Over 100 representatives of public authorities, business, academic environment, environmental organizations and external development partners participated in the first National Workshop entitled “Promoting Eco-Innovation in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises”. The event, which took place online, was organized by the Organization for Small and Medium Enterprises Sector Development (ODIMM) in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), as part of the EU4Environment Regional Project. The workshop aimed to present the UNEP and EU methodology for promoting eco-innovation in SMEs.

The Director General of ODIMM, Iulia Costin, in the opening of the event, emphasized that the implementation of innovative practices in the activity of small and medium-sized enterprises is absolutely necessary in the context of global economic challenges.

“Promoting eco-innovations in obtaining the products of local companies is one of the viable solutions for adapting to the difficult conditions and challenges that have emerged recently. The adaptation of European practices by enterprises will favor their development and will offer an increased potential to face the existing competitive pressure both inside the country and abroad”.

During the event, participants interested in obtaining sustainable consumption products and patterns, were acquainted with European methods of promoting eco-innovation in the entrepreneurial field. Examples of good practices of foreign companies were provided, which could be used by local entrepreneurs.

At the same time, present at the event, the representatives of the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI) Andrei Moisei, main consultant, Communication and Training Division, Communication and International Relations Department and Natalia Caisîm, interim head of the Patents Department, informed the participants about the role that intellectual property plays in encouraging innovation and creativity, in developing a knowledge-based society, in creating a prosperous and sustainable environment.

The data of a National Report on Measuring the Performance of Green Economic Development based on the set of Green Growth Indicators, prepared in 2017 with the support of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development within the EaP GREEN project indicate that only 3% of innovations are applied in practice in the business sector of the Republic of Moldova. Promoting the implementation of eco-innovations in business will provide the Republic of Moldova with a number of opportunities to take advantage of both the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with the European Union and to achieve the objectives set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.