Position of the Civic Movement on the Regulation on the Harmonisation of the Legislation of the Republic of Moldova with the Legislation of the European Union
HARMONISATION WITH EU LEGISLATION MUST WORK IN PRACTICE, NOT ONLY ON PAPER
The Republic of Moldova is advancing on its path towards accession to the European Union, and the harmonisation of legislation is one of the most important and complex stages of this process.
But the objective cannot simply be to tick off as many harmonised legal acts as possible.
On the day of accession, citizens must clearly know which rules apply, businesses must not face conflicting requirements, and public institutions must know exactly who decides, who supervises and which procedures must be followed.
The Civic Movement “Building Trust” has analysed the new Regulation on the harmonisation of the legislation of the Republic of Moldova with European Union law and draws attention to a number of risks that need to be addressed in advance.
Over the past several years, the Republic of Moldova has already harmonised hundreds of legal acts. This is precisely why changing the mechanism itself must also be accompanied by a review of the legislation that has already been harmonised.
Why does this matter?
🔹 To prevent situations in which, after accession, an EU rule and a different national copy remain in force in parallel.
🔹 To ensure that responsible institutions, control mechanisms, sanctions and procedures are ready from day one.
🔹 To ensure that national legislation remains aligned with the continuous evolution of EU law.
🔹 To identify in advance the areas in which the Republic of Moldova may need transition periods or negotiated adaptations.
This last point is particularly important for the economy.
A farmer or a business may need significant investment to comply with new standards: new equipment, infrastructure, adapted production facilities, traceability systems, certification or control procedures.
If such needs are not identified and negotiated before accession negotiations are concluded, economic operators may discover too late that they are expected to comply immediately with requirements for which they have not had sufficient time or resources to prepare.
The cost of institutional omissions today must not be transferred tomorrow to farmers, entrepreneurs and citizens.
We call on the Government and the State Chancellery to ensure:
✅ a clear central register of harmonised legislation and a review of the existing stock of legal acts;
✅ institutional responsibility and traceability for each legal act;
✅ continuity of rules and procedures on the day of accession;
✅ a clear link between each European obligation and the corresponding national measure;
✅ timely identification and negotiation of necessary transition periods;
✅ a realistic capacity plan covering staff, training, coordination and the tools required for implementation.
Accession must be prepared for people, not only for reports.
European integration is not a race for speed, nor a competition to tick off the largest possible number of harmonised legal acts.
The objective must be more ambitious: the Republic of Moldova, its citizens and its businesses must be able to succeed in the European Union from the very first day of accession.
Civic Movement “Building Trust”