EU, Moldova extend road transport agreement until end-2025

The agreement was initially signed in June 2022 and allowed for a partial liberalisation of road freight transport by granting transit and bilateral transport rights to Moldovan and EU hauliers.

The agreement was established in response to the disruption of vital transport routes passing through Ukraine's Black Sea ports, caused by Russia's war against Ukraine. Exports from Moldova to the EU surged by 27% in volume in the third quarter of 2022 and by 35% in the third quarter of 2023 compared to the same period in 2021.

Also, EU exports to Moldova saw a 30% increase in value from the third quarter of 2021 to the third quarter of 2022, stabilising to the same value in the third quarter of 2023.

The agreement in its initial form was set to expire on June 30, 2024.

Moldova will hold a referendum on accession to the European Union this autumn, president Maia Sandu said earlier this month.