The Director General of the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI), Eugeniu Rusu, had a meeting on December 28 with the Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI) Viorel Gherciu. The representatives of the two authorities addressed a series of topical issues for which both institutions have competences, including the consolidation of the geographical indications system in the Republic of Moldova, the protection of new plant varieties and also the management by MAFI of the state trademark portfolio.

The officials reviewed the main problems faced by domestic producers in using and capitalizing on geographical indications. Eugeniu Rusu appreciated the MAFI openness for identifying the most effective solutions to overcome the deficiencies of the GI system in the Republic of Moldova and informed the leadership of the Ministry about the ongoing legislative initiatives.

Viorel Gherciu assured that the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry will be plenary involved in the process of amending the existing regulatory framework, including Law 66/2008 on the Protection of Geographical Indications, Appellations of Origin and Traditional Specialties Guaranteed and bringing it in line with the most good European practices, and also in the establishment of viable mechanisms for the registration, certification and placing on the market of GI products.

In the context of a significant decrease in applications for the protection of new plant varieties and in order to use the research and innovation potential owned by the Republic of Moldova in the field of improvement, the parties agreed on the need to strengthen interinstitutional cooperation, including through activities to inform breeders of the advantages of patent protection of new plant varieties and the benefits of using the system to market the research/improvement outcomes.

Discussions on the management of state-owned trademarks owned by MAFI focused in particular on the efficient management of the owned portfolio and the need to monitor the protection of state-owned trademarks in third countries, especially in the markets of interest for Moldovan wine and alcohol beverage producers using those trademarks.

The meeting was also attended from MAFI: Secretary General Anatolie Fala, State Secretary Vasile Sarban, as well as other representatives of the Ministry with responsibilities for the issues addressed.