How does the intellectual property system work in Moldova? What impact do counterfeit products have on the population? How can the authorities prevent and combat intellectual property infrigements in the digital environment? These are just some of the topics covered in a guide being developed by the experts of the EU project “Support to Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights” that will assist police and prosecutors to enforce intellectual property rights more effectively.

In this respect, project experts Ion Tiganas and Monica Pop met with representatives from the General Police Inspectorate (GPI) and General Prosecutor’s Office, between 12^th and 15^th December 2017, to agree the structure and content of the intellectual property guide.

The guide is intended to be a useful aide memoir for all practitioners in the field of criminal enforcement of intellectual property rights and will clarify aspects relating to both criminalization of infringements and special investigation techniques.

"The purpose of this guide is to support the Moldovan authorities to fight against piracy and counterfeiting more effectively by providing practical examples and useful information on possible infringements of intellectual property rights to police officers and prosecutors”, said Monica Pop, prosecutor and Romanian representative at the European Observatory on Infrigements of Intellectual Property Rights.

In turn, Marcel Caminschi, Head of the GPI Economic Fraud Investigation Division, stated: "We would like to know what is the situation in Romania regarding the criminal field of intellectual property rights to take good practice and implement it in our country. We need such a guide to improve our capabilities and implement new methods in investigating intellectual property frauds".

The Guide on the Criminal Enforcement of the Intellectual Property Rights will include the main legislative provisions in the field, the impact of counterfeiting and piracy in the Republic of Moldova, the legal and practical aspects of intellectual property, case studies and important contact points both from Moldova and the European Union.

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According to the State Agency on Intellectual Property’s (AGEPI) Annual Report, in 2016, prosecutors conducted criminal investigations in four cases involving the suspected infringement of intellectual property rights, causing damage to right holders of 1,086,800 lei.

The Technical Assistance project "Support to enforcement of the intellectual property rights" in the Republic of Moldova is funded by the European Union and is implemented by a Consortium led by Archidata Srl (Italy) together with European Profiles SA (Greece) and Business and Strategies in Europe S.A. (Belgium).

For more information please contact Ana-Maria Veverita, Expert on media and communication, veverita@ipr-moldova.net [1].