The candidate country status for accession to the European Union requires the Republic of Moldova to align its national legislation with EU standards, including in the digital field. In a context where public communication is increasingly moving online and digital platforms play a central role in information dissemination, the Digital Services Act (DSA) becomes an important pillar. For the Republic of Moldova, however, the challenge lies not only in adopting rules aligned with European ones, but also in developing functional mechanisms for implementation, monitoring, and cooperation, including in its relationship with global platforms.
WHAT DO WE HAVE?
The Republic of Moldova currently does not have a law specifically dedicated to digital services and the accountability of online platforms. In other words, there is not yet a single framework that clearly establishes platform responsibilities, content moderation mechanisms, or algorithmic transparency obligations, as required by the Digital Services Act (DSA).
The existing regulatory framework is fragmented and only partially covers the digital environment, through several sectoral legislative acts, such as the Audiovisual Media Services Code, the Law on Personal Data Protection, the Law on Electronic Communications, etc.
WHAT IS THE EU ASKING FOR?
The European Union requires candidate countries, including the Republic of Moldova, to gradually align with the new EU digital rules, and one of the most important acts in this field is the Digital Services Act (DSA). The document aims to protect online users against abuses — from violations of data privacy to disinformation, hate speech, or illegal content.
The DSA entered into force in August 2023, primarily targeting large online platforms and search engines considered “very large” at the EU level, meaning those with more than 45 million monthly active users in the EU. At the time of its launch, the rules initially applied to a group of 19 major technology companies, including social networks and marketplaces. Subsequently, the provisions of the DSA were gradually extended to cover other digital platforms as well.
Currently, the DSA applies to the largest social networks, e-commerce platforms, and search engines — such as Google, YouTube, Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, X, or TikTok — which must comply with strict transparency and safety rules.
Platforms are required to provide users with a simple way to report illegal content or products and to respond quickly. They must also explain how their recommendation algorithms work and offer options for browsing without personalization.
The DSA also introduces special protections for minors: platforms are not allowed to display personalized advertising to children, and ads cannot be targeted based on sensitive criteria such as ethnicity, sexual orientation, or political preferences.
At the same time, the Digital Services Act represents the main instrument for limiting the phenomenon of coordinated inauthentic behavior on social networks. This includes the use of inauthentic accounts — profiles that do not reflect the real identity of the person or organization controlling them — a problematic phenomenon also observed in recent electoral campaigns in the Republic of Moldova. According to the regulation, online platforms classified as “very large” — such as Facebook or TikTok — are required to carry out assessments of systemic risks generated by their services.
In short, according to EU officials, the DSA is about making the Internet safer, more transparent, and more accountable, requiring large platforms to properly manage illegal content, be clear about their algorithms, and protect users — especially minors — from abuse and aggressive advertising.
WHAT IS MOLDOVA DOING NOW?
The Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization states that it is in the final stage of drafting a similar regulatory project. According to the competent authorities, the proposed solution is oriented toward regulating national platforms.
The authority responsible will most likely be the National Agency for Regulation in Communications (ARCOM), which already operates as a point of contact for local platforms as well as for large ones. As for interaction with global platforms — such as Meta or Google — this will remain under the competence of the European Commission. The responsible institutions state that the mechanism introduced last year will be maintained, based on notification and the point-of-contact function through ARCOM.
In essence, Moldova is preparing rules for local platforms, while cooperation with global tech giants will remain at the European level, through the notification mechanism managed by ARCOM. Previously, the State Secretary for Digitalization, Michelle Iliev, provided more details in an interview for Media Azi.
WHAT WILL CHANGE IN PRACTICE?
Authorities explain that, once the new rules are adopted, the first changes will be felt in the verification of local companies operating in the digital and information sectors.
There will be a transition period, as the legal framework is expected to be approved only in the autumn, around September, while information campaigns will be carried out in parallel. As the systems become operational, institutions will be able to collect data and gain a clearer picture of the situation.
Regarding large platforms, authorities will continue to rely on the current mechanism: when a disinformation campaign, false content, or a violation of DSA principles is identified, ARCOM will send a notification to the European Commission, which will in turn alert global companies and subsequently provide feedback.
WHEN WILL IT COME INTO FORCE?
The competent authorities state that the act is to be transposed this year. According to estimates, the draft will be registered in April, with its adoption expected to take place in September 2026.
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The Republic of Moldova in March 2022, obtained candidate country status in June of the same year, and accession negotiations were officially opened in June 2024. The accession process mainly consists of proving that our country can adopt and implement EU legislation (the EU acquis), a process structured around 33 thematic chapters in six areas such as justice, the internal market, the environment, and economic policies. For each chapter of negotiations, there are clear stages, recommendations, and indicative deadlines, and Moldova’s progress is constantly monitored by European institutions.
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