For Moldova, the signing of the Association Agreement and the DCFTA with the European Union in 2014 was an act of strategic geopolitical significance. Of all the EU’s eastern neighbours, Moldova is objectively the most European on several counts, including sharing a common history, language, culture and border with EU member state Romania. These provide a positive foundation for a successful Agreement, notwithstanding the major political challenges that confront contemporary Moldova. The purpose of this Handbook is to make the complex political, economic and legal content of the Association Agreement readily understandable. This third edition, published seven years since signature of after entry into force of the Agreement’s implementation is substantially new in content, both updating how Moldova has been implementing the Agreement, and introducing new dimensions (including the Green Deal, the Covid-19 pandemic, cyber security, and gender equality). The Handbook is also up to date in analysing Moldova’s dramatic political swings between the recent pro-Russian and new pro-European presidencies. Two teams of researchers from leading independent think tanks, CEPS in Brussels and the Expert-Grup in Chişinău, collaborated on this project, with the support of the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida). This Handbook is one of a trilogy examining similar Association Agreements made by the EU with Ukraine and Georgia.

For Moldova, the signing of the Association Agreement and the DCFTA with the European Union in 2014 was an act of strategic geopolitical significance. Of all the EU’s eastern neighbours, Moldova is objectively the most European on several counts, including sharing a common history, language, culture and border with EU member state Romania. These provide a positive foundation for a successful Agreement, notwithstanding the major political challenges that confront contemporary Moldova. The purpose of this Handbook is to make the complex political, economic and legal content of the Association Agreement readily understandable. This second edition, published two years into the Agreement’s implementation, adds new value, charting Moldova’s progress in putting the Agreement into effect. Two teams of researchers from leading independent think tanks, CEPS in Brussels and the Expert-Grup in Chişinău, collaborated on this project, with the support of the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida). This Handbook is one of a trilogy examining similar Association Agreements made by the EU with Ukraine and Georgia.

Three former western Soviet republics - Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova - now find themselves torn between the European Union and the increasingly assertive Russia. This volume examines the foreign and domestic policies of these states with an eye to the lasting legacy of Russian domination and the growing attraction of Europe.

""This wide-ranging book, written by an international team of experts and practitioners, offers a comprehensive and indispensable analysis of this neglected land on the borders of old Russian and the new European Union."" --Ronald J Hill, Professor of Comparative Government, Trinity College, Dublin""This book brings together a variety of well-informed experts on relevant and complex fields that really matter in the relationship between Moldova and the EU. It is the first work to look back over more than a decade of independence and forward to Moldova s developing relations with the EU."" -- Dr Gordon Adam, MEP, Labour European Spokesman on Agriculture, Rural Affairs and EnergyMoldova is perhaps the least known country in the European part of what used to be the Soviet Union. Yet with EU enlargement it will become a near neighbor, whose future will influence not only the security environment around borders but also practical issues such as migration and drugs. ""The EU and Moldova"" aims to bring a better understanding of Moldova and its relations with the EU and the international community to a wider audience. It looks at a range of domestic issues including political structures, public opinion trends, the rule of law and human rights, ethical questions and prospects for economic reform. It considers the difficult issue of Transnistria, the breakaway region with close links to Russia and a Soviet-style administration. The book looks specifically at EU policy towards Moldova, and Moldovan attitudes to relations with the EU. It presents a wide range of viewpoints, enabling the reader to get a flavor of the current debate and to consider the policy options facing both sides. The contributorsinclude politicians and parliamentarians, officials, academics, practitioners and journalists.

Moldova: Arena of International Influences brings international perspective to Moldova's foreign relations since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Eighteen chapters analyze the policy toward Moldova of selected international actors: Belarus, Bulgaria, China, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the European Union, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the unrecognized breakaway state of Transnistria. For these international actors, Moldova functions as an arena of influences--a sphere of intersecting interests, activities and, occasionally, competition. For the first time, leading experts and practitioners from many of the countries engaged in Moldova are brought together in a common language. The result is a detailed map of the international political landscape in Moldova, a chronicle of the past two decades, and a forecast of the country's future.

Corruption and the perceived partiality of the justice system and state administration of Moldova have long frustrated efforts – both internal and external – to improve its domestic politics. It nevertheless remains an important partner for both the European Union and Russia, however its strategic positioning between these two powers have left its citizens stretched at times, even torn, in terms of national identity. Looking into recent domestic developments as well as the EU and Russia’s strategies towards Moldova in recent years, this study gives a brief overview of the European and Russian stakes held in Moldova and how its recent presidential election may change Moldova’s future geostrategic positioning. This study is part of the 2016-2017 HCSS StratMon.