The Republic of Moldova received the green light for joining the European Patent Convention (EPC). This became possible after today, December 13, 2022, the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organization (EPO) took the decision to invite the Republic of Moldova to join the EPO, a regional European organization that grants European patents on behalf of the 39 member states of the organization and manages the unitary patent system of the European Union.

The decision of the EPO Council is a historic one for the Republic of Moldova, which will make it possible for Moldova to join the European patent space in the foreseeable future. The State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI) has done everything possible to contribute to this significant achievement for our country. Thus, after the withdrawal of membership of the Eurasian Patent Organization in 2012, all efforts were focused on aligning national legislation and procedures with European standards and practices.

The cooperation between the Republic of Moldova and the EPO has a history of over 25 years. In 2011, Moldova informed the European organization for the first time about its desire to enter into a cooperation agreement with the EPO. Years of negotiations and legislative and administrative adjustments followed, and in 2013 the Government of the Republic of Moldova concluded with the OEB, the Agreement on Validation of European Patents, entered into force on 01.11.2015, through the implementation of which it recognized the effects of the European patent on its territory, being put the basis of the future accession to the EPC.

In 2019, considering that the accession to the EPO is conditional on obtaining an invitation from the Administrative Council of the organization, the Republic of Moldova sent it a letter of intent regarding the interest of the Republic of Moldova in becoming a member state of the EPO and, respectively, the request to examine the launch of the invitation to join.

Thus, starting with 2019, AGEPI intensified its bilateral dialogue with the intellectual property offices of the EPO Member States to promote the patent system of the Republic of Moldova and obtain their support for joining the EPO, support materialized by the decision adopted today by the representatives of the member states of the organization.

Present online at the meeting of the Administrative Council of the EPO, the Director General of AGEPI, Eugeniu Rusu, emphasized the following: “Allow me, on behalf of the Republic of Moldova, and also on behalf of the State Agency on Intellectual Property, to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for the decision taken in response to our country’s request to join the European Patent Convention. We are grateful to the EPO Administrative Council for the trust reposed in Moldova. I would like to assure you that AGEPI will do everything in its power to justify the trust reposed in it as a viable partner, able to fulfill its commitments as a member of the EPO and to respect the principles and provisions of the European Patent Convention. For the State Agency on Intellectual Property of the Republic of Moldova, this decision is particularly essential. It is a remarkable achievement. Behind this decision can be found the deserved efforts of all those who contributed to the realization of this desideratum. At the same time, we are aware that this is a new and challenging start on our European path. Obtaining EPO membership will not only integrate the Republic of Moldova into the European patent space, but will certainly encourage research and innovation activity in the Republic of Moldova, contributing to the technology transfer and the creation of a favorable investment climate. I am deeply convinced that without innovation there is no sustainable economic growth, and innovation could not exist without effective intellectual property protection.”

At the end of the speech, the Director General of AGEPI wanted to reiterate to the members of the Administrative Council his gratitude for the valuable assistance and support provided by the EPO Member States over time and expressed his conviction that, in these difficult times for the Republic of Moldova, today’s decision of the Council will bring our country closer to the European Union family.

We should mention that the EPC represents a regional legal instrument for the protection of inventions in Europe, which initially entered into force in 1977, for seven contracting states (Belgium, Switzerland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Great Britain and the Netherlands) and laid the foundations for the creation of the European Patent Organization (EPO).

Currently, the EPO has 39 member states, including 27 EU Member States and 10 non-member states, such as Switzerland, Norway, Great Britain, Turkey, etc. The last state to accede to the European Patent Convention is the Republic of Montenegro, which is a member state of the EPO as of October 1, 2022.

It should be emphasized that joining the EPO is one of the preconditions for joining the European Union and will ensure the full integration of the Republic of Moldova into the European patent space.