Integration and Adaptation of the Republic of Moldova to the Economic Development Models of the European Union Countries in the Context of Obtaining Candidate Country Status

Abstract

In an era of rapid change, where countries continually seek resources for development, integration into
the European Union presents a path to success for the small nations of Eastern Europe and the Balkans.
This is also the case for the Republic of Moldova, which has maintained fairly close cooperative and
partnership relations with the EU since 1994. In 2022, this partnership culminated in the country obtaining EU
candidate status. It will be interesting to see whether the Republic of Moldova adopts an economic
development model already in place in some EU countries or adapts to its national realities by incorporating
elements from European models.
This work aims to provide an appropriate analysis of the relevance of granting candidate country status
in the context of the Republic of Moldova's integration into the EU family. The paper will analyse economic
development models within the European Union through the prism of their heterogeneity and the remarkable
results of the macroeconomic indicators of the countries that adhere to these models. We will conduct a
comparative analysis of economic development models and provide suggestions and recommendations for
adapting a relevant model in the Republic of Moldova.