Social and pension policy in Moldova and Romania

Social and economic policy developments in Moldova and Romania have focused on energy compensation, pension regulations, and retirement outcomes.

In Moldova, the government announced plans to reduce heat compensation budgets for late 2026 by nearly 50% compared to the previous year's monthly average. Discussions regarding the Moldovan pension system emphasize that totals are determined by officially declared income and social security contributions, noting that discrepancies often arise from “under the table” salaries and that the number of years worked is not the sole determining factor.

In Romania, energy vouchers have been distributed to over 718,000 beneficiaries. Recent audits by the Court of Accounts identified potential discrepancies in pension payments, suggesting an estimated 2.2 million pensioners may have received lower payments than entitled, totaling a debt of approximately 230 million lei, while roughly 570,000 beneficiaries may have received about 71 million lei more than required. The National House of Public Pensions (CNPP) has clarified that these figures are statistical extrapolations from audited samples and do not necessarily mean every individual case is erroneous.

Legislative updates in Romania include Law no. 360/2023, which gradually increases the contribution period for women to align with men, and a new bill to include maternity and paternity leave as assimilated contribution periods. New investment accounts (CEI-S and CEI-D) are being introduced to allow retirement savings through stocks and bonds. Additionally, starting in 2027, pension slips will feature QR codes to facilitate transport discounts. Statistical data continues to show that Romanian retirees face shorter post-retirement life expectancies than the EU average; men are estimated to have approximately 16 years remaining, and women approximately 19.1 years.