Highlight 32/2025: The role of AI in the EU accession process – The case of Moldova
Guka Kurdgelashvili, 9 July 2025
The EU accession process is a complex and multi-phase procedure requiring alignment with the European Union’s body of law, known as the EU acquis. With rising interest in expanding the EU to Eastern neighbors such as Moldova and Ukraine, there is increasing attention to how these countries manage the screening process.
Candidate countries are now expected to demonstrate continuous progress in the core values of the EU, which enhances credibility but also places significant pressure on internal reform capacities. By linking progress in fundamental areas with other clusters, the new methodology promotes a more realistic and reform-driven pathway to EU integration.
The European Commission introduced a revised methodology in February 2020. This new approach emphasized four major changes: clustering of chapters into six thematic groups, stronger political steering by EU institutions and Member States, a fundamental focus on the rule of law and democracy, and an incentive-based progression model.
Moldova was granted candidate status in June 2022 and began the screening process in July 2024. The screening process consists of two phases: explanatory and bilateral. During the explanatory phase, the European Commission presents and explains each chapter of the acquis to Moldovan experts. In the bilateral phase, Moldova assesses its current laws and institutions, identifying the level of alignment with EU standards. A key example was the bilateral screening of Chapter 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights) in October 2024, where Moldova outlined its reforms and remaining gaps. These assessments are managed by the Ministry of Justice in cooperation with other governmental bodies.
At present, Moldova does not utilize artificial intelligence in the acquis screening process. The work remains largely manual, relying on legal experts to perform comparative analysis between national legislation and EU directives. Reform roadmaps, harmonization plans, and inter-ministerial collaboration guide the process. Although digital transformation is a growing theme in Moldovan governance, no structured AI system is yet in place to support acquis screening. These tools could not only support government agencies but also enhance transparency by providing civil society and EU monitors with real-time access to alignment progress. Moldova’s growing IT sector and partnerships with international donors could serve as a foundation for such innovation. If integrated early, AI could reduce the time and cost of legal harmonization and help Moldova meet EU expectations more efficiently.
Several factors explain the lack of AI adoption. These include limited technical infrastructure, insufficient funding, and a lack of expertise in AI applications within government. Moreover, acquis screening is still seen as a legal and political process, not a purely data-driven one. This cultural perspective reinforces traditional approaches. For instance, pilot projects in public service automation and data-driven decision-making in urban planning suggest that AI’s role in governance is no longer hypothetical but emerging.
Guka Kurdgelashvili, Highlight 32/2025: The role of AI in the EU accession process – The case of Moldova, 9 July 2025, available at www.meig.ch
The views expressed in the MEIG Highlights are personal to the authors and neither reflect the positions of the MEIG Programme nor those of the University of Geneva.