The Parliament of the Republic of Moldova has ratified the Social Security Agreement with Italy, enabling Moldovan citizens with at least 15 years of combined contributions in both countries to qualify for a pension, IPN reports.

The Moldova-Italy social security agreement provides two main benefits. First, it allows for the aggregation of contribution periods to determine pension eligibility. Moldovan citizens who worked in both countries can now combine their working periods to qualify for pensions. This marks a significant change from previous rules, which required workers to meet minimum contribution periods separately in each country. As a result, individuals with at least 15 years of combined contributions in both Moldova and Italy will be eligible for pensions.

Second, the process of applying for benefits becomes more accessible and less burdensome for Moldovan citizens entitled to Italian pensions but residing in Moldova. They will no longer need to travel to Italy to submit their applications. Pension and other social benefit requests can now be filed in either Italy or Moldova. Under this agreement, citizens are entitled to various social benefits, including old-age pensions, disability pensions, work injury and occupational disease pensions and allowances, and survivor pensions.

The draft agreement with Italy was signed in Rome on October 31 and was approved on Thursday by the Parliament in Chișinău in both readings, in the presence of Italy's ambassador to Moldova, Lorenzo Tomassoni.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection described the agreement as historic, noting that negotiations for it began back in 2018. Over the past 20 years, only two countries - Albania and now Moldova - have successfully signed such agreements with Italy.

According to the Ministry, Moldova has signed 16 bilateral agreements with EU member states. The government is currently negotiating similar agreements with Canada and France and is in talks with Slovakia, Slovenia, Cyprus, Albania, and Ukraine.