This study investigates the relationship between the concepts of Europeanization and European Union enlargement, proposing a reinterpretation of how norms are diffused and appropriated by states aspiring to EU membership. Throughout the text, we draw upon literature on the logics of normative internalization and contrast them with perspectives that view Europeanization as a linear, predominantly coercive dynamic, observable mainly in the post-accession phase. To this end, we conduct a theoretical review of diffusion mechanisms, complemented by an empirical analysis of the case of Moldova, based on academic and institutional sources. The qualitative analysis is grounded in documentary research, bibliographic review, and case studies, particularly those related to the EU s eastern neighborhood. The findings reveal that Europeanization precedes the official candidacy process and does not unfold without contestation from domestic actors shaped by local interests and identity related factors. Thus, the incorporation of European norms and values coexists with episodes of adoption, adaptation, resistance, and rejection, calling for new analytical perspectives that take into account national agency beyond the top down logic of enlargement waves.