Moldova raises state aid ceilings to €300,000, aligns with EU rules
Moldova's Parliament approved, in a first reading, a bill that raises the ceilings on state aid to businesses and brings the system closer to European Union norms. General aid to a single undertaking would rise to €300,000 (roughly 5.9 million lei) over three years, up from the current 5 million lei (about €255,000) set under a 2012 law.
Economic Development and Digitalization Minister Eugen Osmochescu presented the changes to lawmakers. Services of general economic interest — including healthcare and energy — would qualify for aid up to €750,000. Agriculture gains its own ceiling for the first time: €50,000, also calculated over three years.
"For the first time, compared with the 2012 law, a ceiling appears for agriculture, at €50,000. All the ceilings are set for a three-year period," Osmochescu told Parliament.
The bill also closes a transparency gap. Companies can currently draw aid from several local authorities at once, with no central system tracking whether they are approaching the legal cap.
A new central de minimis aid register, built into Moldova's automated State Aid Register system, will track combined support in real time. The Competition Council will publish details of any individual aid award exceeding €100,000.
The bill introduces procedures new to Moldova but standard across the EU: pre-notification, simplified notification, and ex-post evaluation of aid schemes. Aid providers will also be able to request voluntary, confidential consultations with the Competition Council before granting support, to clarify whether a measure counts as state aid.
New rules also govern the recovery of illegal or misused aid, with limitation periods brought in line with EU standards. Companies can appeal Competition Council rulings to the Chișinău Court of Appeal. The bill now moves to a second reading in Parliament.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
