of the Moldovan central judicial administration, courts, national consultants, and the Secretariat of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ). The JUSTAT AIS has been created in close collaboration between the CEPEJ and the Agency for Court Administration of the Republic of Moldova.

During the launching event, the concept, main features and functionalities of the new information system were introduced, and the data that can be consulted through its three dashboards, namely statistics, key performance indicators, and other pertinent data used in the evaluation of the performance of national courts. The interoperability of the JUSTAT AIS and the Integrated Case Management System for the data collection and transfer was also highlighted.

The JUSTAT AIS shall help the national authorities to improve the efficiency and the transparency of courts and facilitate the

understanding and access to judicial data of the professionals and the public. It is accessible at the following link: https://justat.instante.justice.md/

This activity has been organised within the framework of the Project” Support to further modernisation of court management in the Republic of Moldova”, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe in their Partnership for Good Governance (2023-2027).

New projects aimed at modernising the justice administration, facilitating access of women to justice, fighting economic crime, promoting equality and non-discrimination, as well as enhancing the effectiveness of anti-money laundering and terrorist financing were presented on 26 April, in Chișinău as part of the third phase of the joint EU/Council of Europe Partnership for Good Governance (2023-2027) programme.

In this context, the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova and the Council of Europe, together with 45 representatives of national partner institutions, discussed joint actions at the first Local Steering Committee meeting for the new phase of the Partnership for Good Governance (PGG) for the Republic of Moldova.

”The EU is very glad to officially start Phase III of the EU/Council of Europe Partnership for Good Governance. A successful fight against corruption, an effective implementation of the Republic of Moldova’s Justice Reform as well as strong human rights will be key on the Republic of Moldova’s path towards EU membership. Six new projects under our successful Partnership will help increase court efficiency, enhance the

Republic of Moldova’s anti-money laundering and asset recovery regime, help combat discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes, and strengthen access to justice for women victims of violence over the next four years.” stated Jānis Mažeiks, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova.

New joint projects for the Republic of Moldova presented by the European Union and the Council of Europe under the third phase of the Partnership for Good Governance (20232027)

”While building on the results achieved under the previous phases of the PGG, the Programme will now provide support to the country in its accession priorities’ related agenda, based on Council of Europe standards. Thanks to its flexibility, PGG will continue to address emerging needs of the national partners.”

declared Delphine Freymann, Head of the Programming and Resource Mobilisation Department, Directorate of Programme Coordination, Council of Europe.

Three country-specific projects will be implemented in the Republic of Moldova, with a total budget of 1.7 million euros, co-

funded by the EU and the Council of Europe. The projects will build on the results of the previous phases and will continue aiming at combating discrimination, hate speech and hate crime to strengthen tolerance, inclusion, and diversity.

At regional level, three projects will be implemented in Eastern Partnership countries, including the Republic of Moldova. The regional projects will aim at fighting economic crime, promoting equality and non-discrimination, and facilitating access of women to justice. Their purpose is to encourage networking, provide a platform for sharing lessons learned and best practices, and, where relevant, complement countryspecific projects.

Professional guidance workshops for students of the Faculty of Law of the State University of Moldova

In April 2023, students of the Faculty of Law of the State University of Moldova benefited from six professional orientation workshops within the Project "Enhance transparency, accountability of and access to the judiciary system project", implemented by the Central Agency for Project Management in Lithuania

and Expertise France, funded by the European Union and in collaboration with the State University of Moldova. The workshops aimed to create and maintain a platform for professional guidance and information exchange for future and young lawyers.

The workshops with the generic "Looking for a lawyer" took place in the period of 10-27 April, 2023 and included introductory visits, documentation and debates at 5 institutions in the field of the justice system in the Republic of Moldova, namely: the General Police Inspectorate of the Republic of Moldova, the National Council for Legal Assistance Guaranteed by the State, the Ministry of Justice, the Chișinău Court, the Mediation Council and the Agency for Court Administration of Moldova.

Before selecting the institutions, the Project team assessed the level of attractiveness of these institutions for young lawyers, potential future employees. 42 students of the Faculty of Law of the State University of Moldova participated in the workshops.

During these workshops, students and master's students of the Faculty of Law had the opportunity to get to know better the institutions of the justice system, to determine the degree of attractiveness of these professions and the opportunities for the development of their future professional career. The open discussions with the employees of the justice system, the approach to the challenges as well as the opportunities in the exercise of the

professions were highly appreciated by the students of the Faculty of Law, but also by the employees of the institutions who benefited from the opportunity to present, in an informal and friendly format, the advantages offered by the institutions.

The participants in the workshops - both students and employees of the institutions - noted the need to develop and expand activities of this kind. The workshops facilitated the understanding of law students from all academic institutions of the essence of justice sector professions and career opportunities. Public institutions, in turn, will have the opportunity to meet and recruit young professionals for the justice sector.

Standardisation of the professional traineeship of lawyers with the EU assistance

On 15 May 2023, the draft Methodology on professional traineeship of lawyers was presented at the headquarters of the Moldovan Union of Lawyers. The event was organised under the Project "Enhance transparency, accountability of and access to the judiciary system", implemented by

The development of the document was preceded by the conduct of a representative online survey for mentor lawyers and trainee lawyers, in order to collect relevant information regarding the current practices of carrying out professional traineeship. The results of the survey demonstrated the need to develop a unitary document and establish clear and consistent regulations regarding the professional traineeship for lawyers.

In order to respond to the identified needs, the draft Methodology sets the objectives of the professional traineeship for lawyers that aim to develop a spectrum of abilities and skills inherent to the activity of a lawyer, namely: advocacy, negotiation and mediation skills, legal argumentation, communication and advice, drafting skills and legal research, knowledge of the normative and institutional/organisational framework, including the understanding and application of the ethical standards of the lawyers’ profession. In addition, the rights and obligations of the mentor lawyer and the trainee lawyer, the reporting and evaluation of the professional traineeship, as well as the logistical aspects of the traineeship process were regulated: the way of drawing up and

the Central Agency for Project Management in Lithuania and Expertise France, funded by the European Union. The purpose of developing and applying the Methodology is to standardise, optimise and order the stages of the professional traineeship of lawyers.

keeping the personal file of the trainee lawyer, the conditions for substituting the mentor lawyer and suspension or termination of the professional traineeship.

An important part of the Methodology are its annexes, which include all the forms and document templates applied during the professional traineeship. During the event, it was mentioned that all forms and templates will be integrated on the Intranet platform of the Lawyers’ Union intended for mentoring lawyers and trainee lawyers. In this context, it was underlined that the Intranet platform will be integrated into the architecture of the new web page of the Moldovan Lawyers’ Union, which is being developed with the support of the "Enhance transparency, accountability of and access to the judiciary system" Project.

The event was attended by representatives of the leadership of the Moldovan Lawyers' Union, the Lawyers' Training Centre, as well as the members of the Licensing Commission and the Committee for Ethics and Discipline of the Moldovan Lawyers' Union.

Following the discussions during the event, the representatives of the Moldovan Lawyers' Union assured that after the Methodology will be discussed among lawyers and modified if needed, it will be approved by the Council of the Moldovan Lawyers' Union.

With the overall aim to improve social accountability of the local and central government of Moldova by strengthening the capacity of local, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to participate in, monitor, and advocate for greater public accountability and to participate in the policy dialogue with the Local Public Authorities (LPAs) and the central government, EU4Accountability collected insightful data to understand the challenges for social accountability in Moldova

Most of the respondents of our survey (83%CSOs, 87%-LPAs) found the experience sharing events as very useful and found knowledge acquired during the experience

sharing events on participatory budgeting adequate and relevant to their work. This shows that such exchanges of experience within Moldova are really helpful to increase the skills of LPAs and CSOs staff.

The analysed data showed that 28% of the LPAs have equipment for recording meetings in the Municipality and 62% of them broadcast live Municipality meetings to record them. Investing in equipment to enable LPAs share the meetings to a wider audience is paramount to transparency of local public policy-making. EU4Accountability local partners are supported to purchase such equipment and make transparency a reality in the Republic of Moldova.

Most of the interviewed LPAs’ representatives (93%) confirmed that in the last 3 years public debates, public hearings, and public consultations have been organised in their community. Almost all of the LPAs representatives stated that the general meetings are held in the community at least

annually (50%-annually, 40%-more often than once a year). These results are encouraging, as the rates of public participation are increasing all across the country. It needs civil society support to continue to grow, and for LPAs to organise such meetings more frequently.

EU4Accountability collects data on social accountability in Moldova and supports good practices from local NGOs

In Cimișlia, a Partnership Agreement was signed between Cimișlia City Hall and the “Dezvoltare prin Implicare” organisation, to ensure an effective cooperation framework and the creation of a Civic HUB in Cimișlia. At the same time, the Local Coalition for Civil Society Development in Cimișlia was established, which aims at participation, monitoring and evaluation of the local decision-making process, as well as the establishment of new partnerships and inter-organisational projects.

So far, 19 people joint the Coalition, including representatives of 3 municipalities and 8 public associations from Cimișlia district.

The pupils of Balatina High School in Glodeni district, along with members of the "Balatina Community Centre" AO, organised a simulation exercise of elections to select project proposals deserving development in the local high school.

The exercise effectively implemented a participatory decision-making process, involving pupils and adults who were eager to actively contribute to community development. They orchestrated an informative campaign, deliberated on targeted issues, and ultimately voted on the most pressing matter.

Promoting citizen participation and engaging civil society in the progress of local communities are fundamental objectives for People in Need Moldova.

EU4Accountability supports civil society to implement their projects to increase social accountability through increased

engagement and transparency at the local level. Throughout the year, 50 civil society organisations are making social accountability works better for local democracy and social inclusion for all.

EU4Accountability runs from 2022-2024, is funded by the European Union, implemented by a consortium of three organisations: ALDA - European Association for Local Democracy, European Partnership for Democracy and People in Need Moldova, extends to 10 districts (Cahul, Comrat, Cimișlia, Fălești, Florești, Glodeni, Rîșcani, Strășeni, Ștefan Vodă, Telenești) and provides for a total budget of 1.6 million euros.

Transparency in public policy making enables emerging social accountability practices to rise in the country

“Human rights defenders are a kind of immunity. Just as there is immunity in the body to protect us from disease, so human rights defenders are needed in every country so that society does not fall ill from dictatorship, repression or hatred of some people who differ from the majority.”

With this statement, Evghenii Goloșceapov answers simply and understandably why we need human rights defenders.

In April, the Legal Resources Centre from Moldova (LRCM) published 3 short videos to explain to society who human rights defenders are and what they do, what motivates them to fight for fundamental human rights and freedoms and why their work is important. Alina Radu, Evghenii Goloșceapov and Tatiana Corcebaș-Onica are the protagonists of these short films and their personal experience as human rights defenders in the Republic of Moldova has brought more clarity regarding this term. The videos promoting the experiences shared by Alina Radu, Evghenii Goloșceapov and Tatiana Corcebaș-Onica were created within the project “Shields for Human Rights

Defenders – Supporting Human Rights Defenders in the Republic of Moldova”, implemented by the LRCM in partnership with EcoContact Association and the International Commission of Jurists –European Institutions, with the financial support of the European Union.

defenders reached around 70,000 people online, which helped to open discussions about the challenges faced by all those who believe and promote human rights in a peaceful way. At the same time, by bringing this topic to the public’s attention, it also raised awareness that defending human rights is not something abstract, but refers to initiatives and actions whereby some people demand respect and defence of fundamental rights on behalf of all citizens.

The LRCM team also created a special webpage dedicated to human rights defenders (HRDs), which provides information on their role and activities, as well as an infographic on the most common risks faced by HRDs and/or their families.

The voice and experiences of human rights defenders made more prominent for the Moldovan society

The team of the EU-funded twinning project "Strengthening supervision, corporate governance and risk management in the financial sector" participated jointly with representatives of the beneficiary institutions - the National Bank of Moldova (NBM) and the National Commission for the

Under the umbrella of the twinning project, the beneficiaries of the European Union assistance - the NBM and the NCFM organised various interactive activities and thematic quizzes, including with involvement of teenagers, during which participants had the opportunity to test their knowledge in the financial sector and the EU. A special attraction in the European Village was the unique exhibition of commemorative coins made of gold and silver, presented by the NBM. The winners and the most active participants received coin kits from the NBM as well as visibility materials from the twinning project.

Financial Markets (NCFM), to the traditional "European Village" held on 13 May this year in Chișinău, in the Great National Assembly Square, and raised the public awareness in the Republic of Moldova on the culture and values of the European Union.

At the same time, the twinning project team, alongside the NBM and the NCFM took the opportunity to present to the public at large the EU support provided to the Republic of Moldova through this project. In this context, it was presented information both on the objectives and project results, as well as on the ongoing technical assistance activities of the NBM and NCFM aiming to further developing and reforming the financial sector in the Republic of Moldova in line with EU best practices.

The team of the EU project "Strengthening supervision, corporate governance and risk management in the financial sector" interacted with the visitors of the European Village in Chișinău

The objective of this project is to strengthen supervision, corporate governance and risk management in the financial sector and is implemented by a consortium formed by Banca Națională a României (BNR), De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) and Lietuvos

bankas (LB) with the support of the Financial Supervisory Authority (ASF) and the National Authority for Consumer Protection (ANPC) from Romania. The project has a duration of 30 months and an allocated budget of almost 1.73 million euros.

EUBAM strengthens the capacity of the Border Police of Moldova

EUBAM donated a Smart Board and 5 laptops for the Special Intervention Section of the Border Police of the Republic of Moldova.

The equipment will enhance the subdivision’s operational capacity to fulfil their daily tasks and better cope with the changed security situation and increased risks at the MoldovaUkraine border.

EUBAM keeps helping its partner services to better fight against drug trafficking

Drug trafficking is continuous all-around Europe, and in the Republic of Moldova, the criminals are using the country as a transit to the EU. EUBAM experts organised in May three training events for 50 Moldovan Customs Officers with the help of experts from Germany.

The officers from Customs Service of the Republic of Moldova learned how to recognize different types of drugs and their affection on the person, indicators for possible drug smuggling and how to use drug wipe tests. Furthermore, the experts presented current case studies on drug smuggling in different ways and routes.

EUBAM met with European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Security and Defence

On 18 May 2023, the Head of EUBAM, Slawomir Pichor, met with the European Parliament Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE) led by Chair Nathalie Loiseau that was visiting the Republic of Moldova. The Head of Mission briefed the SEDE about the impact of war on border security and trade. Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian ports and destruction of railway connections in the Odesa region disrupted the usual trade routes for Ukrainian grain and other agricultural goods, threatening global food security. Thus, since the beginning of the war,

it was a top priority for EUBAM to facilitate smooth border crossings of people and goods, improve security and raise processing capacities in the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes initiative. In addition, the Head of EUBAM gave an overview of the Mission’s support in combating cross-border crime.

The delegation also visited Hirbovat’s internal customs control post at the administrative line. Moldovan Customs and Migration Authorities and our experts gave an overview of the trade aspects and types of control performed there.

New hope for the Moldovan government securities market with the EU assistance

On 24 May, the Ministry of Finance with the assistance of the EU-funded project “Support the Moldovan Government in Identifying and Preparing Projects Linked to the Implementation of the Association Agreement” achieved a decisive first step

in revitalising the Moldovan government securities market. The bond auction for the specific 2- and 3-year maturities was very successful judging from the response of investors Here is a closer look at the results:

» 2-Year Bond: The announced amount was 35 million lei at 8% coupon; the bids surpassed all expectations, reaching 63 million lei!

» 3-Year Bond: The announced amount was 20 million lei at 8.25% coupon. Again, the investor response was large with bids totalling 36 million lei.

The Ministry of Finance has successfully covered more than the overall amount announced in the auction, which was 100 million lei.

This achievement is a demonstration of returning trust and confidence investors place on Moldova's government securities market. It opens doors for further growth and diversification in the market.

Training session on appraisal of the public investment projects – organised with the EU support

The EU-funded “Support the Moldovan Government in Identifying and Preparing Projects Linked to the Implementation of the Association Agreement” Project team delivered a pilot training course on Project Appraisal to the National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE), Moldelectrica and the Moldova Energy Projects Implementation Unit (MEPIU) during 16-18 May 2023.

The main objective of the course is to introduce participants to the newly approved national procedure for the design and appraisal of public investment projects as per Government of Moldova Regulation No. 684/29 September 2022.

The course covers the following areas in four modules: Basic concepts for investment, and

project design and appraisal, Procedure for the appraisal of public investment projects, Scoring methodology of public investment project proposals and a Case Study with a real-life investment renewable energy project proposal. On the basis of the outcome of the delivery of the course and the feedback from participants, the training course will be adjusted and improved. The course is aimed at supporting Central Public Authorities and other institutions with the implementation of Regulation No. 684/29 September 2022.

The training course was delivered by PPF project experts: Gnel Sedrakyan, Constantinos Kyriakopoulos and Daniela Cotorobai, with the support of Roman Ivanov and Sergiu Robu.

Increasing the visibility of EU external actions in Moldova with a focus on budget support: training for public

institutions - beneficiaries of EU assistance

On 27 April, the Ministry of Finance hosted, in collaboration with the Delegation of the European Union, a training session on ‘Communication’s Strategy for EU External Actions’. The aim of the training session was to familiarise the participants with the unique features of the budget support instrument; and to be guided - in their communications’ actions - by the EU’s new communication and visibility guidelines. The training session was attended by forty participants, representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European integration, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Ministry of Education and Research, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, and Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development.

In her opening speech, Minister Veronica Sirețeanu welcomed the training initiative and stressed the importance of communicating about EU external actions, and how the additional financial resources transferred to the national budget through the EU budget support instrument, contribute significantly to the quality and delivery of the governments’ policies and programmes.

To date, the EU has disbursed over 200 million euros in Moldova in the period from 2021 to 2023 through the following budget support programmes; “State and Resilience Building Contract for the Republic of Moldova”; “COVID-19 Resilience Contract”; and “Support to Police Reform“. An additional top-up of 105 million euros to the State and Resilience Building Contract to provide continued support to the cost-of-living crisis is currently under negotiation.

In his intervention, the State Secretary Ion Gumene stressed how clear and regular communications, targeted at Moldovan citizens, about EU external actions (including EU budget support) helps to promote the principles of accountability and transparency; and serves as a counterbalance to the circulation of disinformation and half-truths. Furthermore, it also showcases the strong commitment of the Government of Moldova to potential EU membership in the future.

During the three-hour training session, the new EU Communication and Visibility Guidelines were introduced; and the EU budget support was explained using practical examples sourced from the EU publication “Budget Support: Trends & Results 2022”. With a view to increasing efforts in promoting the actions funded through the budget support instrument, participants were encouraged to share their experiences and challenges in communicating the budget support instrument as well as the government communication in general.

Kingdom of the Netherlands' experience in the field of cadastre and NSDI shared with Moldovan authorities

The experience of the Kingdom of the Netherlands regarding the implementation of national spatial data infrastructure (NSDI) in their country in accordance with the EU INSPIRE Directive was shared with the officials from the Moldovan Agency for Land Relations and Cadastre (ALRC) and S.E. INGEOCAD during a study visit held between 3 - 5 April this year, which was hosted by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and the Dutch Kadaster.

The purpose of the study visit was to learn about the Dutch experience and best practices in NSDI implementation according to the EU INSPIRE Directive, this representing one activity within the framework of the EU Twinning Project "Improving Spatial Data Services in the Republic of Moldova following EU standards", implemented by a consortium made of partner institutions from Croatia, Kingdom of the Netherlands and Poland.

Representatives of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency presented the organisational and functional structure of the institution, the purpose of which is to provide support to as many entrepreneurs as possible, the result creating connection and continuous development. Furthermore, representatives of the Dutch Kadaster made a presentation of their institution as a data-centric organisation, describing its organisation and evolution, as well as its future development strategy. The NSDI concept in the Netherlands consists of spatial standards, network services, spatial data portals and key registers. The institution developed their business model as a way of

self-financing in order to serve the public, and they included a wide variety of spatial data in the open data category, with a focus on ensuring the sustainability of services that provide open data and pricing for widespread use. The knowledge obtained is very relevant to the Moldovan colleagues in the event of a potential future application of similar concepts in the Republic of Moldova. The Twinning project ”Improving spatial data services in the Republic of Moldova following EU standards” is financed by the European Union and implemented by the Agency for Land Relations and Cadastre (ALRC) of the Republic of Moldova.

ECONOMY AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Team Europe Initiative “EU4Moldova: Local communities” supports the strengthening of water supply infrastructure in Edineț

On 5 April a Cooperation Agreement between the Austrian Development Agency, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development of the Republic of Moldova, the Edineț Municipality and Rayon Council, and the municipal Enterprise "Apa-Canal Edineț" was signed on the construction of the new Edineț Water Treatment Plant and partial rehabilitation of the water transmission infrastructure in the area.

The document outlines the collaboration between the signatory institutions in support of the project implementation by defining actions, responsibilities, and organisational aspects. It also describes the support to local public authorities in developing and improving the water supply infrastructure, including the water supply to neighbouring localities (i.e., Cupcini town), operation, maintenance, and financial sustainability. According to this, approximately 26,000 Edineț residents (incl. Cupcini) will have access to drinking water in their households, in public institutions, and businesses.

Additionally, the Cooperation Agreement on the construction of the water supply

system for Cupcini city (central part) was signed between the Austrian Development Agency and the Municipality of Cupcini. The system will be supplied by the Edineț Water Treatment Plant.

Within the “EU4Moldova: Local Communities” programme the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) supports the development of sustainable local public infrastructure, improvement of existing water and sanitation infrastructure, enhancing operation and maintenance, capacity development for water utilities, and assuring gender equality of men and women participating in the project.

Four clusters in Cahul and Ungheni regions benefit from grants of 100,000 euros each, as part of “EU4Moldova: Focal Regions” programme, financed by the European Union and implemented by UNDP and UNICEF. Therefore, in Cahul, the livestock cluster "Bacii Sudului" will develop and strengthen the technologies and increase the quality of products in the field of sheep farming, the winemaking cluster will establish and equip an Oenological Centre and the beekeeping cluster will strengthen the

sector by equipping it with specialized packaging equipment. At the same time, in Ungheni, the "Dealurile Măgurii" touristic cluster will develop services and increase the competitiveness of the region's touristic offer.

The financial assistance offered to clusters will enable purchase of equipment, goods, works, and services, all these contributing to job creation and more investments in the regions.

The European Union offers 400,000 euros for the development of four clusters in the Cahul and Ungheni regions

“The financial and technical support offered to the clusters will help its members – private companies, local public authorities and research institutions - to develop further. As a result, the urban and rural areas of the Cahul and Ungheni will become more attractive to locals, tourists and investors, positioning them closer to EU standards. The EU support helps both regions to improve the living standards and to strengthen the economic and social cohesion of the Republic of Moldova,”

said Jānis Mažeiks, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova during the grants certificates awarding ceremony, conducted on 13 May 2023.

“Today is also about celebrating the local business community from Ungheni and Cahul for their partnership, resilience, and dedication to continue investing in the economic development of the two regions. UNDP Moldova will continue to advance the approaches that catalyse investments and growth, and a cooperation in a ‘cluster’ format among economic actors,”

said Andrea Cuzyova, Resident Representative a.i. to the Republic of UNDP Moldova.

The non-reimbursable assistance for the clusters in Cahul and Ungheni aims to promoting and supporting the spirit of cooperation between urban and rural businesses.

Founded in 2022, the "Bacii Sudului" cluster aims to strengthen cooperation between sheep and goat breeders in the Cahul region to increase business competitiveness, capitalize, and promote large-scale products from the sheep sector.

“With EU and UNDP support, we will procure a mobile, regional, unique abattoir in the Republic of Moldova, which comes with a solution for sheep and goat breeders' farms in the south of Moldova. This unique concept will give farmers the opportunity to capitalize on their products, diversify meat products and enter new markets. The positive impact of the investment will contribute to the long-term business development,"

notes Domnica Căpățină,

administrator of the "Bacii Sudului" cluster.

In 2022, within the first call for grants, four other clusters from Cahul and Ungheni benefited from assistance of 100,000 euros each, thus the total value of the financial support of the two calls for clusters from the Cahul and Ungheni regions amounts to 800,000 euros.

“EU4Moldova: Focal Regions” programme (2019-2024) supports smart, inclusive, and sustainable socio-economic development in Cahul and Ungheni regions, to bring a better quality of life to citizens. The programme has a total budget of 23 million euros, is financed by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Cahul Business Summit 2023 brought together entrepreneurs, public authorities, specialists in agriculture and tourism

On 17 May, the second edition of the Cahul Business Summit took place, an event organised as part of Europe Days, with

the aim of raising awareness of the many possibilities for development and attracting new investments in the south of the country.

"I hope that the efforts made by our project teams to support the rehabilitation of infrastructure in Cahul, as well as investments in digitization, will serve as premises for more European citizens to visit, stay and develop businesses in Cahul. From roaming opportunities to better business conditions, the horizon of opportunities is widening. This can be clearly seen in the trade statistics

which demonstrate that the EU is by far the most important trade partner of the Republic of Moldova. Together we will contribute to the development of an innovative society, here in Cahul, prepared to be part of the European family,"

said Jānis Mažeiks, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova.

The summit was a remarkable success and brought together entrepreneurs, representatives of local and national public authorities, diplomats and specialists in agriculture and tourism. At the same time, it included inaugural speeches and panel discussions with local and international guests:

» Clusters – innovative model for cooperation and regional economic development;

» Agriculture – a driving force of the region's economy;

» The cultural and tourist development potential of the southern region (Cahul);

» Investments – portfolio and economic development opportunities for the Cahul region.

Agriculture, viticulture and tourism are some of the most important branches of the economy of the Republic of Moldova, and the Southern region has an important potential in this regard. However, in order to take

advantage of this potential, it is important to consider the needs of entrepreneurs in the area and provide them with the necessary support. Thus, opportunities for businesses in the region were discussed during the Summit, such as assistance in identifying partners and access to financing from external sources.

In addition to the presentations and discussions related to the economic development of the region, the Cahul Business Summit also included a parallel event presenting the cultural and touristic potential of the area – Business ExpoDiscover Cahul. A number of companies and institutions from the Southern region participated here, presenting their products and services.

Cahul Business Summit was financed by the European Union, in partnership with the Swedish Embassy, USAID, UNDP Moldova, UNICEF, the Swiss Embassy and the Helvetas organisation, organised by the Cahul City Hall, in partnership with ATIC, within the EU4Moldova project: Startup City Cahul, dedicated to Days Europe in Moldova.

Students from four Moldovan Vocational Educational and Training (VET) institutions develop their 21st-century skills

The Austrian Development Agency in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova, within the ‘EU4Moldova: Local Communities programme’ launched the training programme to develop labour market integration skills, leadership, raising awareness of sustainable production and consumption principles, and strengthening the capacity for orientation in a changing global and “green” economy.

In April and May 2023, the first introductory training sessions on “Assertive and Effective Communication” took place at the Brătușeni College of Veterinary Medicine and Agricultural Economics, Cupcini Vocational School, Leova Vocational School, and the College of Engineering Strășeni.

During the years 2023-2025, students from mentioned VET institutions will take part in workshops to improve their communication skills in a participatory and interactive way which will help them to overcome possible challenges in their professional activity and interpersonal relationships.

The above-mentioned students training programme is organised within the “EU4Moldova: Local Communities” programme, financed by the European Union, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the

Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland being implemented by the German Development Cooperation through GIZ, Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and Solidarity Fund PL in Moldova (SFPL).

Social economy - promoted in Moldova with EU support

In the Republic of Moldova, during 19-20 May, was held the international conference "Impact Days", financed by the European Union, co-financed by Sweden, USAID, UNDP and other donors. The organizers of the conference are AO Ecovisio, East Europe Foundation and ADV Romania. The conference brought together investors, entrepreneurs, decision makers, philanthropists and other representatives of the investment sector. The main topic of the conference was social and impactful businesses. The topics, green and social economy, business promotion tools, the

impact fund, an alternative investment fund, sustainable development objectives, ecological agriculture, startups with impact and the international experience in the responsible economy were discussed.

Classic businesses no longer meet the current needs of society. What can make a difference is social business, where "no one is left behind", where even vulnerable people find work and the environment is protected. At the conference, the participants were able to get to know numerous social business models from countries such as Romania, Ukraine, Armenia and others.

Even if the culture of social business is not developed in the Republic of Moldova, Ternavschi says that the few social entrepreneurs that exist contribute to the development of the economy and the formation of a culture. "Social problem

solvers are helping people change their outlook on engaging in small and mediumsized businesses," says Vladimir.

“Through "Impact Days" a brick is laid to change the current economic theories on the market", stressed Angela Achiței,

president of the "Alături de Voi" Foundation in Romania. The organisation he leads is one of social inclusion and has the mission of creating equal conditions for people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.

The Republic of Moldova needs the adoption of the Social Economy Law. The social economy is based on private, voluntary and solidary initiative, with a high degree of autonomy and responsibility, as well as the limited distribution of profit to associates.

European Union awards a new 8 million euros grant to support entrepreneurship in Moldova

The European Union (EU) is allocating 8 million euros in non-reimbursable funding to co-finance seven state programmes to support entrepreneurship implemented by the Organisation for the Development of Entrepreneurship (ODA). The EU direct grant contract with ODA was signed at a press conference on 24 May. The expected results of the "EU for SMEs" project are targeted to support at least 300 companies in their efforts to create, develop, expand or internationalise their businesses, of which at least 50% will be able to take advantage

of new opportunities in sectors with high growth potential and 80% will cover rural areas. The European assistance project will be implemented by ODA in the period 20232026.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economic Development and Digitisation, Dumitru Alaiba thanked the EU for supporting the development of entrepreneurship in Moldova, the development of support infrastructure in the regions, the sustainability of business and supporting integration into the EU economic area.

"This funding will help to improve the investment climate, facilitate people’s integration in the labour market, and create a favourable business environment for MSMEs. I would like to express my gratitude to the European Union for its continuous assistance provided to the entrepreneurship in Moldova, for the development of support infrastructure in the regions and for supporting Moldova's integration into the European economic area. It is an honour for us to have such a close and fruitful cooperation with the European Union," said Dumitru Alaiba.

"EU support through co-financing of state programmes will double the number of companies supported, especially in rural areas, will allow for increased investment in modernisation and implementation of European environmental and quality standards, attract foreign investment, increase business resilience and decrease migration flows from rural to urban areas or abroad. SMEs will become more energy efficient and environmentally friendly and, last but not least, will stimulate economic empowerment of young people and women."

The overall objective of the EU for SMEs project is to contribute to resilient, sustainable and inclusive economic development and to support the green transition in the Republic of Moldova.

“Strong SMEs are instrumental for Moldova’s economic recovery and growth. "EU for a sustainable, innovative, green and competitive economy" (EU4SMEs) will support the creation of new companies, increase the competitiveness of domestic entrepreneurs, as well as promote entrepreneurial culture in the Republic of Moldova. This is another sizable EU contribution to economic development and Moldovan people’s welfare.”

The "EU for SMEs" project of financial support in the amount of 8 million euros comes to supplement the state budget of 7 non-reimbursable financing programs: PARE 1+2, Start for Youth, SME Greening Program, Digital Transformation Program, Upgrading and Energy Efficiency Program, Program to Support Women Entrepreneurship and Rural Tourism program.

ODA Director Dumitru Pîntea gave a brief presentation of the main expected results of the European support for local entrepreneurship.

The specific objective of this action is to improve the investment climate, employability and a favourable business environment for SMEs, especially in rural areas, ensuring better access to finance for rural and women-owned SMEs. ODA will ensure that at least 80% of the beneficiaries will be from these regions (practically the whole country except Chișinău).

At the same time, the development of rural tourism will be supported in the framework of the future Rural Tourism Programme, with particular attention to the promotion of the sustainable economic model, which involves the development of rural areas.

The implementing institution will ensure that at least 30% of the total number of beneficiaries in all programmes co-financed by the European Union will be managed by women.

Beneficiaries of European grants will also have access to the necessary advisory services, entrepreneurial education, trainings and mentoring.

Jānis Mažeiks, Ambassador of the European Union in the Republic of Moldova noted that

It is worth mentioning that during 2018-2021 period, ODA (ex-ODIMM) has successfully implemented grant project funded by the European Union in the amount of 4 million euros for the capitalisation of the National Programmes "PARE 1+1", "Women in Business" and "Support Instrument on Digitization of MSMEs". Following the

implementation of the project "Support for SMEs in rural areas", 564 businesses have benefited from direct grants, vouchers, training and free consultancy for the development of business plans, resulting in the creation of 1582 jobs. EU funding has attracted a total investment of over 8 million euros in the national economy.

Young entrepreneurs from both banks of the Nistru, supported by the EU

The final conference dedicated to the "Start for Youth" project took place on 22 May 2023 in Tiraspol, bringing together over 60 young entrepreneurs. Since 2020, the European

Union, through the EU Confidence Building Measures Programme, implemented by UNDP, has supported 39 business ideas with over 440,000 euros.

"The European Union recognises the importance of addressing societal challenges and promoting sustainable practices. Therefore, we have encouraged young entrepreneurs to develop businesses that have a positive impact on the environment, society, and communities. It not only nurtures economic growth but also fosters a culture of responsible entrepreneurship,"

stated Magdalena Mueller-Uri, Head of

Cooperation at the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova.

The new businesses launched or sustained with the support of the EU-UNDP cover a wide range of services and products, such as tailoring services, cooking studios, veterinary clinic, delivery, or food production (biscuits, cheese, wine, vinegar, smoked meat), and industrial manufacturing (furniture, 3D-printed items, eco-friendly bags, or toys).

During the conference, the young entrepreneurs who benefited from grants shared their experience and journey in the business world.

In the context of the new work realities imposed by the multiple crises, the EU and

UNDP have supported the processes of maintaining/creating jobs in sustainable and future-ready economic sectors, while also encouraging young people to choose to stay at home rather than going abroad. One of these young individuals is Oleg Gorshenev. In 2020, he launched his own business and started producing bicycles and carbon fiber parts for them. "Due to challenging economic conditions, our fellow citizens often face the choice of staying in the country or leaving. I enjoy living in my city. I am a part of this city, of this country. I will work to improve the lives of people in the region. With the grant I obtained, I was able to provide a few jobs, thus keeping three individuals and their families at home.

I believe that without the support of my business, even I would have left," shares the young entrepreneur.

The "Start for Youth" grant competition had two editions. In 2020, 26 young entrepreneurs received funding and in 2022, another 13 were awarded grants.

The Confidence Building Measures Programme, financed by the European Union and implemented by UNDP, contributes to the strengthening of trust between the inhabitants of both banks of the Nistru river, by involving them in joint development projects.

Fairytale toys are crafted in Molovata Nouă, thanks to EU and UNDP support

The craftsmanship passed down from generation to generation made Maxim Alexei from the village of Molovata Nouă to open a workshop for crafting wooden toys. The folk craftsman teamed up with Irina Agafița, a marketing specialist.

That's how PINO toys were born. With the support of the European Union and UNDP, provided under the EU Confidence Building Measures Programme, the entrepreneurs purchased modern equipment.

A car, a dozer and a crane – these were the first toys Maxim created, with which he relaunched his woodworking business. Since then, he has made hundreds of models, turning log woods into toys. He's been doing this every day for more than 12 years. For many years, Maxim crafted toys and displayed them at fairs where he was invited as a folk craftsman. He didn't have a brand or a proper business until he met Irina Agafița.

Irina and Maxim's collaboration, but not their friendship, came to a standstill when the pandemic hit, as Maxim had only sold his toys at events until then. The uncertainty made Maxim seriously consider settling in another country because he was unable to support his family. Irina then proposed to Maxim to launch an online shop where his toys could be displayed and sold. That's how the PINO toy brand was born.

Excited about the new beginning, Irina Agafița started looking for solutions. That's how she participated in spring 2022 in the grant competition launched by the EU Confidence Building Measures Programme, implemented by UNDP. The application was successful, and Irina and Maxim were awarded a grant of 15,000 euros, with which they bought the equipment needed to manufacture wooden toys.

A CNC router and a wood planer were purchased from the grant.

Maxim Alexei has always opted for a sustainable way of producing toys. The wood used in the production of the toys is bought from local people in and around Molovata Nouă. Maxim most often uses wood from fruit trees to give the toys a special texture. It's also a way to reuse natural resources.

Although he buys wood from locals, because of the war in Ukraine, the price of timber has increased.

At the same time, Maxim stopped producing tank toys, although until then, it was one of the most popular and best-selling models. Maxim doesn't have enough time to both

make toys and participate in fairs. The folk craftsman is keen to expand his business and employ more people in the workshop. Having learned the woodworking trade from his father, Maxim now has no one to pass on his skills to, as his children are too young. The village youth, Maxim notes, are no longer interested in apprenticeship.

Butterflies flying in a boxing ring

“Butterflies flying in a boxing ring,” that's how fighters move. Daria Kozorez from Tiraspol is convinced of that. She will soon open a modern boxing gym, with the

support of the European Union through the Confidence Building Measures Programme, implemented by UNDP.

Daria is 21 and she has been playing sports for as long as she can remember. At 16, she has decided to become a professional sportswoman. A boring vacation made her look for some occupation for her spare time: "I used to play basketball, but unfortunately the courses were closed. I was always more active and decided to try something else. My coach Anatolie came and said: 'Join boxing classes!' I was thinking that being a girl, there was no place for me in boxing world and I would attend 2-3 classes and drop out, but I am still here."

Daria doesn’t speak much, because she prefers to demonstrate her performance in the ring, not through words, she says. Daria's medal haul includes a gold medal from the European Boxing Championship, a silver medal from the World Youth Boxing

Championship and four bronze medals. Each of these medals was obtained through hard work and two daily training sessions.

In the spring of 2022, Daria was awarded a €15,000 grant from the EU's Confidence Building Measures Programme, implemented by UNDP. With these funds, she will open a gym equipped with a boxing ring, punching bags, kettlebells, fitness equipment, etc.

In the new gym, Daria will be coaching children and teenagers, as well as other willing people.

13 other young entrepreneurs like Daria Kozorez have been selected through a competition by the European Union Confidence Building Measures Programme, implemented by UNDP, to launch or develop a business.

ENERGY RESILIENCE

Exchange of experience with sustainable European Cities

Four mayors from the signatory towns of the European initiative, Covenant of Mayors for Energy and Climate - Cimișlia, Anenii Noi,

This trip is part of the City2City program of the Covenant of Mayors, which aims to facilitate the exchange of good practices and experiences in the field of sustainable development and renewable energy between municipalities.

The City2City program represents a valuable platform for collaboration and mutual

learning among cities and communities from different countries. Through this program, representatives of local administrations have the opportunity to explore innovative solutions and effective strategies for environmental protection, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and promoting the use of renewable energy.

Ceadâr-Lunga, and Ungheni - visited cities in Poland to learn from local best practices.

The Moldovan delegation had the opportunity to visit exemplary projects in the municipalities of Bielsko-Biała and Cieszyn in Poland. This experience will enable the

signatories to bring valuable ideas and knowledge to our communities for the implementation of sustainable initiatives and policies.

Ambitious European objectives embraced by 11 new signatory localities of the Covenant of Mayors

Eleven new localities in the Republic of Moldova have committed to reducing CO2 emissions by 35% by 2030. This commitment will be made possible through their adherence to the Covenant of Mayors, a European initiative that supports cities and regions in achieving EU climate and energy objectives.

Victor Parlicov, Minister of Energy, and Solomon Ioannou, Program Officer at the EU Delegation to the Republic of Moldova, were present at the certificate award ceremony. Christophe Frering, the regional leader of the initiative in the Eastern Partnership countries, and Irina Plis, the national expert of the Covenant, spoke to the new signatories about the benefits of the initiative.

The new localities joining the initiative are Suhuluceni,

Tănătari, Țareuca, Țarigrad,

Anenii Noi district, Bilicenii Vechi, Hârbovăț, Pitușca, Onișcani, Sîngereii Noi, and Puțintei.

New solutions for renewable energy promoted through the Covenant of Mayors

Signatories of the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy are seeking innovative solutions for renewable energy. One remarkable practice that caught their

attention is the cultivation of Miscanthus, a plant that not only serves as a biofuel for the production of thermal energy but also helps remediate contaminated soils.

The Institute of Genetics, Physiology, and Plant Protection in Chișinău has been at the forefront of this effort. In 2019, they launched a pilot project in collaboration with Termoelectrica and a British company to assess the potential of Miscanthus in the conditions of the Republic of Moldova. On a two-hectare experimental field, the plant demonstrated its adaptability to local climate and soil conditions. Encouraged by the positive results, a biomass-based

thermal power plant with a capacity of 150 kW was built in 2020.

The benefits offered by Miscanthus have also captured the attention of Covenant of Mayors signatories, who visited the plantation and learned about the advantages of this plant. Mayors and local authorities in the process of implementing Local Action Plans on Energy and Climate were inspired by innovative solutions for renewable energy.

Irina Plis, a national expert in the EU project Covenant of Mayors-East, emphasised the importance of these new solutions, stated:

"Although many mayors have included renewable energy projects in their plans, the challenge lies in implementing these projects. The voluntary commitment undertaken through the Covenant of Mayors is to reduce energy consumption at the local level by at least 30% by 2030, and now is the time to translate commitments into actions."

Mayors showed enthusiasm for the potential of Miscanthus. Igor Hîncu, the mayor of Volontir village, highlighted the ecological benefits, stating that implementing this method would help address multiple environmental issues, including the energy crisis.

Miscanthus, a perennial grass originating from Asia, offers numerous advantages. Its reproduction through rhizomes eliminates the need for seed production, and once planted, it remains in the soil for up to 25 years, requiring minimal annual costs. Additionally, Miscanthus demonstrates adaptability to soils unsuitable for other crops and contributes to carbon capture and soil regeneration.

The visit to the Miscanthus plantation concluded two days of training dedicated to the implementation of Local Action Plans on Sustainable Energy and Climate (in the field of renewable energy use), organised by the EU project Covenant of Mayors-East. During the training, 25 representatives of local public authorities learned about the technical aspects of renewable energy projects and the best available practices to properly utilize resources in the planning and implementation stages. They also learned about funding opportunities offered by various sources, including the European Union through the Covenant of MayorsDemonstration Projects.

Over 600 pupils and teachers of ‘Constantin Spataru’ Lyceum in Leova benefit from modern study and work conditions

On 20 May 2023, as part of Europe Day festivities in Leova – students and their parents, teachers, the European Union and German Ambassadors, and many other guests celebrated the inauguration of the renovated ‘Constantin Spataru’ Lyceum building.

Thanks to EU-funded investments in solar panels, improved thermal insulation, new windows, improved heating and ventilation systems, the lyceum will now consume only one third of the energy previously used.

Igor Grosu, Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova:

„The European Union means beautiful schools, it means bridges, it means everything we see as beautiful, roads, renovations, that's the European Union. The European Union also means something that is intangible, but very important, and that is peace. It means respect for people, freedom to speak your mind, to live freely, to fulfil your potential. This is what we want, not just to have beautiful roads and schools, but to be able to realise our own dreams.”

Jānis Mažeiks, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova:

„I am glad that, thanks to the financial support of the European Union for the renovation of Constantin Spătaru Lyceum in Leova, students and teachers will have a better learning environment. This is a significant achievement because investing in youth means investing in a better future for the Republic of Moldova. The European Union has contributed almost forty million euros (40 million euros) to support access to local public services for the citizens of the Republic of Moldova. In this respect, the renovation of Constantin Spătaru Lyceum serves as an outstanding example of how we can save energy through investments in solar panels, improved insulation, new windows and better heating and ventilation."

and efficient cooperation between the EU, Germany and Moldova, together with the local regional development structures. The project has been accompanied by capacity development and energy management measures supported by the German Government. I am sure that it will help to create a better and beneficial environment for generations of students.”

Margret Uebber, German Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova:

„I am happy we can inaugurate the ‘Constantin Spataru’ Lyceum, which has been renovated under the EU-funded Energy Efficiency project, on this special day when we celebrate Europe Day in

‘Constantin Spataru’ Theoretical Lyceum was renovated and improved its energy efficiency following 15 investment measures. The total value of the project is around 62.28 million lei, of which 60.48 million lei is EU funding and 1.8 million lei - co-financing from the Leova Rayon Council and Leova City Hall. The investment measure „Increasing Energy Efficiency of ‘Constantin Spataru’ Theoretical Lyceum in the town of Leova” is funded by the European Union and implemented by South RDA under the „Construction of water supply and sanitation infrastructure as well as energy efficiency in public buildings” project. The project is funded by the European Union and implemented by the German Development Cooperation through GIZ (Moldova) in partnership with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development. The total budget of the project

The EIB/EBRD-EU-funded Moldova Energy Efficiency Project (MEEP) aims to improve energy efficiency of public buildings throughout Moldova, with a total budget of 72,4 million euros for renovations.

Ten Republican hospitals from the Republic of Moldova will be improved from the energy efficiency perspective. As a result, about 40% less energy will be used, which will allow savings of around 2,8 million euros per year. Around one million patients and ten thousand employees will benefit from modern facilities. Nine hospitals to be refurbished during the project are in Chișinău and one - in Bălți. A first set of pilot projects has been identified and energy audits have been finalized for 16 buildings of the:

» Bălți Clinical Hospital (Main Block and Pediatric Block);

» Cardiology Institute (Main Block);

» Emergency Medicine Institute (Block 1, Block 2 and Block 3);

» Mother & Child Institute (Maternity Block and Polyclinic);

» Neurology and Neurosurgery Institute (Block 2);

» Oncological Institute (Main Block);

» Psychiatry Clinical Hospital (Main Block and Children Unit);

» Republican Clinical Hospital (Main Block);

» Republican Diagnostics Centre/ Phthisiopneumology Institute (Main Block and Laboratory).

Besides the energy savings, also ventilation systems will be installed and other internal improvements carried out at the hospital buildings, resulting in improve d service delivery for the one million patients per year served by these hospitals. Also, PV panels with a total capacity of 1126 kW will be installed at the roof of 15 of the buildings. These will produce an expected 1,36 million kWh per year, meaning that the Republic of Moldova will reduce its dependence on energy imports.

The energy savings will further reduce CO2 emissions by 6600 tons per year. This is as much CO2 as emitted by 26,4 million kilometers of car travel. The next step for the project is the procurement and carrying out of Technical Design for the 16 buildings.

The project is implemented by the Moldova Energy Project Implementation Unit (MEPIU) in cooperation with the Energy Efficiency Agency, both under auspices of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Moldova.

Ten Republican hospitals from the Republic of Moldova will be improved from the energy efficiency perspective with the EU support

ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE

European green transition initiatives promoted in the northern capital, Bălți

At the end of May, the team of the EU project "Covenant of Mayors - East" participated in the forum "Green Transition, Bălți - a City for People," where strategies and solutions for transforming the city of Bălți into a green, ecological, and innovative Centre by 2030 were discussed.

The forum brought together high-level officials, state secretaries from the Ministries of Energy and Environment, local authorities, civil society, educational institutions and experts involved in creating a sustainable future for the city of Bălți.

One of the highlights of the event was the informative workshop focused on the initiatives and achievements of the Covenant of Mayors, providing a platform for the exchange of knowledge and information on joint efforts in the fight against climate change and the reduction of traditional energy resource consumption. Thanks to the CoM-East Project it was possible to attend the exhibition of innovative technologies used for the implementation of projects in the field of renewable energy.

Additionally, a workshop was dedicated to highlighting the achievements of the "Green School" project. This educational initiative had a crucial impact on educating and raising awareness among students, teachers, and the community in general, regarding sustainable practices among the 12 participating schools.

The forum "Green Transition, Bălți - a City for People" demonstrated the commitment and determination of the local community, authorities, and experts to make Bălți an example of sustainable development.

EU4Environment Green Economy is providing support to the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization in the development of the Programme on the Promotion of Green and Circular Economy in the Republic of Moldova for the period of 2023-2027.

Green economy – economic activity based on the concept of sustainable development, the use of renewable natural resources, reducing the consumption of hydrocarbons, one of the important objectives being the protection of the environment. Other objectives are water and waste management, as well as territorial management (organic farming, habitat conservation, afforestation, etc.)

second cycle is the technical one, where the components are used very efficiently and do not enter the biosphere.

The granting by the European Council of the status of candidate country to the Republic of Moldova for accession to the European Union (EU) in June 2022 provided, among other things, access to an extensive international market for Moldovan producers, sustainable development, attractiveness for foreign investors, assistance and support for the implementation of reforms in key areas, direct access to European Programmes. This accession transition requires the development of public policy documents aligned with the European Green Deal, building on Moldova's previous commitments to the green economy promotion.

The purpose of the Programme is to promote the implementation of green economy principles and the adoption of the circular economy principles in the Republic of Moldova in harmony with economic development and social well-being.

Circular economy – a generic term used for an industrial economy that is created with the purpose of being restorative and in which the cycle of materials is of two kinds: the biological cycle, where processes act in such a way that the components re-enter the biosphere without negative effects; the

The programme is a medium-term public policy document (5 years), which derives from the National Development Strategy "European Moldova 2030", the draft Environmental Strategy 2030, the objectives of the European Green Deal and the achievements of the Programme on the promotion of Green Economy in the Republic of Moldova for the years 2018-2020 and associated Action Plan. The development of the Programme is coordinated by the Interministerial Working Group for the promotion of the green and circular economy.

The Programme under development will put forward a number of objectives, measures and targets to be achieved, taking into account the cross-cutting policy framework and documents. At the same time, ensuring alignment with the objectives and priorities

Aligning to the EU Green Deal objectives: Programme on the promotion of Green and Circular Economy in the Republic of Moldova for the period 2023-2027

of the NDS for the development of the country in the medium and long term, reflecting the strategic direction of the Republic of Moldova towards a sustainable development through economic growth, social development, green job creation and care for the environment.

The development of the Programme and the activities of the Working Group are supported by the EU-funded EU4Environment Green Economy programme, as part of its component on "Promoting green economy, policy coherence and cross-sectoral coordination", which is implemented by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

Improving the quality control of Strategic Environmental Assessment and Environmental Impact Assessment documentation

A training workshop on the Quality Control of Strategic Environmental Assessment (ESM) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) documentation in the Republic of Moldova was held within the framework of EU4Environment

Within the framework of the European Union-funded EU4Environment programme (2019- 2023), UNECE is assisting the Eastern Partnership countries, including the Republic of Moldova, in comprehensive capacity-building and institutional building on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and transboundary Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and in finalising legal reforms in this area.

The effectiveness and efficiency of the application of SEA and EIA in Moldova needs to be further improved, and the relevant Law amendments that will enter into force in October 2023 for SEA and in November 2023 for EIA are expected to improve conditions for the development of a sound practice and strengthening of the overall institutional capacities for environmental assessment application.

Among the relevant changes applicable as of October-November 2023 is also a component related to the Quality Control of both SEA and EIA (including in a transboundary context). For that purpose, the Ministry of Environment of Republic of Moldova requested support from the UNECE to elaborate two Guidelines. The Guidelines will provide assistance to those performing the control of quality for the EIA documentation and for the SEA documentation respectively, as well as serving as a guiding tool for the initiators and other stakeholders participating in the EIA and SEA processes. Currently, the draft Guidelines for Quality Control of SEA and EIA are in the process of finalization. The workshop therefore served as a platform for the discussion on most significant issues related to the effectiveness of the EIA and SEA processes, as well as for the training for the practical application of the envisaged quality control mechanism including use of the newly developed Guidelines. The workshop was facilitated by experts/consultants to UNECE.

Picture: https://gef.eu/event/save-the-date-greentransition-for-europe-madrid/

Advancing the Emerald Network in Moldova with EU support

On 28 April 2023, the first information workshop on the development prospects of the Emerald Network in Moldova: policies and legal aspects was organised. The workshop was conducted as part of the WB action under the EU4Environment Programme in partnership with the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Moldova.

The event brought together specialists, stakeholders, and authorities from state institutions, academia, research institutions, NGOs, and protected area management. The objective was to discuss the necessary steps to enhance the protection and conservation of habitats and species within Emerald sites, with a specific focus on developing standardised Management Plans for all sites. Given the amendments to the Law on

the Emerald Network in 2022, the workshop facilitated discussions on various aspects, including the creation of a national register for the Emerald Network, the establishment of a monitoring system for assessing the conservation status of species and habitats within the network, the reporting process, and the development of network management plans.

The Emerald network – is an ecological network made up of special conservation areas, being a component of the national ecological network, representing the

extension in non-member countries of the European Union of the coherent European ecological network of special conservation areas "NATURA 2000".

During the meeting, the evaluation of the existing legal and policy framework was presented, and certain shortcomings were identified. Consequently, the workshop addressed the establishment, management, and protection of the Emerald Network in the Republic of Moldova. The first draft of the roadmap and proposed actions to improve the management and protection of the Emerald Network was presented.

Additionally, the participants discussed the initial draft of the methodology for developing Emerald Management Plans in the Republic of Moldova. This draft was formulated based on the opinions gathered from relevant institutions, encompassing all aspects of institutional management, conservation, and protection.

The EU and the Republic of Moldova review progress in the water sector

On 25 April 2023, national and local authorities, academic and NGO communities, and Moldova’s international partners

reviewed progress and discussed priorities in the water sector in the frame of the 7th meeting of the National Policy Dialogue.

On its path to EU accession, Moldova needs to prepare for putting in practice EU objectives in this sector. This includes, for example, halting the deterioration of surface and groundwater and achieving their good status. Alignment with EU water legislation requires increased knowledge, integrated water management and transboundary cooperation, and water management based on sound economics and transparency. Besides policy measures, investments are needed to reduce pollution from agriculture and industrial and municipal wastewater.

Also, measures to adapt the water sector to climate change are high on the agenda. Chaired by the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Moldova, the discussion built upon the commitments made in conjunction with the Water Action Agenda, which is a key outcome of the UN 2023 Water Conference, and aims at addressing the global water crisis. The review of progress and discussion of priorities happened against the background of the first-ever contributions of the Republic of Moldova to the European Commission's enlargement report.

Iordanca-Rodica Iordanov, Minister of Environment of the Republic of Moldova said:

“The European Union is a trusted partner of the Republic of Moldova. The progress that Moldova made in water management is largely due to our long-standing partnership in this area. It enabled us to improve water legislation and management practices. EU support is critical for modernizing water infrastructure. As an EU candidate country, we aim at scaling up our ambition and speed up our efforts to ensure clean water for all, strengthen institutions, restore rivers, lakes, and ecosystems, improve water monitoring, and engage in effective cross-border cooperation. We count on EU support along this path.”

Adam Grodzicki, Deputy Head of Cooperation Section EU Delegation to Moldova said:

“Water is critical for the health of people and ecosystems alike. It plays a significant role for our economies. As pressures on water quality and quantity are mounting, we need to take action and look for innovative solutions. This is particularly important in the context of climate change. Based on shared commitments, the European Union and its Member States will continue supporting Moldova’s water sector to make it better fit for modern challenges and people’s needs.”

The National Policy Dialog in the Republic of Moldova was organised with support of the

EU4Environment Water&Data Programme.

Better waste management for residents of Edineț, Strășeni and Leova districts

The "EU4Moldova: Local Communities" programme has supported the Ministry of the Environment in the development of the Methodological Guide for the Development of Local Waste Management Programs (PLGD) and in carrying out three rounds of public consultations focused on it. Through these consultations, local public authorities (LPA), service operators, and community members from Edineț, Strășeni, and Leova districts gained knowledge on strategic waste management planning at the local level.

The guide is set to help local authorities and service operators to strategically plan and follow methods of waste reduction, promotion of recycling, improvement of waste collection systems, waste disposal and investment planning. Implementation of these guidelines will improve waste management infrastructure and services for these communities.

The consultations also involved discussions on the methodology used to determine tariffs for public municipal waste management services, a topic that garnered significant interest from the participants.

An important outcome of the meetings was the commitment to cooperation among participants in delivering high-quality and accessible waste management services to the population. This collaborative approach shows the dedication of local authorities and community members to improve waste management practices and infrastructure. These efforts are expected to contribute to a cleaner and healthier environment, ultimately enhancing the quality of life in these communities.

The "EU4Moldova: Local Communities" programme, led by Team Europe, is driving these positive changes. Running until 2025,

the initiative aims to enhance the quality of life in Edineț, Strășeni, and Leova districts, with waste management being a crucial aspect of sustainable development.

The events took place within the "EU4Moldova: Local Communities" programme, financed by the European Union, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland – Polish aid; and jointly implemented by the German Development Cooperation through GIZ, the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and the Solidarity Fund PL (SFPL) in Moldova.

RESILIENT DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

EU and Team Europe provide grants for digital transformation of the businesses and public institutions in the south of Moldova

the south of the country the opportunity to access valuable grants to support digital

With a total budget of 3,900,000 lei for this phase of the program, Digital Impact represents a valuable opportunity

Startup Moldova announces the launch for businesses and institutions in the Cahul region and aims to accelerate the development and modernization of the

public and private sector by promoting the testing and expansion of products, services and solutions innovative in the south of the country. Through this program, Startup Moldova and its partners are committed to

grant funding for projects with significant impact potential in key areas such as tourism, agriculture, logistics, governance and trade, but also in other areas which presents solid evidence of the impact of the

and the applicant must ensure co-financing of at least 20% of the total budget. To obtain funding, private entities carrying out entrepreneurial activities in the Cahul region, including Cahul, Leova, Taraclia and Cantemir districts, or groups of co-applicants that may include public institutions, organisations, associations or other legal entities, must complete the procedure of application.

The evaluation of the projects will be carried out according to their quality and relevance for the Cahul region, as well as the amount requested. Grants awarded can reach up to 780 thousand lei and are non-refundable, thus providing valuable financial support for the implementation of digital transformation projects.

Digital Impact is an innovative program that aims to promote and develop the digital ecosystem in the south of the country. By awarding grants, the program aims to make a significant impact in the digital sector and contribute to the economic growth and sustainable development of the Cahul region.

Digital Impact is a program carried out by Startup Moldova as part of the EU4Moldova: Startup City Cahul project, financed by the European Union in partnership with Sweden and implemented by the National Association of ICT Companies (ATIC).

Six digital laboratories were inaugurated by EU4Moldova: Startup City Cahul in schools in the south of Moldova

On 16 May, EU4Moldova: Startup City Cahul inaugurated six digital laboratories in the south of the country within the Europe Day celebration. The newly equipped laboratories

a digitalized world. One of the laboratories can be found on the premises of “Mihai Eminescu” Gymnasium from Cantemir, which hosted the second edition of the

"With the help of modern technologies and the friendly environment created within the school premises, students and teachers manage to develop both their problemsolving skills and abstract thinking. The digital labs are meant to prepare students for the professions of the future. Such projects will create possibilities for the sustainable development of society from now on, as well as a freer path towards gender equality,"

said Katarina Fried, Ambassador of Sweden to the Republic of Moldova.

The inaugural event included the presentations of projects with social impact, developed by students and teachers in the digital laboratory, after studying the professions of the future under the "Tekwill in Every School" brand.

Adam Grodzicki, Deputy Head of the Cooperation section of the European Union Delegation, congratulated the teachers, students and representatives of local public authorities for the effort put into equipping this digital laboratory:

"Thanks to this effort and commitment we can admire a well-developed, modern equipped laboratory that will certainly allow you to be prepared to embrace the professions of the future."

The initiative has three main goals: implementing innovations in education in schools throughout the country; setting up the spaces necessary for more than 10,000 students to develop their skills useful for the professions of the future and to practice in the region, at home; the possibility of using digital equipment for those who do not have it at home, in the development of IT skills. Digital labs provide a safe and modern environment where students can learn and experiment with digital technology to develop the skills needed for an increasingly digitized job market.

"Currently, the devices in the computer room are outdated, there teachers cannot use applications such as Canva or Padlet. Here it will be completely different. First, new devices will allow different applications, platforms. New electives such as web development and design, emotional intelligence, graphic design are already being studied,"

said Ecaterina Enciu, director of the Mihai Eminescu High School, from Cantemir.

The "Digital Laboratories" project in the Cahul area was developed with the financial assistance of the European Union in

partnership with Sweden, implemented by the National Association of ICT Companies (ATIC).

Innovation, education and entrepreneurship

meet at EU Innovation Centre Cahul - Inotek, launched during Europe Day

On 17 May, the launch of the InotekCahul EU Innovation Centre took place, an innovation Centre that comes with countless opportunities for the development and valorisation of human capital in the region, as well as supporting local SMEs and startups.

It includes 295 square meters of renovated spaces within the "Bogdan Petriceicu Hașdeu" State University in Cahul, five rooms, all adapted to activities that increase creativity, inclusion and equitable access to development opportunities for boys and girls.

"We are at a long-awaited first step and we have high hopes for it. It will change the image of Cahul, of the region, and maybe from here the digitization of the Republic of Moldova will start. At the same time, I hope that our country will become a digitization hub of Eastern Europe. We want to attract as many students as possible in the IT field, we want to digitize the processes in our university,"

said Sergiu Cornea, rector of the "Bogdan Petriceicu Hașdeu" State University in Cahul.

Created as part of the EU4Moldova: Startup City Cahul project, in partnership with the "Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu" State University in Cahul, Inotek will be a modern and friendly space that will provide access to the latest technologies and digital tools, as well as programs of appropriate training and instruction.

"I am happy to be present at the launch of the Inotek – Cahul EU Innovation Centre. It is a piece of a puzzle that the colleagues from the EU and Sweden Delegation, together with local partners ATIC, the Municipality of Cahul and the State University "Bogdan Petriceicu Hașdeu" from Cahul, created to respond to the needs of the people Republic of Moldova, to stimulate innovation, to increase talents and to develop startups," said Jānis Mažeiks, the Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova.

The Inotek Innovation Centre will be a meeting place for young innovators, entrepreneurs and specialists in the field of information and communication technology. The headquarters of the Centre will be equipped with modern equipment and adapted to the current conditions in the field of education and entrepreneurship.

EU Innovation Centre Cahul - Inotek will be managed by the "EU4Moldova: Startup City Cahul" project team and later by the Inotek Foundation, which will set up economic development projects in the Southern region. These projects will aim to support economic development through innovation and entrepreneurship, create new jobs and improve the quality of life in the community.

The Inotek Centre was launched in partnership with the "Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu" State University in Cahul by

EU4Moldova: Startup City Cahul, a project implemented by ATIC and financed by the European Union through the Swedish Embassy.

During Europe Day in Cahul, a series of events took place in the south of the country, which promoted innovation and educational

development in Cahul. Among them were Tech Career Expo Cahul and EdTech Moldova Forum II edition.

At the EdTech Moldova Forum, the opportunities of the new technological era were discovered. The Corinth Library was presented at the forum, which offers access to a wide range of digital resources, tools and services to improve the teaching-learning process. The benefits of Microsoft Office 365 for education and its functionalities were presented. At the same time, new creative ways were discovered to integrate STEAM products into the teaching-learning process.

Also, within the EdTech Moldova Forum 2023, the challenges/opportunities presented by Artificial Intelligence and how it can be used to improve education and develop the educational potential of pupils and students

were also addressed.

In light of the significant changes in the technological field, education has had to adapt by aligning study programs to the needs of the labour market. To succeed in this transformation, it was necessary to train teachers and equip students with the necessary skills to face the challenges of the future.

The conference took place within the "EU4Moldova: Startup City Cahul" project, implemented by ATIC, with the financial assistance of the European Union, in partnership with Sweden.

Tech Career Expo Cahul hosted representatives of seven technology and

Global leaders and the local community connected for the digital transformation of education and the creation of new opportunities in the IT industry during Europe Day in Cahul

telecommunications companies, who shared their experience on current career paths, internships, cutting-edge technologies,

market demand for IT skills and knowledge, and provided recommendations for building a successful career in ICT.

Catarina Nilsson, program manager at the Swedish Embassy in Moldova, was impressed by the results of the projects implemented in the south of the country and hopes that they can be taken over by other regions.

"We will always follow what works, what is successful, and we could adopt similar projects in other regions or adapt them to local needs, according to the needs of local authorities, based on the situation and analysis. I see a lot of good results and I also see a lot of capacity at the organisational level."

The events dedicated to the Europe Days in Moldova were organised within the EU4Moldova project: Startup City Cahul, implemented by ATIC, with the financial assistance of the European Union, in

partnership with the Swedish Embassy, UNDP Moldova, the Swiss Embassy and the OPTIM project, USAID, Cahul City Hall and "Bogdan Petriceicu Hașdeu" State University from Cahul.

EU4Digital and INATBA event supports Eastern Partnership blockchain development and international cooperation

EU4Digital ICT Innovation hosted an online networking event on 30 March 2023 to support the development of a blockchain ecosystem in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) region. Blockchain associations, industry players, key innovation ecosystem actors and

EaP government representatives discussed opportunities to join and cooperate with the International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications (INATBA) and its leading partnerships.

More than 50 participants represented around 30 EaP organisations, including the central banks involved in the development of a regulatory framework; blockchain associations; IT business associations including FinTech businesses; start-ups and industry players in the area of blockchain and other distributed ledger technologies (DLTs); educational community organisations with a blockchain focus, as well as ministerial-level representatives and agencies coordinating the development of innovation ecosystems in the Eastern partner countries.

The ultimate goal of the event was to support the integration of EaP blockchain associations and policymakers into the community of thought leaders and similar EU organisations, which could foster a positive change in the regulation and development of

an innovation-friendly blockchain ecosystem in the Eastern partner countries.

Diving into the blockchain ecosystem

Rūta Šalvytė-Tamošiūnienė, EU4Digital Facility Deputy Team Leader, opened by explaining the event’s aims and by introducing the EU4Digital programme.

Margherita Leder, Member of the Board of Directors of INATBA, then prepared the audience to dive into the rich environment of INATBA and its global activity.

INATBA was launched to create the environment where blockchain solutions can flourish.

Live discussion with EaP invitees was a feature of the event. This covered many practical issues raised by the participating companies, regulators and associations.

Responding to a question about interesting cases for blockchain solutions in the regulatory area, Tonia Damvakeraki advised all participants to familiarise themselves with the European blockchain regulatory sandbox for Distributed Ledger Technologies.

This contains key information regarding the European Blockchain Services Infrastructure, innovative cross-border public sector blockchain services and opportunities for developers.

Further information: EU4Digital and INATBA event supports Eastern Partnership blockchain development and international cooperation - EU4Digital (eufordigital.eu)

EU4Digital eHealth Network shares eHealth strategy development knowledge

The EU4Digital eHealth stream held a virtual event on eHealth strategy and cross-border eHealth service piloting on 27 April 2023. It was the first virtual meeting in a series of collaboration events planned for this year, setting the ground for meaningful collaboration towards eHealth development in Eastern partner countries.

A core highlight of the event were presentations from the five participating Eastern partner countries about their key developments, priorities and challenges within the topic of eHealth.

Moldova is about to start its new eHealth programme, covering the next couple of years.

Experts also shared their knowledge of eHealth strategy development during the event. EU4Digital eHealth expert Henrique Martins MD, PhD, is Associate Professor at ISCTE – University Institute of Lisbon. He gave a presentation in which he stressed the value of comprehensive eHealth vision, middle level management involvement, and attention to sub-strategies as key take-aways in regards to National eHealth Strategy development. This was followed by Carole Rouaud, Policy Officer with the European Commission, DG Health and Food Safety (SANTE). She introduced MyHealth@EU, the electronic cross-border health service in

the EU. She shared an overview of ongoing cross-border eHealth services projects and pilots across EU Member States and introduced the European Health Data space (EHDS).

The event concluded with the EU4Digital team introducing an upcoming eHealth session, for cross-border pilot ideation with the Eastern partner countries. The main topics discussed regarding cross-border eHealth piloting were around patient summary and ePrescription services – focusing on practical aspects when people travel to foreign countries. Two different modes of the Express Lab concept were presented, in which foreigners can receive quick blood tests that would either be interpreted locally or by their home-country doctor via crossborder telemedicine services. ePrescription would then be issued correspondingly. Teams of Eastern partner countries will continue the ideation work in the lead up to the cross-border pilot ideation session in June.

Eastern partner countries review eID and trust services at eTrust Network event

Recent developments and upcoming activities in the area of electronic identification (eID) and trust services were the topics of a virtual eTrust Network event on 3 May 2023. The EU4Digital Facility organised the event to focus on eTrust and Cross-border Digital Services activities in the Eastern partner countries. Representatives from Armenia, Georgia, Republic of Moldova, Azerbaijan and Ukraine joined the event to review progress and plans.

The event served as a space for the Eastern partner countries to share their recent developments in eID and trust services.

Relating to the eID and trust services topic, Vicente Andreu Navarro, the European Commission representative of DG CNECT, presented upcoming changes to eIDAS Regulation and the European Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet. The EUDI Wallet aims to promote trusted digital identities for all Europeans, enabling users to have control of their online interactions and presence.

In alignment with these efforts, the EU4Digital Facility seeks to enable secure and mutually recognised eID and trust services in the Eastern partner countries. EU4Digital supports the process of drafting mutual recognition agreements between

Eastern partner countries, based on the eTrust framework and eIDAS principles. Also, pilots will be launched to test crossborder authentication between participating countries. The pilot initiative will allow testing of operational readiness, compatibility and the use of eID in specific areas before widespread adoption, while also identifying potential breakthrough areas for eID and electronic service implementation. The EU4Digital Facility remains committed to supporting the Eastern partner countries in their pursuit of secure and mutually recognised eID and trust services.

Further information: Eastern partner countries review eID and trust services at eTrust Network event - EU4Digital (eufordigital.eu)

Telecom operators in EU and Moldova to reduce roaming tariffs from 2024

Telecoms operators from the European Union and the Republic of Moldova have signed a joint declaration, to lower roaming charges for businesses and citizens travelling between the two areas. The European Commission and Moldovan authorities facilitated the voluntary declaration, published on 31 May 2023, reflecting the shared goal to ensure a long-term roaming arrangement and bring Moldova closer to the EU Single Market. The EU supports this process and Moldova’s integration into the EU roaming regime through the EU4Digital Initiative.

The joint declaration will ensure lower roaming tariffs between the EU, the European Economic Area (EEA) and the Republic of Moldova in the short term. As a result, citizens and businesses in the EU Member States, the EEA and the Republic of Moldova will be able to travel across borders while staying connected at affordable rates. This means they will soon enjoy lower charges on their calls, data and texts. They will be able to stay in touch with friends and family more easily, and businesses will also benefit from reduced costs.

The European Union’s EU4Digital Initiative has been supporting efforts to achieve a secure and sustainable digital and telecommunications infrastructure across the countries in the Eastern Partnership since 2019, noted Andrejs Dombrovskis, EU4Digital Telecom Rules Stream Leader. He was delighted at the news of the joint declaration.

Signatories of the declaration agreed to a number of common goals, which citizens will begin to benefit from as of 1 January 2024. They commit to, among other things:

» Providing affordable retail roaming offers for those travelling between the EU/EEA and the Republic of Moldova;

» Agreeing an upper retail price-cap, to be announced by 1 October 2023;

» Assessing a wholesale roaming cap for the provision of roaming services at or below the agreed retail cap;

» Renegotiating wholesale roaming agreements, where required, to take into account the reduction of international termination rates and enable the provision of roaming services at or below the agreed retail cap;

» Ensuring that retail offers are available to the widest number of end users.

The declaration will apply until 31 December 2025 and could be renewed after that date. The declaration is voluntary and remains open for EU/EEA and Moldovan operators who wish to sign at any time. Among the first signatories on the EU side are Orange group, DT group and Telefonica group, covering several Member States in the EU. On the Moldovan side, signatures include Orange Moldova, Moldtelecom and Moldcell. Further information:

» Summary and download of Joint Declaration from EU and Moldovan telecom operators.

» News from the European Commission, including further background and quotes.

This newsletter is produced within the framework of the project “Visibility of EU and EU assistance in 2023 in the Republic of Moldova”. The project is funded by the European Union and implemented by the Particip GmbH.

Contact data:

The European Union Delegation to the Republic of Moldova: Delegation-Moldova@eeas.europa.eu

Editorial team:

Svetlana Japalau, Team Leader, Particip GmbH svetlana.japalau@particip.com

Natalia Butnaru, Key Expert, Particip GmbH natalia.butnaru@particip.com

The content of this publication is the exclusive responsibility of the Particip GmbH and the editorial team, and it does not in any way reflect the official opinion of the European Union.