Members of the Confederal Committee of the National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova (CNSM) held a meeting with Oliver Röpke, Director of the Bureau for Workers’ Activities of the International Labour Organization (ILO-ACTRAV), on 4 September 2026, at the Trade Unions House. The discussions focused on prospects for cooperation between CNSM and ILO-ACTRAV, strengthening the trade union movement, promoting social dialogue and protecting workers’ rights.

Igor Zubcu, President of the National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova (CNSM) and President of PERC, highlighted the support provided by the International Labour Organization and ACTRAV to the trade union movement in the Republic of Moldova, stressing the importance of this cooperation for strengthening the capacities of trade union organizations in the country.

According to Igor Zubcu, current priorities of the National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova (CNSM) include protecting migrant workers and refugees, providing legal assistance and supporting their professional integration. He noted that the Republic of Moldova, traditionally a country of origin for migrants, is increasingly becoming a destination country as well, which requires new approaches and solutions from trade union organizations.

The trade union leader also emphasized the need to strengthen trade union capacities through training programmes, as well as the importance of promoting decent work and social justice. In this context, challenges such as combating the informal economy and eliminating child labour were highlighted.

The trade union leader also stressed the importance of strengthening social dialogue, both at the national level through the development of tripartite mechanisms and at the sectoral level through the promotion of bipartite dialogue. In his view, social dialogue and partnership are essential instruments for identifying solutions to social, economic and labour market challenges in the Republic of Moldova.

The Republic of Moldova’s accession process to the European Union should be accompanied by strengthened social dialogue and the active involvement of social partners in decision-making processes.

The President of the National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova (CNSM) also spoke about the experience of international trade union cooperation and the need to strengthen the trade union movement and social dialogue in the Eastern European and Central Asian region.

For his part, Oliver Röpke, Director of ILO-ACTRAV, welcomed the long-standing cooperation with the National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova (CNSM)and the organization’s active role within the international trade union movement. He noted the progress made by the trade union movement in the Republic of Moldova and the importance of Chisinau as a regional platform for cooperation and dialogue among trade union organizations from Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

The Director of ILO-ACTRAV also emphasized the importance of strengthening social dialogue in the context of the Republic of Moldova’s European integration process. He stressed that social partners and civil society should be involved in decision-making processes, including during preparations for accession to the European Union.

During the meeting, Oliver Röpke provided an overview of ACTRAV’s work within the International Labour Organization, noting that the Bureau for Workers’ Activities is mandated to represent and promote the voice of workers and trade union organizations in the ILO’s activities.

Another topic discussed concerned the current challenges facing the International Labour Organization and the need to uphold its fundamental principles, including social justice, international labour standards and social dialogue.

In this context, the importance of adopting new standards to protect workers in the digital platform economy was also highlighted, along with the need to adapt workers’ rights and social protection to the transformations taking place in the labour market.

Oliver Röpke assured participants that ACTRAV would continue to support the trade union movement in the Republic of Moldova and reiterated the importance of close cooperation in promoting workers’ rights and decent work.

The meeting reaffirmed both parties’ openness to deepening cooperation and strengthening the partnership between the National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova (CNSM) and ILO-ACTRAV, with a view to supporting workers’ rights and interests, developing social dialogue and promoting social justice in the Republic of Moldova and the region.