The European Union and Moldova beyond the PCA

Summary, in English

The preamble to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and Moldova appears to acknowledge implicitly that the latter party has significant problems in maintaining its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, which might threaten European peace and stability. These problems, combined with Moldova's small size, economic underdevelopment and geographical distance from western Europe, make it easy to understand why the European Union has had relatively little success in formulating a policy of any dimension towards the Republic of Moldova. It could even be said that a lack of policy towards Moldova has been a good approach to take in order to lessen the likelihood of tension between pro-Western, pro-Russian, and pro-Romanian forces within the country. This paper does not take the position that a lack of policy is a good approach, but it does warn that new policy formulations towards Moldova may not be intrinsically good, and will carry some risk. Given the current condition of Moldovan political and economic affairs this paper cannot suggest simple solutions which are easily recommended. Any policy ecommendations will have to be analysed and adopted with care and caution regarding the internal and external tensions of the Moldovan situation.

• Author: Ian Manners
• Editor: Leilah Bruton
• Publishing year: 1999
• Language: English
• Full text: - 243 kB; Download statistics
• Document type: Report
• Publisher: Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik
• Topic: Political Science
• Keywords: European Union; Moldova; Partnership and Cooperation Agreement
• Status: Published