In the frame of the process of harmonization of the national legislation with the legislation of the European Unity, realized on the basis of the Plan of activity RM-EU, working visits of the European experts have taken place. Thus, in the period of May 21-25, 2007 took place the working visit to AGEPI of Diana Lacoste, European expert in the frame of TAIEX Project Moldova, expert of the Juridical and International Department of the national Institute on origin and quality (INAO), France. The European expert was delegated to offer assistance to the Moldovan specialists in order to harmonize the RM legislation with the EU one in the field of protection of the appellations of origin, geographical indications and guaranteed traditional products.
The program of Diana Lancoste comprised discussions on the draft of the Law on protection of the appellations of origin, geographical indications and guaranteed traditional products as well as elaboration of some recommendations for the improvement of regulations in the field and presentation of the advanced European practice.
By the support of the TACIS Project “Assistance in implementation of the engagements of APC, OMC and Plan of the activity RM-EU in the frame of the European Policy of the Neighborhood On current March 23, AGEPI organized the round table “Development of the system of protection of the appellations of origin, geographical indications and guaranteed traditional products in the Republic of Moldova – a new opportunity for the economy development. The risks and benefits of the new system”. Among the gusts there were the representatives of the Ministry of the Extern Affairs and European Integration, Ministry of Agriculture and Food industry, Agro-industrial Agency “Moldova-Vin”, National Institute of Viticulture and Wine-making, Academy of Sciences of Moldova, State Agricultural University of Moldova.
In his salutatory speech Dorian Chirosca, General Director of AGEPI, appreciated the practice of the consultations as positive and effective one, generating the progressive changes in the field of the national legislation. The harmonization of the legislations of the European countries and of the mapamonde coincides with the international trends, has noted Dorian Chirosca.
The program of the round table comprised presentation of the systems of protection of appellations of origin, geographical indications and guaranteed traditional specific products in France and European Unity, represented by Diane Lacoste. In order to make the comparative examination there was also represented the corresponding program of RM. (“Development of the system of protection of the appellations of origin, geographical indications and guaranteed traditional products in the Republic of Moldova – a new opportunity for the economy development. The risks and benefits of the new system”, reporters Svetlana Munteanu, adviser of the Director General, AGEPI and Natalia Mogol, deputy head Section Trademarks, Department of trademarks, industrial models, AGEPI). The round table participants discussed the new characteristics of these two systems, as well as the recommendations offered by the European experts in order to improve the regulations in the field destined to facilitate the promotion of national products on the European market and thereby, the development of the economy of the RM.
With the scope to realize the objectives comprised in the Plan of Activity RM-EU and Technical requirements - 2007 on the industrial and intellectual property rights, it is implemented the project of technical assistance in order to harmonize the national legislation in the field of plant varieties protection with the Community Acquis, requested by AGEPI and maintained by the TACIS Project in Moldova. With such mission with working visit has arrived to AGEPI Adriana Paraschiv, European expert in the framework of the TACIS Project in Moldova, head Service of Examination of Agricultural Fond, State Office on Inventions and Trademarks of Romania, representative of Romania in the UPOV and in the Community Office on Plant Varieties Protection.
The working agenda of the European expert comprised participation at the round table “Presentation of the law draft on the protection of the plant varieties in the Republic of Moldova from the point of view of the best European practice” organized by AGEPI and Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry on May 24, by support of TACIS Project “Assistance in implementation of the engagements APC, OMC and Plan of Activity RM-EU in the framework of the European policy of neighboring”. Among the honour guests there were Vasile Pojoga, president of the State Commission on Plant Varieties Testing, Dumitru Brinzila, head Direction of the international cooperation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry.
Ion Daniliuc, Vice-Director General of AGEPI, informed that during 10 years of validity of the Law on Protection of Plant Varieties the Republic of Moldova has accumulated a valuable experience. Today AGEPI has in the active 180 applications on granting the titles of protection for the new plant varieties and 20 issued patents, inclusively one being in possession of the foreign owner. On the same session an European expert had familiarized the ameliorators of Moldova with the priorities of the community protection of the plant varieties and the European advanced practice of the field. The new draft of the Law on protection of plant varieties in the Republic of Moldova was presented by AGEPI (reporter – Ala Gusan, deputy director of the Department inventions, plant varieties and utility models, AGEPI, and Vasile Pojoga, president of the State Commission on Plant Varieties Testing). It was suggested to create a National Association of the Ameliorators, similar to those of the European countries that should have the functions and power of supervision on the observance of the rights in the profile field.
In the aim of the effective realization of the project in AGEPI was created a Working group in which were included representatives of the State Commission on Plant Varieties Testing and in the framework of which take place discussions related to the national system of protection of plant varieties and EU requirements in this field. The project also provided visits to the centers of amelioration and testing the new plants in the republic. All the listed actions were carried out with the aim to achieve the level of protection of the intellectual property objects of the Republic of Moldova identical to the European one.