---
title: "EU plans accession roadmaps for Moldova and candidates "
url: https://moldova1.md/p/85490/eu-plans-accession-roadmaps-for-moldova-and-candidates
published: 2026-09-16T15:33:26Z
language: en
author: "Dan Alexe"
section: "EU accession"
source: moldova1.md
---

# EU plans accession roadmaps for Moldova and candidates 

> The European Union will draft accession roadmaps for candidate countries, including Moldova, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Wednesday in her annual State of the European Union address.

![](https://storage.moldova1.md/images/edaf3b09-f485-4685-8a90-dd756313c349.jpg)

The European Union will draft accession roadmaps for candidate countries, including Moldova, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Wednesday in her annual State of the European Union address.

Delivering her speech before the European Parliament plenary in Strasbourg, von der Leyen highlighted the need to encourage candidates advancing through reforms. She cited Moldova alongside Ukraine and Western Balkan countries, stressing that front-runners such as Montenegro, Albania, and Moldova deserve clear timelines for meeting membership criteria.

**Strategic shift for Canada**

Von der Leyen also proposed opening the door for Canada to become the bloc's first associate member, a status currently not covered by EU treaties. The move marks an institutional shift for Brussels, which has traditionally resisted flexible membership models.

*“Partnerships are a strategic choice for Europe. But they also respond to the fracture in the rules-based international system,”* said von der Leyen. *“We have been united on Ukraine, defense, raw materials, and supply chains. But above all, Europe and Canada believe in democracy.”*

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attended the plenary session ahead of his formal address to MEPs. Carney previously noted that Ottawa seeks a unique alliance with the EU rather than full membership, following trade disputes and retaliatory tariffs with the United States.

Translation by **Iurie Tataru**

***
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