On 18 April this year, in Chisinau took place the initialing of the text of the Agreement between the European Union and the Government of the Republic of Moldova on the protection of geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs. Under this Agreement, our country will provide protection in its territory to a number of over 3200 geographical indications for foodstuffs, wines and spirits, and geographic indications of the Republic of Moldova for those products will be protected in the European Union.

The negotiated Agreement is supposed to be approved by the European Parliament and Council, as well as by the legislative authorities of the Republic of Moldova, after which will come into force (http://europa.eu/).

Negotiations on the draft Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Moldova and the European Union on the protection of geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs have been initiated by Government Decision no. 307 of 23.04.2010. Along with representatives of the Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, AGEPI specialists participated actively in negotiations, including in the preparatory phase, which started on 27 May 2008. Within the framework thereof, there have been examined the legislative provisions in the reference field, the role and place of public authorities in ensuring the protection of GIs, including ex officio and the necessity of strengthening their institutional capacities.

In the context of the negotiations were conducted public consultations on the Lists of EU’s geographical indications proposed for protection in the Republic of Moldova, which were published on August 20, 2010 in the Special Edition “Geographical Indications” of the Official Bulletin of Intellectual Property, also accessible on the AGEPI website. Within two months from the date of publication, the persons, who had a legitimate interest, have filed oppositions against the grant of protection by filing reasoned declarations with the AGEPI.

In the same vein, it should be mentioned the fact that on 07.04.2011 have also been initiated public consultations on the IG of the Republic of Moldova with the view of their protection in the territory of the European Union, namely, on the indigenous appellations of origin “Ciumai” and “Romanesti” - for wines - which are supposed to pass through the same procedure in the European Union. The informative notice of the European Commission on the mentioned public consultations was published in the Official Gazette of the European Union.