The High-Level Multilateral Meeting between the delegation of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), led by the Executive Director João Negrão, who arrived in Chisinau took place on March 26, at the headquarters of the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI), on the occasion of the Launch Conference of the European Union (EU) Project “Strengthening Intellectual Property Rights in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine” (EU4IP), and the heads of intellectual property (IP) offices of the Republic of Moldova, Georgia, Ukraine, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Romania.

In opening the meeting, AGEPI Director General Eugeniu Rusu emphasized the importance of bilateral and multilateral collaboration in the field of intellectual property, stating: “Together, we have the opportunity to make significant progress in promoting and protecting innovation, creativity and intellectual property throughout the region. Through the EU4IP project and our partnerships, we can strengthen the foundation of effective and sustainable collaboration. Together, we can share knowledge, build capacity and set high standards for the protection of intellectual property rights.”

In his turn, the Executive Director of the EUIPO, João Negrão, emphasized the importance of strengthening the collaboration between the EUIPO and the intellectual property offices of the region. He said: “Our partnerships in the EU4IP Project and the European Union Intellectual Property Network (EUIPN) are instrumental in promoting a culture of innovation and respect for intellectual property. Through our joint efforts, we can help create a favourable environment for economic development and sustainable innovation in this region.”

Further, the discussions were focused on the benefits of multilateral cooperation between EUIPO, EU IP offices and AGEPI within the European Union Intellectual Property Network and within the EU-funded Project “Strengthening Intellectual Property Rights in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine”, launched on March 25 in Chisinau.

The topics addressed also included ways to expand cooperation to support the legislative harmonization agenda of the Republic of Moldova with the EU acquis. In addition, the latest developments and activities within the EUIPO-AGEPI cooperation were presented during the meeting.

After the meeting, the participants were invited to take a tour of AGEPI, to familiarize themselves with the agency’s activities and facilities, thus deepening their understanding of how the institution fulfills its role in promoting and protecting intellectual property in the country.

Then, the EUIPO and AGEPI Work Plan was signed for the period 2024-2025, representing a useful tool for establishing the priority directions of collaboration with the EUIPO and the continuous integration into the EUIPN Network, in which all the national IP offices of the EU Member States participate.

Finally, there was a meeting between the EUIPO delegation and AGEPI staff, hosted by the Director General of AGEPI. The Executive Director of the EUIPO, João Negrão, addressed AGEPI employees with words of appreciation and encouragement for their efforts in promoting and protecting intellectual property in the Republic of Moldova.

This meeting demonstrated the firm commitment of the parties involved in strengthening cooperation and advancing common goals in the field of intellectual property both regionally and internationally.