The European Commission has called on Moldova to deepen its fight against money laundering and terrorist financing, moving beyond formal compliance with EU and Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards. In a written answer to a parliamentary question from Auke Zijlstra of the PfE political group, Commissioner Maria Luís Albuquerque stressed the need for stronger enforcement, particularly regarding virtual asset providers, non-profit organisations, and offshore ownership structures. The Commission noted that Moldova is now compliant or largely compliant with 37 of 40 FATF Recommendations and highlighted the role of the Office for Prevention and Combating of Money Laundering. However, it committed to continued biannual evaluations through the accession framework, signaling sustained pressure for rigorous oversight.
This response follows Commissioner Albuquerque's keynote address in Chișinău on October 30, 2025, where she outlined the EU's Savings and Investments Union and a €1.9 billion Growth Plan to support Moldova's economic integration. In that speech, she emphasized the importance of regulatory alignment with the EU acquis, particularly in financial stability and transparency. The current answer reinforces that message by focusing on anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CFT) enforcement as a key accession benchmark.
The Commission's stance also aligns with broader EU security concerns highlighted by Commissioner Andrius Kubilius on November 18, 2025. In his address at the Moldova Security Forum, Kubilius detailed over €2 billion in EU assistance since 2021 and nearly €200 million from the European Peace Facility to modernize Moldova's military capabilities, framing Moldova as a frontline state against Russian hybrid warfare. The AML/CFT push complements these security efforts by targeting financial vulnerabilities that could be exploited for illicit activities.
Stakeholders affected include Moldovan regulatory bodies, which face calls for greater independence and enforcement capacity, and virtual asset service providers and non-profits that must endure intensified supervision. The EU accession apparatus also bears the responsibility to maintain rigorous monitoring. While the Commission did not unveil new policy initiatives or numerical targets in this response, it reiterated the commitment to regular evaluations, confirming the formalised approach first proposed in earlier accession frameworks. This cadence underscores ongoing pressure for sustainable enforcement improvements as Moldova edges closer to EU integration.
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