The European Commission and the Republic of Moldova have agreed to deepen cooperation on education, employment and social policy during a second High Level Dialogue in Brussels.
The talks brought together EU Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu with Moldova’s Minister of Labour and Social Protection Natalia Plugaru and Minister of Education and Research Dan Perciun, the Commission reported on Tuesday.
The EU is currently supporting Moldova on employment, social policy and education through the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), with more than €27 million allocated to relevant projects.
That funding includes work on improving school curricula, helping more women and young people find jobs, and improving primary healthcare services.
Separate reforms under the social pillar of Moldova’s Growth Plan could unlock €236 million in funding through to 2027.
Moldova has also received €16 million from Erasmus+ — the EU’s education and exchange programme — since 2021, and both sides reaffirmed a commitment to progress towards Moldova’s full association with the scheme.
Youth jobs and skills support
The Commission said it will share advice on how Moldova can implement the EU’s Youth Guarantee, a policy designed to ensure young people are in employment, education or training.
Cooperation will continue under the EU’s “Union of Skills” initiative, which the Commission said is intended to support Moldova in bringing its education and employment frameworks up to EU standards.
The discussions built on conclusions from a first High-Level Dialogue held in Chișinău in June 2025.
“Moldova is advancing steadily on its European path, with concrete progress in education, employment and social rights,” Mînzatu said in the statement issued by the Commission.
