EU Accession Momentum for Moldova: The EU has formally agreed to open accession talks with Moldova on the first cluster, with all 27 member states backing the move; Moldova’s leadership says reforms are on track and the first negotiation steps are expected mid-June. EU–Moldova Investment Push: At the EU–Moldova Investment Conference in Chisinau, the EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos announced up to €641m in strategic projects, including energy, digital infrastructure, education and sustainable agriculture, with up to €433m mobilized via EU grants/guarantees/loans through partners like the EIB and EBRD. Local Business & Finance Rules: Parliament approved in first reading stricter taxi-platform payment rules, requiring payments to go through licensed Moldovan banks/financial institutions, aiming to improve transparency and reduce tax-evasion risks. Fraud Crackdown: A new parliamentary inquiry committee will investigate phone, financial and online scams, with a report due in 30 days and proposals for faster blocking of suspicious transactions and victim compensation. Trade & Industry Spotlight: A Swedish MP visited Chisinau’s BPM PC Strand, highlighting Moldova’s potential as a commercial partner for Europe and prospects for supplying Northern European markets. Regional Context: Germany and France floated a non-paper to speed up EU enlargement via “gradual integration” for candidates, including Moldova, ahead of the Western Balkans summit in Tivat.