19^th April 2024, Chisinau - As part of ongoing efforts to engage and educate young people in Moldova about the European Union accession process, the Bureau for European Integration (BEI) team recently took part in a youth training session organized by the Institute for European Policy and Reform (IPRE) in collaboration with the Institute for European Policy in Berlin and the Institute for Strategic Initiatives (IPIS).

During interactive presentations, BEI colleagues Valeria Bicu and Ludmila-Dragalina Vranceanu, Senior Advisors in the Accession Coordination Directorate, discussed fundamental aspects of the Bureau's activities, role, and priorities in Moldova's European integration journey.

Among the topics covered was the process of explanatory and bilateral screening, a crucial stage in evaluating and aligning our legislation with European standards. Participants in the training received comprehensive explanations about the stages of the screening sessions, particularly how cooperation and information exchange between our country and the European Commission are conducted.

The significance of the Inter-Governmental Conference (IGC) as a pivotal forum for accession negotiations, involving the governments of all 27 EU Member States and the Government of the Republic of Moldova, where key decisions regarding the progress of negotiations are made, was also emphasized.

As a result, approximately 20 young individuals were afforded the opportunity to gain insights into the Bureau's responsibilities, the functioning of coordination and cooperation processes with the Working Groups overseeing negotiation chapters, the inter-institutional cooperation mechanism, as well as the challenges confronting us, including the imperative for institutional capacity enhancement.

Within this context, participants were encouraged to actively participate in the Republic of Moldova's accession process to the European Union and to apply for the 16 vacancies currently available at the BEI - a chance to contribute to the transformation and advancement of Moldova's European trajectory.

"European integration represents a collective endeavour involving all citizens, and we, as young people, hold the potential to contribute to the realization of this national and strategic objective", underscored Ludmila-Dragalina Vranceanu.