The State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI) hosted from September 27 to 29, 2023, a working visit of the official delegations of the Romanian State Office for Inventions and Trademarks (OSIM) and the Romanian Copyright Office (ORDA). The purpose of this visit was to strengthen cooperation relations in the field of intellectual property between the offices.

The visit began on September 27 with bilateral meetings between the Director General of AGEPI and the top management of the two intellectual property offices of Romania, in which the representative of the Romanian Embassy in Chisinau, Clementina Robertina Ion, also participated.

After the bilateral meetings, the trilateral meeting was held at management level, attended by the representatives of AGEPI, OSIM and ORDA, as well as the administration of the relevant departments within AGEPI. They had a detailed discussion about the main directions of cooperation and established common objectives, including those centered on the European aspirations of the Republic of Moldova.

During the opening of the meeting, the Director General of AGEPI, Eugeniu Rusu, emphasized the importance of the support provided by ORDA and OSIM in the process of integrating the Republic of Moldova into the European Union. Eugeniu Rusu recognized that the close cooperation relations with these two offices is essential for the alignment of legislation and practices in the field of intellectual property to European standards. Also, in his speech, the Director General of AGEPI thanked the Romanian Copyright Office for supporting the efforts of the Republic of Moldova to amend the Law on Copyright and Related Rights, so that it is in line with European norms.

In his turn, the Director General of OSIM, Marian-Octavian Serbanescu, reiterated his commitment and that of the institution he leads to support the Republic of Moldova in the process of aligning with European norms, emphasizing the importance of strengthening the partnership in the field of intellectual property between the two countries.

At the same time, the Director General of ORDA, Andrei Simion Ijac, mentioned the importance of copyright protection and emphasized that harmonization with European norms in this field is not only a legal necessity, but also a significant step towards strengthening and promoting creativity and innovation in the Republic Moldova.

After the trilateral meeting, the OSIM and ORDA delegations had the opportunity to tour the AGEPI headquarters and familiarize themselves with the agency’s activities.

Afterwards, the delegations of the two Romanian offices met with the representatives of AGEPI, where they had an exchange of information on recent developments in the field of intellectual property in the Republic of Moldova and Romania. The successes achieved by the three offices were discussed, as well as the challenges they face in achieving their goals.

The program of the second day of the visit also included an information exchange session between OSIM and ORDA delegations and AGEPI specialists, focusing on the practical aspects of intellectual property management, such as the examination of trademarks, industrial designs and inventions, as well as copyright protection and intellectual property litigation management.

During this working visit, the three parties emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation in the field of intellectual property and appreciated the exchange of experience they had. They also showed themselves open to organizing other meetings of this kind, with a view to the continuous development of the cooperation between AGEPI, OSIM and ORDA for the benefit of innovators and creators from the two countries, agreeing, at the same time, on the conclusion of a trilateral Cooperation Agreement which will be the basis of a closer cooperation between the intellectual property offices of both countries in order to take over the best practices and experiences and provide mutual support in harmonizing national legislation with the European acquis.