The working meeting of the members of the Observatory on Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights (EIPR Observatory) was held on October 10, at the headquarters of the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI). The meeting brought together representatives of AGEPI, the General Police Inspectorate, the Competition Council, the Customs Service, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the State Inspectorate for Supervision of Non-Food Products and Consumer Protection and the Agency for Courts Administration.

The meeting was chaired by Eugeniu Rusu, Director General of AGEPI and President of the EIPR Observatory, who opened the discussions by emphasizing the importance of protecting intellectual property in the context of economic growth and socio-cultural development of the Republic of Moldova. One of the main topics of the meeting was the analysis of the European Commission’s questionnaire within the bilateral screening process, related to the enforcement of intellectual property rights in accordance with the Community acquis. The members of the Observatory debated the questions raised by the European Commission and discussed the ways in which the Moldovan authorities can effectively respond to the requests regarding the alignment with the European standards.

Another item on the agenda concerned the proposal to include civil society in the Observatory, as a member with observer status, to ensure greater transparency and public involvement in the protection of IP rights. Eugeniu Rusu highlighted the importance of this initiative, noting that the participation of civil society could contribute to strengthening the capacities for monitoring and enforcing IP rights.

Particular attention was paid to the enforcement of IP rights in the context of the Association Agreement between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union, especially with reference to the protection of geographical indications and appellations of origin. The members of the Observatory discussed the progress made in this regard, as well as the necessary steps to meet the new challenges.

Another essential topic of the meeting was the structure and content of the National Report on the Enforcement of IP Rights in the Republic of Moldova for the year 2024. The deadlines and responsibilities for the presentation of the necessary data from the authorities involved were established, the report being a strategic document in the assessment of progress and identification of areas that require improvement.

The meeting continued with discussions on the actions that will be included in the Action Plan of the Observatory for the year 2025. In this context, the initiatives to be implemented within the Moldovan-Swiss Intellectual Property Project (MSIP) and the EU Project “Strengthening Intellectual Property Rights in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine” (EU4IP). These projects aim to improve national capacities to protect and enforce IP rights, while providing technical support and professional training for the authorities involved.

The Observatory on Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights has been active within AGEPI since 2011. The purpose of its creation was to ensure the exchange of information between the authorities responsible for monitoring the enforcement of intellectual property rights, and also to prepare reports, analytical and statistical studies in the field. At the same time, the Observatory performs the functions of the Notification Center of the World Trade Organization for the implementation of the TRIPs Agreement and is an effective means of promoting the activities carried out by various authorities, institutions involved in combating the infringement of intellectual property rights.