Because the year 2020 is a special one and full of challenges, on August 19, the Moldovan Business Gala, the award ceremony for winners of the contests “Trademark of the Year” and "Quality Achievements Award” took place for the first time in online format. The event was organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) of the Republic of Moldova, in partnership with the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI) and the involvement of the National Anticorruption Center (CNA). Through the event broadcast live on the Facebook pages of AGEPI, CCI and CNA, the participants were nominated and the results of the contests were announced. Also today, at the companies’ headquarters, the winners received their well-deserved prizes.

In the opening of the online event, Sergiu Harea, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Moldova stressed that: “The Moldovan Business Gala of 2020 presents the most notorious companies that are characterized by excellence, ability to innovate and create value, and especially by demonstrating resilience, ambition and boldness. I want to mention that in this edition are awarded not only companies that have registered high figures in economic activity, but also medium and small companies, and even some in their infancy, which actively promote the brand born in the Republic of Moldova, abroad.”

In his welcome address to the participants and laureates, Viorel Iustin, Director General of the State Agency on Intellectual Property, mentioned that: “For AGEPI, this contest has a special significance, given the fact that, starting with the filing of a trademark registration application, with the agency, applicants take the first step in developing a successful brand, ensuring all their exclusive rights in the market and investing intelligently in intangible assets. It is gratifying that, from year to year, economic agents show a growing interest in participating in the “Trademark of the Year” contest, and also the desire to get recognition for its performance.

The distinctions awarded to the laureates are just a small proof of the merit of those who work daily in these enterprises, of the work they do in order to meet consumer requirements, and also to increase the economic competitiveness of the Republic of Moldova nationally and internationally.”

At the same time, Ion Chicu, Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova came to the Moldovan Business Gala live event, with a message of thanks and appreciation to entrepreneurs and business representatives: “This year the economy of the Republic of Moldova, as well as the regional and global ones, is hit by a crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The effects of this pandemic crisis are felt by all economic sectors of the Republic of Moldova and in these conditions we admire your talent, courage and high professionalism manifested during this period.

Most of you managed to keep the jobs, to continue the activity in very harsh conditions, to maintain with the financial effort the budgetary sustainability of the Republic of Moldova. Only thanks to you, the state of the Republic of Moldova is able to honor its financial obligations to the citizens, the fields of medicine, education and other very important sectors for the country. In 2020, this event I care about is held online, and the best businessmen, who through their performance this year deserved the respective awards, I wish them continued success and thank them for their work, I pay tribute to your talent and I am absolutely sure that our country, having such talented people, patriots in the economy, will manage to go through this difficult period, and the economic recovery will become a real thing in the medium-term prospect.”

Sergiu Puscuta, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Sergiu Railean, Minister of Economy and Infrastructure, Ruslan Flocea, Director of the National Anticorruption Center, Anna Akhalkatsi, Director of the World Bank Office in the Republic of Moldova and Dima Al-Khatib, UNDP Resident Representative in the Republic of Moldova also came with messages of support and congratulations to the laureates.

For the current edition of the “Trademark of the Year” contest have signed up 82 participants, who competed in the 14 nominations and 11 categories of the contest.

Participants were awarded prizes according to the following nominations:

“The Debut of the Year” - 7 companies were awarded;

“Consumer Appraisal” - 3 companies;

“Export” - 3 companies;

“Inter” - 4 companies;

“Acknowledged Trademark” - 4 companies;

“Rebranding” - 2 companies;

“Socially responsible” - 8 companies;

“Leader of the Year” -12 companies;

“Woman in Business” - 5 companies;

“Favorite SME of the Year” - 2 companies;

“Reputation and Trust” - 14 companies;

“Important Contribution to Sustainable Development”, nomination introduced in partnership with UNDP Moldova - 3 companies were awarded.

At the same time, this year, the “Trademark of the Year” contest was completed with a new nomination – “Implementation of Integrity Standards in the Private Sector”. The nomination was supported by the NAC and UNDP Moldova, Project “Fighting Corruption by Strengthening Integrity in the Republic of Moldova”, implemented with the financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway. Thus, 12 companies were awarded within the framework of this nomination.

We should remind you that the “Trademark of the Year” is in its seventeenth edition and is one of the most effective tools to enhance the competitiveness and increase the capacity of domestic enterprises in creating and promoting trademarks in the internal and external market by evaluating their quality by a professional jury, and also on the basis of consumer opinion.

The results of the contest allow both highlighting the leaders and analyzing and taking over successful strategies for developing and promoting successful trademarks, monitoring the dynamics of consumers’ preferences and their behavior.

The contest “Product and Service Quality Achievements Award” (6th edition) aims to identify companies that have successfully implemented quality management and promote modern approaches to quality. This national contest is considered as a stage of preparation of enterprises for the promotion of products on the external market.

The award ceremony of the contests “Trademark of the Year 2019” and “Product and Service Quality Achievements Award 2019” can be watched here: https://www.privesc.eu/Arhiva/91517/Ceremonia-de-premiere-a-concursurilor--Marca-comerciala-a-anului-2019--si--Premiul-pentru-realizari-in-domeniul-calitatii-produselor-si-serviciilor-20.