Chisinau, September 8-9, 2025 – Over 70 participants from the Republic of Moldova, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Lithuania and other states in the region, along with representatives of relevant international organizations, gathered at the Regional Conference on Intellectual Property and Creative Industries, held under the theme “Empowering Creativity for Sustainable Growth with Intellectual Property”.
The event was organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), in cooperation with the State Agency on Intellectual Property of the Republic of Moldova (AGEPI), the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Moldova and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), with the support of the project “Strengthening Intellectual Property Rights in Moldova and Ukraine” (EU4IP).
The conference was inaugurated by Eugeniu Rusu, Director General of AGEPI, who welcomed WIPO’s decision to organize this regional event in the Republic of Moldova and highlighted the topicality of the topics addressed during this event, which is a first for the Republic of Moldova, and also for the entire region. “It is also symbolic that today, September 8, we celebrate 33 years since the founding of AGEPI. This anniversary is an occasion for pride and reflection on our institutional journey,” the Director General of AGEPI also noted.
Mr. Andrei Chistol, State Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, mentioned in his opening speech that this platform has the potential to become a permanent one, which, in future editions, could be focused on specific areas, such as cinematography, music or the audiovisual sector — areas with significant potential both in the Republic of Moldova and the region.
The representative of the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova supported the initiative and assured the participants that the EU will continue to support the Republic of Moldova on its European path, including in creating an efficient and balanced intellectual property system, aligned with European legislation and practices.
In turn, the WIPO representative emphasized that, in recent years, the Republic of Moldova has become a dynamic hub for creative industries, bringing together over 2,700 companies, more than 13,000 professionals and an impressive number of young talents who contribute to the development of this ecosystem. “The creative industries sector represents a potential reservoir of jobs and a vector of economic growth. It is our responsibility, of all of us, to support them in achieving their goals, to offer them the opportunity to earn a living from creativity and to contribute to the economic and social development of their country.”
In their opening speeches, officials highlighted the essential role of intellectual property (IP) in supporting creators and strengthening creative industries as a pillar of sustainable growth and economic competitiveness for the entire region.
The conference agenda included plenary sessions, roundtables and panel discussions with local and international experts.
The debates benefited from the contributions of experts from WIPO, EUIPO and international organizations in the field, such as IFRRO, IAF and CISAC. At the same time, relevant experiences from the Republic of Moldova were presented, through the interventions of representatives of the intellectual property offices and copyright departments of the Ministries of Culture of Lithuania, Romania, the Czech Republic and Serbia, as well as of some reference representatives of the creative industries in Moldova, including Viorica Cerbușca, Executive Director of the Association of Creative Industries of Moldova (COR), Iurie Badicu, university lecturer at the Academy of Music, Theatre and Fine Arts of Moldova, master of arts and music producer, “Fabrica de Hituri”, as well as filmmaker Virgiliu Mărgineanu, President of the Union of Filmmakers of the Republic of Moldova and founder of the CRONOGRAF International Documentary Film Festival. They shared the challenges and opportunities facing the creative sector in the context of digital transformation and the emergence of artificial intelligence, giving voice to those at the heart of the creative ecosystem.
The participants in the conference analyzed key issues for creative industries and copyright in a context of accelerated technological transformation, seeking to identify solutions based on best practices that ensure a balance between the use of artificial intelligence, the act of creation and the protection of copyright.
Among the central themes addressed during the two days of debates were:
- Global Trends and Regional Priorities in the Field of Copyright;
- Public Policy Coherence between IP, Culture, Trade, and Innovation;
- Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Creators and Rights Protection Systems;
- Fair Remuneration Models and The Role of Collective Management Organizations.
At the end of the conference, participants formulated a series of recommendations for strengthening the regional creative ecosystem:
- Continue Regional Conferences – periodic organization of thematic editions dedicated to specific sectors (film, music, video games, etc.), including case studies and international networking opportunities.
- Create a Regional Dialogue Platform – establishment of a digital hub for the exchange of good practices and tools in the field of IP, addressed to creators, SMEs and decision-makers.
- Strengthen Capacities and Training – integration of intellectual property in university programs for creative fields and development of training programs adapted to different categories of actors.
- Strengthen Oartnerships – promotion of cooperation between national IP offices, collective management organizations and international organizations (IFRRO, IAF, CISAC) for joint initiatives and cross-border projects.
- Support SMEs and Individual Creators – developing mentoring and advisory programs to address IP challenges in the digital age.
- Strengthen Rights Management System – involving governments in regional and international debates on regulating the use of artificial intelligence in the context of the intellectual property system. .
- Monitor and Assess Impact – conducting regional studies to measure the contribution of creative industries to GDP, employment and exports in the region.
The regional conference in Chisinau reconfirmed the commitment of the Republic of Moldova and its international and European partners to harness the potential offered by the IP system to promote creative industries as a strategic sector of the modern economy, capable of generating innovation, economic growth and sustainable development.
