29 October 2026 | Legislative news | Mediation
From 12 September 2026, Law No. 9 of 12 February 2026 on mediation and the status of mediators is in force in the Republic of Moldova, introducing important changes to the procedure for the amicable resolution of disputes and to the organisation of the mediation profession.
The new law replaces Law No. 137/2015 and aims to strengthen mediation as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism, reduce the workload of the courts and make amicable solutions more accessible to the public.
When does mediation become mandatory?
One of the main changes is the gradual introduction of an obligation to attend at least one mediation session before going to court, for certain categories of disputes.
These provisions apply in stages:
- 12 September 2026 – the new Law on mediation and the status of mediators enters into force;
- 12 March 2027 – attending the first mediation session becomes mandatory for certain family and employment disputes;
- 12 March 2028 – the obligation is extended to certain civil disputes, under the conditions set by law.
Special rules apply in insolvency matters regarding the preliminary debt recovery procedure.
Which disputes are covered?
The new legislation provides for a mandatory first mediation session in certain conflicts concerning:
Family disputes: the exercise of parental rights and obligations, determining where children live, maintenance obligations and other family disagreements provided for by law. Divorce proceedings are excluded, and conflicts arising from domestic violence cannot be resolved through mediation.
Employment disputes: reinstatement, salary entitlements, the performance or termination of individual employment contracts and other expressly regulated conflicts.
Civil disputes: debt collection, compensation for damage, division of property, the performance of certain contracts and other categories established by law. For these, a value threshold of, in principle, 50 average monthly salaries in the economy applies, along with certain exceptions.
Mandatory attendance does not mean a mandatory settlement
An important aspect of the new rules is that the legal obligation concerns attending the first mediation session, not being required to conclude a settlement.
The parties remain free to decide whether to continue negotiations, accept an amicable solution or subsequently go to court.
Mediation thus remains a mechanism based on dialogue, confidentiality and the search for mutually acceptable solutions.
Benefits of the new rules
The new law introduces and strengthens mechanisms for enforcing settlements reached through mediation, including the possibility of making them enforceable, under the conditions expressly provided by law.
In addition, in certain situations where mediation does not fully resolve the dispute, the law provides for a 25% reduction in the state fee.
The law also changes the organisation of the mediation profession, including the establishment of the Union of Mediators and the regulation of mediators’ professional status.
A new perspective on dispute resolution
The legislative reform is an important step in developing alternative dispute resolution mechanisms in the Republic of Moldova.
Effective application of the new provisions can help reduce the length and cost of certain conflicts, as well as the number of cases heard by the courts.
For anyone involved in a dispute, knowing the new rules is important when choosing the right legal mechanism to protect their rights and legitimate interests.
Source: Juridice Moldova – “Modificarea legii medierii din 12 septembrie 2026. Care sunt noile reguli și ce efecte vor avea în practică?” (in Romanian), article published on 18 September 2026, authors Roman Talmaci and Andrei Teleman.
Read the original article on Juridice Moldova (in Romanian)
Legal basis: Law No. 9 of 12 February 2026 on mediation and the status of mediators.