The Moldovan Parliament’s Foreign Policy and European Integration Committee on Wednesday approved the start of negotiations on a social security agreement with France, IPN reports.

The agreement will cover citizens who have been subject to the law of one or both Contracting States, including employees, self-employed persons, posted workers, personnel of international transport companies, and diplomatic and consular staff.

The document to be negotiated provides for the granting of old-age pensions, pensions for disability caused by general illnesses, pensions and disability benefits due to accidents at work or caused by occupational diseases, and survivor’s pensions. Each state will pay the pension calculated in proportion to the insurance period completed on its territory.

To date, Moldova has social security agreements signed with 14 countries: Romania, Portugal, Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Austria, Estonia, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Belgium, Lithuania, Germany, Turkey, and Belarus.

Also on Wednesday, the Foreign Policy Committee endorsed the approval of a Convention between the governments of Moldova and France to avoid double taxation and prevent tax evasion with regard to income tax. The document was designed to promote the development of trade and economic relations between Moldova and France, as well as to attract new foreign investment in the Republic of Moldova.

Moldova and France signed an intergovernmental convention on the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of tax evasion with respect to income taxes on January 30, 2006, which Moldova ratified in 2007. However, France refused on grounds that the document was not meeting international fiscal standards.

Following subsequent consultations, the parties agreed to sign a new convention. Talks to this effect were held in July 2020 and February 2021.