EUBAM participated in a field meeting of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the EU, held in Vinnytsia. At the invitation of the Committee, Flavius Onofrei, Head of EUBAM’s Office in Moldova, and expert Pawel Borej took part in the visit, which focused on the development of border infrastructure and integrated border management along the Ukrainian-Moldovan border.

In addition to Committee members, the meeting gathered key national and regional stakeholders, including Deputy Minister for Communities and Territorial Development Serhii Derkach, First Deputy Head of the State Border Guard Service Major General Volodymyr Nikiforenko, Deputy Head of the State Customs Service Vladyslav Suvorov, Deputy Head of the EU Advisory Mission to Ukraine Mora O’Sullivan, Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Moldova Paun Rohovei, and representatives of regional authorities, civil society, and international partners.

Ahead of the meeting, participants visited several key locations along the Ukrainian-Moldovan border, including the border crossing points in Mohyliv-Podilskyi and Bronnytsia, as well as the construction site of the bridge over the Dniester River near Yampil. These visits provided an opportunity to assess current conditions and discuss the way forward.

During the meeting, participants also discussed the implementation of the EU’s recommendations on integrated border management, presented in the European Commission’s 2024 Enlargement Package Report, and the crucial role of parliamentary oversight in advancing Ukraine’s border management strategy as part of its EU integration path. In his remarks, Flavius Onofrei emphasized the importance of further strengthening border management cooperation between Ukraine and Moldova. He pointed to several areas where continued development could bring tangible benefits, including expanding border-crossing capacity, upgrading infrastructure, and ensuring greater alignment of customs and control procedures.

He also shared potential avenues for progress, such as the establishment of Jointly Operated Border Crossing Points (JOBCPs), the digitalization of border procedures, and fostering closer coordination among all relevant border management stakeholders. “EUBAM remains committed to supporting Ukrainian and Moldovan authorities in streamlining border procedures, reducing duplication of controls, and strengthening cooperation through an integrated border management approach,” said Flavius Onofrei. “Alignment and correlation of border-related procedures among stakeholders is key to improving efficiency and ensuring secure and well-functioning borders.”