The Director General of the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI), Eugeniu Rusu, participated in the 174th meeting of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organization (EPO), which took place on March 22, in Munich, Germany.

It is important to mention that the Republic of Moldova participated for the first time in the current session of the EPO Administrative Council as an observer.

This became possible following the decision of the EPO Administrative Council of December 13, 2022 to invite the Republic of Moldova to join the European Patent Convention (EPC). The EPO represents the 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, and through the mentioned decision it will be possible for our country to join the European patent space in the foreseeable future.

Accession to the EPO will ensure the full integration of the Republic of Moldova in the European patent space, as a result, the Republic of Moldova is expected to become the 40th contracting state to the EPC.

Eugeniu Rusu, the Director General of AGEPI, in his welcoming speech, mentioned that: “The decision taken recently by the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organization to invite the Republic of Moldova to join the EPO means an enormous potential for our country and for the future of the field in which we activate. We want these successes to encourage research and innovation activity in the Republic of Moldova, contributing to the technology transfer and the creation of a favorable investment climate. I reconfirm to you that we will be a viable partner, capable of fulfilling its commitments as a member of the EPO and respecting the principles and provisions of the European Patent Convention.”

According to the agenda of the current session of the EPO Administrative Council, the representatives of the member states addressed numerous issues of major importance for the European patent system, including the unitary patent.

The participation of the Republic of Moldova in the Administrative Council of the EPO offered the opportunity to ensure the visibility of our country within the European patent system.