The representatives of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) carried out from February 20 to 21, 2024, a documentation mission in the field of intellectual property in Chisinau.

The main purpose of the visit was to explore the current status of the use and management of the field of intellectual property in the Republic of Moldova, as well as to hold technical discussions to identify the priorities and needs of the interested parties in order to prepare the first annual work plan of the EU-funded Project “Strengthening Intellectual Property Rights (IP) in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine” (EU4IP).

During the visit to Chisinau, the EUIPO delegation had meetings and discussions with representatives of the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI), the EU Delegation to the Republic of Moldova, as well as with other institutions involved in the intellectual property ecosystem, including the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, the Ministry of Education and Research, the Customs Service, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Organization for Entrepreneurship Development and the National Office of Vine and Wine.

EUIPO representatives, Ignacio de Medrano Caballero, Head, International Cooperation Service, International Cooperation Department and Ibon Ormazabal, International Cooperation Service, presented the experiences and practices within the European Union in the field of intellectual property, as well as the areas in which the EUIPO could grant assistance to beneficiary states.

The Director General of AGEPI, Eugeniu Rusu, confirmed the institution’s openness to any initiatives that come to develop the intellectual property system in our country. “The partnership and support offered by EUIPO and the EU can significantly contribute to improving the legal and institutional framework for the protection of intellectual property in the Republic of Moldova. Through the close cooperation between AGEPI and other relevant institutions, it is possible to ensure a better application of the legislation and to enforce intellectual property rights in the country”, emphasized Eugeniu Rusu. He also mentioned the availability of AGEPI specialists to contribute to the implementation of all planned activities within the project, which is to be officially launched this March, in Chisinau.

In addition, the EUIPO representatives had an exchange of information and perspectives with the members of the Observatory on Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights (Competition Council, Courts Administration Agency, State Inspectorate for Supervision of Non-Food Products and Consumer Protection, Customs Service, Prosecutor General’s Office, etc.) , identifying the main challenges faced by each institution in the part related to the enforcement of IP rights in the Republic of Moldova and, at the same time, establishing the possible assistance measures in overcoming these challenges.

The EUIPO delegation also had meetings with authorized representatives and representatives of collective management organizations, during which exchanges of views took place, identifying potential areas of assistance with reference to ensuring effective mechanisms for the exploitation of intellectual property rights in the Republic of Moldova.

We remind you that the EUIPO and the Directorate-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) of the European Commission have joined forces to support the IP field in the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia. The cooperation was formalized by the signing of the “EU4IP” project on December 12, 2023 by João Negrão, Executive Director of EUIPO, and Gert Jan Koopman, Director General of DG NEAR. The EU project emphasizes the protection of intellectual property rights by strengthening legislation in this field, raising awareness of their benefits and supporting partner countries during their accession to the EU.

The EU project “EU4IP”, with a total duration of 4 years and with a total co-funding of 4 million euros from the Commission and EUIPO, represents a significant step for Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine in the direction of strengthening the national intellectual property systems and advancement on the path of European integration.