Institute for Development and Expertise of Projects

EU Legislative Interests

Institute for Development and Expertise of Projects (IDEP), an apolitical organization recognized at the national, regional, and European levels for its high-impact initiatives discussed with key stakeholders in European and regional public policy during high-level debates. In securing support from European authorities for IDEP’s projects, we have focused on several key initiatives. These include “Europe in the Citizen’s Home, Community, and Small Business” (ECIPES https://bit.ly/3kTAk93 – https://bit.ly/MEP_WQ_ECIPES), which led to the introduction of its most important element —the “Rabla Electrocasnice” program; “Market Access” (the EU–Republic of Moldova Highway http://bit.ly/ 3AMDBiS; a question submitted to the European Parliament https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/ document/E-8-2019-002017_EN.html, prompting stakeholders to endorse the highway https://midr.gov.md/ noutati/prima-etapa-in-construirea-autostrazii-iasi-ungheni-chisinau-odesa); and a recreational initiative, “DiscoverEU Iași–Chișinău” ( http://bit.ly/3nVTnQT), along with related questions addressed by MEPs to the European Commission (http://bit.ly/DiscoverEUIasiChisinauOdesa). With the aim of bringing the communities on both banks of the Prut River closer together and establishing Moldovan–Romanian project partnerships, IDEP initiated 15 discussion forums that brought together over 1,800 leaders under the theme “Boosting the Absorption of European Funds by Moldova” (details here: http://bit.ly/IDEP-delegatii – agendas, photos, and press articles). As a result, numerous sectoral and inter-institutional partnerships were established between counterparts on both banks of the Prut. Additionally, we wish to inform you that on June 4, 2025, we organized a debate in the European Parliament. Following this debate, we approved together with the participants the text of a Call to Action, which was sent to the authorities of Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine, and also to the leadership of the European Commission and the European Parliament (http://bit.ly/forum15idep). We also launched a proposal to create a Trilateral Chamber of Commerce between Romania, Ukraine, and the Republic of Moldova (CCTRUM).

Communication Activities

IDEP has acted since 2018 as a transparent bridge between EU policies and Moldovan society. • Capacity-building. Fourteen seminars and forums have trained ≈1 800 managers from local and central authorities (≈40 % of all potential EU-fund applicants), giving them hands-on skills to plan, apply for and implement EU-funded projects. • Cross-border insight. Thirteen delegations (Sept 2022 – Apr 2024) – about 1 450 officials – visited Romania, Ukraine and other EU regions to study successful projects and forge partnerships. Open forums in Odesa, Iași and Chișinău, held under mayoral patronage, deepened trilateral cooperation. • Flagship initiatives promoted   – ECIPES (“Europe in the Citizen’s Home, Community & Small Business”): proposes €40 m in small grants for 200 000 households, 500 communities and 2 000 start-ups.   – Iași–Ungheni–Chișinău–Odesa Highway: public campaigns, media briefings and stakeholder meetings lobby for recognition of this “Union Highway” as part of the TEN-T, unlocking growth and connectivity.   – #DiscoverEU Iași–Chișinău rail link: IDEP reopened the route, lobbied for 10 000 youth passes and triggered parliamentary questions to the European Commission. • Outreach channels. Regular press releases, an information-rich website and active social-media feeds publicise EU opportunities. National media have carried hundreds of items on ECIPES and the highway; press events alone reached millions of impressions. • Public debate. IDEP convenes inclusive round-tables in Moldova and Brussels. Over 60 MEPs have engaged in consultations supporting ECIPES. A flagship debate on 4 June 2025 in the European Parliament produced a Call to Action sent to EU, Moldovan, Romanian and Ukrainian leaders. • Evidence-based advocacy. IDEP has drafted policy briefs, action plans and more than 100 parliamentary questions, securing cross-party endorsements from 100+ MEPs across 15 Member States. • Strategic cooperation proposals. IDEP champions a Romania-Ukraine-Moldova Trilateral Chamber of Commerce (raised formally with the Commission) and an Alliance of Eastern European MEPs for Ukraine’s Reconstruction (AMEERU), aligning regional initiatives with EU “Solidarity Lanes” and post-war recovery goals. •First GECT with Romanian leadership and participation as a partner, the Republic of Moldova. In this matter debate was organized in the Romanian Parliament in the autumn of the 2024, followed by a discussion with central authorities from the Republic of Moldova to motivate the creation of a contact point for GECT that can be a first step in this matter. https://idep.md/2023/10/dezbatere-in-parlamentul-romaniei-despre-primul-gect-romania-republica-moldova/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LM6OQQkmzwI&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fidep.md%2F&source_ve_path=MjM4NTE https://ultimelestiri.md/politica/idep-moldova-propun-crearea-unei-grupari-europene-de-cooperare-cu-romania/ In 2021, IDEP proposed to have a European Commissioner on Citizens' Voice. EU citizens have the chance to get their own Commissioner, a position which will favor instant dialogue between them and the institution, making it possible to have a different approach, more focused surveys and a better understanding of citizens’ expectations. The portfolio of the European Commissioner on Citizens’ Voice, given that it will be occupied by an expert with NGO’s roots, will be become an important amplifier for the voice of EU citizens. In the aim to avoid creating unnecessary administrative costs, this mandate could be attributed to the portfolio of an existing Commissioner while providing the appropriate tools for their work. https://idep.md/2021/09/european-commissioner-on-citizens-voice/ Impact: Through training, cross-border exposure, media outreach and institutional advocacy, IDEP empowers Moldovan actors to absorb EU funds while offering EU institutions a trusted civil-society partner for policy roll-out in the Eastern Partnership area.

Interests Represented

Does not represent commercial interests