The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Moldova and the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI), in partnership with the National Confederation of Trade Unions of Moldova (NCSM), the National Anticorruption Center (NAC), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Institute of Standardization of Moldova (ISM) and the National Accreditation Center of the Republic of Moldova (MOLDAC) organized today a conference to launch the Contests “Trademark of the year” and “Product and Service Quality Achievements Award” for the year 2023.

According to the President of the CCI of the Republic of Moldova Sergiu Harea, the Contest “Trademark of the Year” was initiated in 2003 and has become, during the 21st editions, one of the most effective platforms for promoting trademarks, highlighting local market leaders. The Contest and “Product and Service Quality Achievements Award”, which is in its 10th edition, aims to identify companies that have successfully implemented quality management and promote modern approaches to quality.

“The CCI of the Republic of Moldova together with its partners are today starting the registration of local entrepreneurs for two important contests. The awards they will later receive at the Moldovan Business Gala confirm the companies’ courage, perseverance and desire to assert themselves on the national level and outline their successes in the field of promoting trademarks and quality management. All the winners of the previous editions are a clear proof of the fact that every company and brand needs promotion and that all the actions they undertake are not in vain, but directly contribute to the development of the local business environment. That’s why we encourage Moldovan companies to register until March 29, 2024 for the Contests “Trademark of the Year” and and “Product and Service Quality Achievements Award” for 2023” said Sergiu Harea.

For his part, the Director General of AGEPI, Eugeniu Rusu, mentioned: “We are proud and honored to be part, together with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, of this long-lasting contest “Trademark of the Year”. Together, we are committed to supporting and promoting excellence in the field of intellectual property, thus contributing to sustainable growth and strengthening Moldova’s position in the international economic landscape. For the State Agency on Intellectual Property, this contest is not only a competition, but also an important event in our calendar. It is an opportunity to recognize and reward excellence in innovation and added value through a trademark’s identity and reputation.”

Being in its 21st edition, the Contest “Trademark of the Year” is one of the most effective tools for promoting trademarks on the internal and external markets. The results of the contest allow highlighting the leaders and establishing the dynamics of consumer behavior on the local market.

For the grand prix – “Golden Mercury”, trademarks can be registered in the contest for one or more of the following nominations, according to the professionalism criteria: Nomination “INTER”; Nomination “LEADER OF THE YEAR”; Closed Nomination “REPUTATION AND TRUST”; Nomination “EXPORT”; Nomination “REBRANDING”; Nomination “FAVORITE SME OF THE YEAR”; Nomination “DEBUT OF THE YEAR”; Nomination “SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE TRADEMARK”; Nomination “WOMEN IN BUSINESS”; Nomination “GREEN ECONOMY”; Nomination “BUSINESS ON-LINE”; Nomination “FAMILY BUSINESS”; Nomination “IMPLEMENTATION OF INTEGRITY STANDARDS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR” and Nomination “FAMILY FRIENDLY WORKPLACES”.

The participants in the contest, in the current year as well, will also benefit from some advantages: additional advertising and the development of the trademark image, including of the products and services designated by this trademark; the information about the participants, the way the contest is conducted will be widely publicized on the web pages and social networks of the contest organizers, in the mass media, at press conferences, in the television broadcasts dedicated to the contest; appreciation of the weaknesses and strengths of the trademark; specialists and members of the Jury will give consultations to the participants; provision free of charge, during one year, of intellectual property pre-diagnosis services at the enterprise (AGEPI experts will examine the portfolio of intellectual property objects owned by the enterprise and present recommendations regarding its effective valorization); organization of seminars/trainings in the field of intellectual property for the employees of the enterprises participating in the contest, including at the enterprise headquarters (free), 1 seminar, one day (8 hours), 12-16 persons; organization of trainings and counseling in the field of integrity and anticorruption; 10% discount on the participation fee in a virtual exhibition on the virtual-fairs.md platform; 20% reduction of the registration fee for: submitting the company’s request/offer to Chambers of Commerce and Industry abroad; entering the company’s request/offer into the databases with commercial offers managed by the CCI; participation in economic missions abroad; participation in bilateral forums organized in the Republic of Moldova; color publication, free of charge, in the Official Bulletin of Intellectual Property of the image of the trademarks, laureates of the contest, at the request of the trademark owners (during the year); free publication of the enterprise’s contacts and the field of activity in the informative-advertising Catalog “Successful Trademarks of the Republic of Moldova 2023”.

Last year’s edition of the Contest “Trademark of the Year” registered 110 participating trademarks of which 106 were awarded. During the 20 editions, over 1800 trademarks were registered for the contest.

Stages of the contest:

Ø  March 29, 2024 - the end of the stage of submitting applications for participation;

Ø  April 12, 2024 – the end of the presentation package submission stage;

Ø  April 1-12, 2024 – carrying out the survey among consumers;

Ø  April 17-26, 2024 – the activity of the group of experts and the organizing committee;

The Contest “Product and Service Quality Achievements Award” is in its 10th edition. Its purpose is to highlight companies that have successfully implemented quality management and to promote modern quality approaches.

At this edition, companies that are ISO certified will present a self-assessment report based on 5 criteria, while the other participants will present the traditional report based on the 9 quality excellence criteria.

After the submission of the applications (period until March 29, 2024) and the report until April 12, 2023, the evaluation of the quality management within the Contest takes place in 2 stages:

Ø  Evaluation of the rating of the participating enterprises through the survey method April 1-12, 2024;

Ø  Evaluation by the group of experts and the organizing committee April 17 - 26, 2024.

In the 2023 edition, we had a number of 41 participants in the contest, of which 36 were designated Laureates, appreciated with the grand prix The Goddess of Quality, and 5 were designated with diplomas.

In total, 450 companies participated during the 9 editions.

The winners of the two contests will be awarded during the “Moldovan Business Gala” - the most anticipated event of the domestic economic society, which will take place in the summer of this year.

Entrepreneurs can register for contests until March 29, 2024, at the addresses viorica.cazacu@chamber.md, tatiana.sainciuc@chamber.md and olga.grosu@chamber.md. All materials could be accessed on the page www.chamber.md, in the category Contests.

The press conference can be watched here: https://rlive.md/lansarea-oficiala-a-concursurilor-marca-comerciala-a-an... .