How can the phenomenon of online piracy be combated in the Republic of Moldova, which are the international lockout procedures for users access to piracy sites or counterfeit products, how to apply the insurance seizure to the web domain, how IT providers can support the authorities in this process? These were the main subjects which have been discussed at the workshop organized between 4-5 June this year by the EU Project "Support for the enforcement of intellectual property rights" in the Republic of Moldova. At the event participated IT service providers, representatives of the General Inspectorate of Police, General Prosecutor's Office and AGEPI.

Ms. Monica Pop, prosecutor, Representative of Romania within the EU Observatory office for intellectual property and expert within the Project, spoke about Romania's practice in combating digital piracy, which are the responsible institutions for monitoring this phenomenon in Romania, but also about the procedures of Implementing Domain Name Seizure and Blocking Sites with Illegal Content.

”In Romania, the domain name that sells counterfeit products is a fraud instrument and can therefore be seized. The procedure is simple. Through collaboration with the National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics, which is the national authority issuing web domains, the illegal content site is redirected to the Public Ministry server, which opens with the inscription "seized". Also, in order to fight more efficiently against piracy and counterfeiting, we have put at the authorities disposal a useful tool last year- the Guide regarding to the implementation system of intellectual property rights. It gives to officers, prosecutors practical examples and useful information about possible violations of intellectual property rights", said the expert.

Regarding the application procedures of court decisions for violations of intellectual property rights in the Republic of Moldova, Monica Pop recommended authorities to establish the institution that will host redirected content, contact persons and the methods for fulfilment of these decisions.
We should mention that the workshop is part of series of events organized in Chisinau on the occasion of World Anti-Counterfeiting Day.

The EU Project ”Support to Enforcement of the Intellectual Property Rights” in the Republic of Moldova is funded by the European Union and implemented by a Consortium of Archidata LLC (Italy), European Profiles S.C. (Greece) and Business and Strategies in Europe (Belgium). The project has a duration of two years and ends in November 2018.