On May 23rd, the European Union Project „Support to Enforcement of the Intellectual Property Rights” in the Republic of Moldova (IPR Project), in common with State Agency for Intellectual Property (AGEPI), have organized the second phase of the Training course on verification of compliance and ex-officio control for products with geographical indications.
At the event have participated the representatives of the territorial units of the National Agency for Food Safety (NAFS), Agency for Consumers Protection and Market Surveillance, State Inspectorate for Alcohol Production Supervision, Product Certification Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment, specialists from AGEPI etc.
The goal of the seminar was to increase the knowledge of the authorities specialists involved in the control system for agro-food products, including the protected designation of origin (PDO), protected geographical indications (PGI) and traditional specialities guaranteed (GTS).
At the opening General Director of ANSA, Gheorghe Gaberi, talked about the importance of the state's involvement in the supporting development of the protection system of geographical indications in the Republic of Moldova.
The General Director of AGEPI, Lilia Bolocan underlined the importance of ensuring the legal and institutional frameworks for promoting and capitalizing on GI products in the Republic of Moldova and noted that the Agency will continue to make sustained efforts to create a strong system of geographical indications.
The Seminar-training addressed issues regarding to the controls planning for PDO, PGI, STG products, the carrying out checks of compliance requirements of product specifications, mechanisms and applying practice of the use rights of geographical indications in the Republic of Moldova and ex officio control of products with PDO, PGI, STG.
Dariusz Goszczynski, expert from IPR Project, Poland talked about general obligations regarding to the organisation of official controls, specific elements of control plans, requirements of EU regulations, examples of different organizational structure of control’s system and that is the labelling and scope of protection. In this context, the expert presented some study cases.
”For example, ”Feta” is a very often counterfeit cheese. According to the Greek Ministry of Agriculture, the global sales market for Feta cheese reaches 400-500 thousand tons, while Greece exported only 89 thousand tons in 2003. Traditionally similar products are created in Albania and Bulgaria. From October 14, 2002 the name "feta" is protected and reserved exclusively for cheeses originating in Greece (PDO)”, said the expert.
The expert also presented recommendations of IPR Project on improving the system of geographical indications in the Republic of Moldova.
Isabella Kaminska, IPR Project expert, Poland explained in what way verification of compliance and ex officio controls is organized, including good practices from different countries, case studies.
The first stage of the training took place on March 29th, 2018, at AGEPI headquarters.
At the end of the Course, project experts gave to employees of the institutions certificates of participation.
The Technical Assistance Project “Support to Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights”, financed by the European Union, has a duration of two years and is due to be completed in November 2018. One of the basic objectives of the project is to improve the geographical indications system in the Republic of Moldova.
