In the period 3-4 November, in Chisinau, is conducted the Sub-Regional Seminar for Representatives of the Judiciary System on Building Respect for Intellectual Property.

The event is organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), in cooperation with the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI), National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and European Patent Office (EPO).

The seminar is attended by representatives of Chisinau courts and other courts in the territory, representatives of the Supreme Court of Justice, Chisinau Court of Appeal, National Institute of Justice, General Prosecutor’s Office, Customs Service, Competition Council and Consumer Protection Agency.

Also present at the event are WIPO experts, and representatives of the judiciary systems of Romania, Belgium, France, Germany, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania.

The purpose of the event is to increase the knowledge of judges on the enforcement of intellectual property rights in the context of considering disputes in the field of intellectual property and taking over the best practices on settlement of complex litigation.

The seminar was opened by the host of the seminar, Diana Scobioala, NIJ Director, who noted that this year will be set up a training module in this field in partnership with AGEPI. “I am glad that there are common interests to carry out a full cycle of training of judges and prosecutors on building respect for intellectual property. Moldova’s judiciary system is facing various challenges in this area and it is absolutely necessary a research on the unification of jurisprudence”, said Diana Scobioală.

In turn, Octavian Apostol, AGEPI Director General, thanked the host of the seminar, namely the National Institute of Justice and the World Intellectual Property Organization, because they supported the initiative of AGEPI and helped organize this regional seminar in Chisinau. “Continuous training of judges is a fundamental prerequisite for quality judicial decisions, and deepening of knowledge in intellectual property, familiarity with the experience of other states, are actions that will lead to the fairer examination of intellectual property disputes”, said Octavian Apostol.

Participants were also welcomed by Xavier Vermandele, Senior Legal Counselor in the Building Respect for IP Division of WIPO, who pointed out that the protection of intellectual property rights is a key component in the economic development of a country. “We can have the best system of protection but if we do not have a sound system of enforcement of intellectual property rights then the entire protection system will not work”, added Xavier Vermandele.

Attending the opening of the seminar, Vasile Plamadeala, counselor on trade issues in the EU Delegation to the Republic of Moldova, said that the European Union gives permanent support to implement the strategy to reform the justice and the Agreement establishing the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, and the field of intellectual property rights is part of this agreement. “We believe that all actions taken will benefit and create a business environment and a society in which the rights, including those related to intellectual property are respected and bring added value to the economy”, said Vasile Plamadeala.

The seminar agenda includes topics related to the protection of intellectual property rights, procedures and decisions of the courts to counter counterfeiting and piracy, including the application of provisional measures, evidence, civil remedies, criminal procedures and penalties, etc.

A special topic is the infringement of intellectual property rights in the digital environment.

We should remind that in April 2013, AGEPI and NIJ signed a memorandum of cooperation by which have pledged to promote information about the national intellectual property protection among employees in the justice sector of the Republic of Moldova by organizing information and training events for judges, including inviting experts and specialists from abroad.