Moldova withdrew from the Energy Charter Treaty
Specifically, the country's parliament adopted in two readings a draft law on Moldova's withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty and the Energy Charter Protocol on Energy Efficiency and Related Environmental Aspects, signed in Lisbon on December 17, 1994. Members of parliament supported the denunciation of this 1990s international agreement, which favors investments in fossil fuels at the expense of cleaner energy solutions. The initiative to withdraw Moldova from the Energy Charter Treaty came from the Ministry of Energy, which emphasized that the Energy Charter Treaty is incompatible with Moldova's new priorities for energy security, including through the diversification of energy sources and the transition to renewable energy sources. Some provisions of the treaty, in particular the investor-state dispute settlement mechanism, favor the protection of investors in the fossil fuel sector. As the Ministry of Energy notes, in the current context of the transition to a green and sustainable economy, such mechanisms could hinder investment in renewable energy sources, potentially delaying climate action needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote clean energy sources. The Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) is a 1994 trade agreement on the free movement of energy and strengthening cooperation in the energy sector. Moldova acceded to the Treaty in 1996, when ECT membership became important for facilitating the integration of the national energy market within a regional and international context. The European Union has decided to withdraw from the ECT in 2025, and several European countries have already completed their withdrawal procedures, including Romania, Poland, Italy, and France. Moldova, like the European Union, believes that withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty is inevitable in order to align energy policy with commitments to reduce carbon emissions and transition to clean energy. // 30.04.2026 — InfoMarket
