On 11 April this year, General Director of the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI), Octavian Apostol, signed the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications.
The treaty is a revised version of the Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration, signed on 31 October 1958, and was adopted in Geneva, Switzerland, in the Diplomatic Conference of 11-21 May 2015. Republic of Moldova has actively participated throughout the process of negotiation and adoption of the document.
The signing took place at the headquarters of the World Intellectual Property Organization, in the presence of Director General of WIPO, Francis Gurry, and the Permanent Representative to the UN Office and other international organizations in Geneva, Ambassador Tudor Ulianovschi.
Signing procedure was followed by the Moldovan delegation meeting with the Director General of WIPO, which enabled a constructive exchange of ideas on the developments in intellectual property globally and assessing the state of bilateral relations between our country and WIPO.
Director General of AGEPI, Octavian Apostol, stressed the importance of collaboration between the Agency he represents and WIPO to develop the intellectual property system in our country, expressing confidence that the revised Lisbon System will contribute not only to facilitation of international registrations of geographical indications, but also by strengthening the protection of this instrument.
Currently in Moldova are registered four local geographical indications, which will be protected globally after the entry into force of the Geneva Act both internationally and for our country. Moldova is the fifteenth state to sign the treaty. It will enter into force after the deposit of the fifth instrument of ratification.
At the same time, WIPO Director General, Francis Gurry, noted the growing importance of geographical indications for promoting traditional products that ensure diversity in a globalizing world in the process. Referring to his visit to Moldova in 2012, Fruncis Gurry appreciated the quality and high value of Moldovan products and showed confidence that Moldova has a rich potential of products that can be promoted through the geographical indication system and other intellectual property tools, as confirmed by the project “From the Heart. Brands of Moldova”, presented by the Director General of AGEPI, in the International Conference on Intellectual Property and Development on 7-8 April this year.
Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva, Mr. Ambassador Tudor Ulianovschi informed WIPO Director General about the latest developments in Moldova and reiterated our country’s commitment to participate actively in WIPO activities and initiatives.
The parties were assured of full mutual openness for the continuation and strengthening of relations between Moldova and WIPO in bilateral and multilateral context and agreed on long-term priority directions.
It should be mentioned that AGEPI delegation, headed by Director General of AGEPI, Octavian Apostol, participates on 11-15 April this year in the session of the Committee on Intellectual Property and Development. According to the agenda, Member States are to adopt recommendations for the General Assembly of WIPO on implementation of the Development Agenda and technical assistance projects, dedicated to the achievement of WIPO commitments on the development dimension of the organization.
Photo Source: Emmanuel Berrod © WIPO 2015.