The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said over 73% of the measures of the national plan of action for implementing the Moldova-EU Association Agreement were carried out. The rate of harmonization of the national legislation with the Community acquis is 34%, IPN reports.

During three years of implementation of the plan, the political dialogue between Moldova and the EU saw periods of maximum intensity, but also of slowdowns owing to the political instability. In 2016, the efforts centered on the stimulation of dialogue and contacts with the EU institutions and member states.

The authors of the document said that even if only two of the nine articles of the Association Agreement could be implemented de jure before the Association Agreement fully took effect on July 1, 2016, Moldova made effort to implement all the nine articles. During the first two years of implementation of the accord, small steps were taken to reform the public administration, but the reformation actions became more visible in 2016.

The measures planned in trade were 63% implemented. Thus, 329 measures of the 522 planned for 2014-2016 were carried out.

As regards the financial assistance, the EU continued to support Moldova through programs of assistance in achieving the set objectives and fulfilling the assumed commitments. The assistance priorities for 2014-2017 were negotiated and set out in a Memorandum of Understanding in 2014. This envisions that €350-410 million will be provided to Moldova in financial support mainly for supporting the public administration reform, rural development and agriculture, police reform and border management.

The assistance offered by the EU to Moldova in 2014 increased to about €130 million, being the highest coefficient per capita among the EaP countries. In 2015 this indicator declined to under €60 million following the suspension by the EU of the budget support programs. In 2016, concerted effort was made to unblock the assistance offered to the EU. In December 2016, there were received six tranches for four programs to the total value of €45.3 million.