Today, 25 June 2026, the Governor of the National Bank of Moldova (NBM), Ms Anca Dragu, held a bilateral meeting in Vienna with Ms Mariana Kühnel, Executive Director of the Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA).
The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation between the NBM and the FMA, particularly in the areas of banking supervision and the insurance sector, as well as on the exchange of experience in the process of aligning with European Union (EU) rules and practices.
Ms Anca Dragu highlighted the NBM’s key priorities in the European integration process, including the alignment of the financial regulation and supervision framework with EU standards, the strengthening of prudential supervision, and the development of a stable, transparent and well-governed financial sector.
An important topic of discussion was cooperation in the insurance sector, in the context of the ongoing modernisation of the national framework in this area and the alignment of national legislation with the EU acquis, including the principles of the Solvency II Directive. The parties discussed the importance of exchanging experience between supervisory authorities, as well as strengthening institutional dialogue in areas of mutual interest.
“Modernising the financial sector of the Republic of Moldova requires not only rules aligned with European requirements, but also robust supervisory practices, strong institutional capacity and continuous dialogue with relevant authorities across the European Union. In this regard, cooperation with the Austrian Financial Market Authority is important for the reform of Moldova’s insurance sector, where the transition to Solvency II standards will strengthen governance, transparency and confidence in the market. Our objective is a more resilient insurance sector, better supervised and more closely connected to the European area,” emphasised Ms Anca Dragu.
During the meeting, particular attention was drawn to the presence of Austrian capital in the insurance sector of the Republic of Moldova. Companies with majority Austrian shareholding account for more than half of the sector’s assets, contributing to greater transparency and sound corporate governance, as well as to the development of modern, competitive insurance services tailored to the needs of citizens and the business community.
The discussions also covered developments in the banking sector, modern payment infrastructure, including the Republic of Moldova’s integration into the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) and the development of the national instant payment system MIA, as well as the NBM’s priorities in the context of implementing the Growth Plan for the Republic of Moldova.
The Austrian Financial Market Authority is Austria’s financial supervisory institution, with responsibilities covering the supervision of banks, insurance companies, capital markets, pension funds, market infrastructures and other financial entities. In this context, dialogue with the FMA is of particular importance to the NBM, including from the perspective of the Republic of Moldova’s alignment with European standards of financial regulation and supervision.
