The Governor of the National Bank of Moldova (NBM), Ms Anca Dragu, held a bilateral meeting in Basel with Mr Emmanuel Moulin, the newly appointed Governor of the Banque de France. The discussions focused on strengthening the institutional partnership between the two central banks and France's continued support for the Republic of Moldova's European integration.

At the outset of the meeting, NBM Governor congratulated her French counterpart on his appointment and expressed her appreciation for the longstanding bilateral cooperation between the two central banks, emphasising that the Banque de France remains a strategic partner and a consistent source of support in the Republic of Moldova's efforts to align with European standards.

In this context, the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the National Bank of Moldova and the Banque de France on 17 January 2025 marked an important milestone in reinforcing bilateral cooperation, enhancing the exchange of expertise, particularly in the areas of monetary policy, financial stability, digitalisation, and the regulation of banking and non-banking financial markets. NBM Governor also expressed her gratitude for the valuable training programmes delivered over the years by the Banque de France through the International Banking and Finance Institute (IBFI).

During the discussions on the modernisation of financial infrastructure, Governor Dragu highlighted the progress achieved in the digitalisation of payment systems. The Republic of Moldova's integration into the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) has demonstrated the country's ability to implement complex European standards swiftly and effectively. Within the first 240 days following the launch of SEPA payments, transactions processed through the system accounted for 78.13% of the volume and 44.8% of the value of Moldova's cross-border euro transactions.

"Through the gradual alignment of financial legislation with the EU acquis and its effective implementation, the National Bank of Moldova has made a significant contribution to fulfilling the country's commitments to the European Union, including in the context of the implementation of the Association Agreement, the EU's macro-financial assistance, and, more recently, the Growth Plan for the Republic of Moldova," Governor Anca Dragu stated.

The meeting reaffirmed the dynamic bilateral relationship between the Republic of Moldova and the French Republic. The NBM Governor welcomed France's consistent support for the republic of Moldova's European integration process, highlighting both the contribution of the French Development Agency (AFD) Group in financing strategic projects and France's active role within the Republic of Moldova Support Platform.

In closing, the NBM Governor reiterated the institution’s commitment to continue harmonising legislation with the EU acquis and to make progress toward having the prudential framework recognised as equivalent by the European Banking Authority (EBA), emphasising that the stability of the macroeconomic framework and the resilience of the financial and banking sector provide a solid foundation for achieving these objectives.