The former period of union enables Romanian passports and concurrent EU citizenship to be routinely granted to Moldovans on the basis of descent.

[1] The EU has opened an office in Chișinău (the Moldovan capital), and on 23 March 2005 appointed Adriaan Jacobovits de Szeged as special representative to Moldova with a focus on the resolution of the crisis in Transnistria.

In June 2021, the European Commission announced Moldova would receive 600 million euros between 2021 and 2024, to help it recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and develop as a country.

[6] Its implementation was intended to help fulfil the provisions in the PCA and to encourage and support Moldova's objective of further integration into European economic and social structures.

Implementation of the Action Plan was meant to significantly advance the approximation of Moldovan legislation, norms and standards to those of the European Union.

Moldova and the EU began negotiating an Association Agreement (AA), including a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, to replace the PCA in January 2010.

[10] On 24 January 2011, Moldova officially received an "action plan" toward the establishment of a visa-free regime for short-stay travel from the EU's Internal Affairs Commissioner.

[11] In November 2013, the Commission proposed that visa requirements for short-term visits be abolished for Moldovan citizens holding biometric passports,[12] with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius suggesting the change could take place in early 2014.

[23] In April 2014, whilst visiting the Moldovan-Romanian border at Sculeni, Moldovan Prime Minister Iurie Leanca stated, "We have an ambitious target but I consider that we can reach it: doing everything possible for Moldova to become a full member of the European Union when Romania will hold the presidency of the EU in 2019".

[24] In July 2017, Andrian Candu, Moldova's speaker of parliament, said that the country aimed to submit an application for membership by late 2018 or 2019.

Also, Moldova's autonomous region of Gagauzia held two referendums on 2 February 2014, where an overwhelming majority of voters rejected integration with the EU and opted for closer ties with Russia.

[28] In the backdrop of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, President Maia Sandu signed a formal application for EU membership on 3 March 2022.

[37] According to the Moldovan Prime Minister, Natalia Gavrilița, Moldova's accession negotiations with the EU can begin no earlier than the autumn of 2023.

[41][43] On 20 October 2024, Moldova held a referendum (at once with the 2024 presidential elections) on its official position regarding whether it should aim to join the European Union or not.

(Romanian: "Susțineți modificarea Constituției în vederea aderării Republicii Moldova la Uniunea Europeană?")

[45] Earlier in the year, an investigation conducted by the newspaper Ziarul de Gardă revealed the existence of a criminal enterprise headed by Ilan Shor, which received $15 million from the Russian government (the admissions were recorded on camera).

[49][50] On 21 March 2023, Josep Borrell, told the Schuman Security and Defence Forum in Brussels that the EU is planning a civilian mission in Moldova to support the country in countering hybrid threats.