What changed between the plenary report and the adopted text

Removed:DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

Added:P10_TA(2025)0022

Changed:on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishingEstablishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Republic of Moldova

Removed:(COM(2024)0469 – C100127/2024 – 2024/0258(COD))

Added:Committee on Foreign Affairs, Committee on Budgets

Added:PE766.648

Added:European Parliament legislative resolution of 11 March 2025 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Republic of Moldova (COM(2024)0469 – C10-0127/2024 – 2024/0258(COD))

5 unchanged paragraphs

(Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2024)0469),

– having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 212 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C100127/2024),

– having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Added:– having regard to the provisional agreement approved by the committees responsible under Rule 75(4) of its Rules of Procedure and the undertaking given by the Council representative by letter of 26 February 2025 to approve Parliament’s position, in accordance with Article 294(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

– having regard to Rule 60 of its Rules of Procedure,

Added:– having regard to the joint deliberations of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Budgets under Rule 59 of the Rules of Procedure,

5 unchanged paragraphs

– having regard to the opinions of the Committee on International Trade and the Committee on Budgetary Control,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Budgets (A10-0006/2025),

1. Adopts its position at first reading hereinafter set out;

2. Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal;

3. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments.

Change 1

Removed:AMENDMENTS BY THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT*

Added:P10_TC1-COD(2024)0258

Removed:to the Commission proposal

Added:Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 11 March 2025 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2025/… of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Republic of Moldova

Removed:---------------------------------------------------------

Added:(As an agreement was reached between Parliament and Council, Parliament's position corresponds to the final legislative act, Regulation (EU) 2025/535.)

Removed:2024/0258 (COD)

Removed:Proposal for a

Removed:REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

Removed:on establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Republic of Moldova

Removed:THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Removed:Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 212 thereof,

Removed:Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Removed:Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure,

Removed:Whereas:

Removed:(1) The Union is founded on the values referred to in Article 2 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU), which include democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights. Those values form part of the accession criteria established at the Copenhagen European Council in June 1993 (‘Copenhagen criteria’), which constitute the conditions of eligibility for the Union membership,

Removed:(2) The enlargement process is built on established criteria, fair and rigorous conditionality and the principle of own merits. A firm commitment to ‘fundamentals first’ approach, which requires a strong focus on the rule of law, fundamental rights, the functioning of democratic institutions and public administration reform, as well as on economic criteria, remains essential. Progress depends on implementation by the Republic of Moldova (hereinafer referred to as ‘Moldova’) of the necessary reforms to align with the Union acquis,

Removed:(3) Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine further showed that enlargement is a geo-strategic investment in peace, security and stability. The Union is fully and unequivocally committed to the Union membership perspective of Moldova. Moldova’s orientation and commitment towards the Union is a strong expression of its strategic choice and place in a community of values. Moldova’s EU path needs to be firmly anchored in tangible and concrete progress on reforms,

Removed:(4) It is in the common interest of the Union and Moldova to advance with the reforms its political, legal and economic systems with a view to its future Union membership and to support its accession process. The prospect of Union membership has a powerful transformative effect, embedding positive democratic, political, economic and societal change,

Removed:(5) It is necessary to bring forward some of the advantages of Union membership before accession. Economic convergence is at the heart of those benefits. Currently, the convergence of Moldova in terms of GDP per capita expressed in purchasing power standards remains low at 29% of the Union average and is not progressing fast enough,

Removed:(6) As accession negotiations with Moldova opened in June 2024, it is important that support to Moldova’s accession track is brought to levels that are comparable with other candidate countries engaged in accession negotiations and to ensure commensurate resources.

Removed:(7) The implementation of the Growth Plan for Moldova requires the appropriate funding under a dedicated new financing instrument, the Facility to assist the country in implementing reforms for sustainable economic growth and advance on the fundamentals.

Removed:(8) To achieve the goals of the Growth Plan for Moldova, emphasis with respect to investment areas should be placed on sectors that are likely to function as key multipliers for social and economic development: connectivity, infrastructure, including sustainable transport, decarbonisation, energy, green and digital transitions, agriculture and rural communities as well as education, labour market participation and skills development, with a particular focus on children and youth and on raising the standard of living throughout the country. Moldova’s diaspora should also be considered as an important contributor to Moldova’s social and economic development.

Removed:(9) The Facility should build on the Association Agenda with Moldova as well as the work of the Economic and Investment Plan for the Eastern Partnership in Moldova which spearheaded investments in critical sectors such as connectivity, energy efficiency and energy security, while avoiding stranded assets, business development, and competitiveness, recognising that the liberalisation of tariff-rate quotas for key Moldovan exports, facilitation of trade through infrastructure and regulatory alignment, and strengthening Moldova’s integration into Union-led economic initiatives and programs will contribute to Moldova’s integration into the Union single market and will deliver immediate and tangible socio-economic benefits.

Removed:(9a) Given Russia’s unjust war of aggression against Ukraine, which has profoundly impacted Moldova's security, economy, and citizens' livelihoods, as well as the ongoing and unprecedented hybrid attacks targeting the country and democratic institutions, it is appropriate for the Facility to provide support to Moldova in a timely manner and to enable Moldova to strengthen its resilience to foreign malign interference in its sovereignty, democratic processes and institutions. The Facility should also seek to support Moldova’s needs for energy independence from Russia.

Removed:(10) Sustainable and cohesive transport infrastructure is essential to improve connectivity between Moldova and the Union. It should contribute to the integration of Moldova in the Union’s transport network In the revised trans-European transport network (TEN-T), the Commission extended the Baltic Sea – Black Sea – Aegean Sea European Transport Corridor to Moldova. The TEN-T network is the reference for funding sustainable transport infrastructure, including for environmentally friendly means of transport, such as railways as well as digitalisation of transport. Cross-border energy infrastructure projects and interconnections are essential for regional energy security and integration within the Union.

Removed:(11) The Facility should support investments and reforms that promote Moldova’s path to the digital transformation of the economy and society in line with the Union vision for 2030 presented in the Commission communication, entitled ‘2030 Digital Compass: the European way for the Digital Decade’, fostering an inclusive digital economy that benefits all citizens. The Facility should strive to facilitate Moldova’ achievement of the general objectives and digital targets with regard to the Union. As outlined by the Commission in its communication of 15 June 2023, entitled ‘Implementation of the 5G cybersecurity Toolbox’, the 5G cybersecurity Toolbox should be the reference for Union funding to ensure security, resilience and the protection of integrity of digital infrastructure projects in the region.

Removed:(12) The support under the Facility should be provided to meet general and specific objectives, based on established criteria and with clear payment conditions. Those general and specific objectives should be pursued in a mutually reinforcing manner. The Facility should support the enlargement process by accelerating the alignment with Union values, laws, rules, standards, policies and practices (‘acquis’) with a view to Union membership, accelerate progressive integration of Moldova in the Union single market, and accelerate its socio-economic convergence with the Union. The Facility should also foster good neighbourly relations.

Removed:(13) In addition to boosting socio-economic convergence, the Facility should also help accelerate reforms related to the fundamentals of the enlargement process including rule of law, fundamental rights, inter alia, the rights of refugees, of persons belonging to minorities, including national minorities and Roma, as well as the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons. It should also improve the functioning of democratic institutions and public administrations; public procurement, state aid control and public finance management; the fight against all forms of corruption and organised crime; quality education and training as well as employment policies; the country’s green transition, climate and environmental objectives.

Removed:(14) This Facility should help Moldova in its preparation for Union Membership and in line with the existing enlargement methodology.

Removed:(15) The Facility should complement the existing Economic and Financial Dialogue without compromising its scope, thereby enhancing economic integration and preparation for the Union’s multilateral surveillance of economic policies.

Removed:(16) The Facility should promote the development of effectiveness principles, respecting additionality to and complementarity with the support provided under other Union programmes and instruments and striving to avoid duplication and ensure synergies between assistance under this Regulation and other assistance, including integrated financial packages composed of both export and development financing provided by the Union, the Member States, third countries, multilateral and regional organisations and entities. Moldova’s participation in other EU funding programmes should be promoted and encouraged.

Removed:(17) In line with the principle of inclusive partnerships, the Commission should strive to ensure that relevant stakeholders in Moldova, including Moldova’s parliament, local and regional authorities, social partners and civil society organisations are duly consulted and have timely access to relevant information to allow them to play a meaningful role during the design and implementation of programmes and the related monitoring processes.

Removed:(18) Technical assistance, as well as cross-border cooperation assistance, should be provided in support of the objectives of this Facility and in order to strengthen the relevant capacities of Moldova to implement the Reform Agenda.

Removed:(19) The Facility should ensure consistency with, and support for the general objectives of Union external action as laid down in Article 21 of the TEU, including the respect for fundamental rights as enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. It should in particular ensure the protection and promotion of human rights, and the rule of law.

Removed:(20) The Facility should boost innovation, research, and cooperation between academic institutions and industry in support of the green and digital transitions, promoting local industries with a particular emphasis on locally based micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups;

Removed:(21) Moldova should demonstrate a credible commitment to European values, including through its alignment with the Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, including Union restrictive measures.

Removed:(22) In the implementation of the Facility, account should be taken of the Union’s strategic autonomy as well as of the Union and its Member States’ strategic interests and the values on which the Union is founded.

Removed:(23) Activities under the Facility should support progress towards Union social, climate and environmental standards, and support progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement adopted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and should not contribute to environmental degradation or cause harm to the environment or climate. Measures funded under the Facility should be in line with Moldova’ Energy and Climate Plans, their Nationally Determined Contribution and ambition to reach climate neutrality by 2050. The Facility should contribute to the mitigation of climate change and to the ability to adapt to its adverse effects, and foster climate resilience. In particular, funding under the Facility should promote the transition towards a decarbonised, climate-neutral, climate-resilient and circular economy.

Removed:(24) The implementation of this Regulation should be guided by the principles of equality and non-discrimination, as elaborated in the Union of Equality strategies. It should promote and advance gender equality and mainstreaming, ensure meaningful participation of women in decision-making processes, and the empowerment of women and girls, and seek to protect and promote women’s and girls’ rights, as well as prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence, taking into consideration relevant EU Gender Action Plans and relevant Council conclusions and international conventions. Furthermore, this Regulation should be implemented in full respect of the European Pillar of Social Rights, including on child protection and labour rights. The implementation of the Facility should be in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its protocol and ensure accessibility in its investments and technical assistance, in line with Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council.