The 68th Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Organization’s main annual governance forum, brought together Member States to review WIPO’s activities and set strategic directions for the development of the international intellectual property system, were held from July 7 to 15, 2026, in Geneva, Switzerland.

This year’s edition was notable for its unprecedented participation, bringing together approximately 1,300 delegates, including 130 heads of intellectual property offices and 40 ministers and deputy ministers, confirming the growing interest of Member States in strengthening the role of intellectual property as an essential factor in economic, social and cultural development. The Republic of Moldova was represented at the WIPO Assemblies by a delegation led by Mr. Dumitru Vleju, State Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, which included representatives of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Moldova to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva and of the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI).

During the nine days of meetings, the Member States adopted a series of important decisions regarding the functioning and development of the international systems administered by WIPO. These include the approval of amendments to the Regulations undet the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), the amendment of the Regulations under the Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks, the validation of the new management team of the Organization, the examination of the reports of the main WIPO committees and the adoption of the Summary Report of the meetings.

A highlight of this year’s meetings was the meeting of the WIPO Coordination Committee, convened on July 9, 2026, during which member states validated the Organization’s new management team, proposed by Director General Daren Tang for his second term, following a complex and rigorous selection process. The management team, which will officially begin its term on October 1, 2026, is made up of four Deputy Directors General and four Assistant Directors General. The following were confirmed as Deputy Directors General: Pascal Faure (France) – Copyright, Creative Economy and Governance Sector, Shen Changyu (China) – Trademarks and Industrial Designs Sector, Laura Peter (United States of America) – Patents and Technology Sector, and Mzukisi Qobo (South Africa) – Regional and National Development Sector. At the same time, the following were appointed as Assistant Directors General: Marco Aleman (Colombia), Chitra Narayanaswamy (Switzerland), Kenichiro Natsume (Japan), Andrew Staines (United Kingdom). The new management team will play a key role in implementing WIPO’s strategic priorities during the second term of Director General Daren Tang.

During the 68th Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO, the Republic of Moldova reconfirmed its consistent position of solidarity with Ukraine, joining this year the group of Member States that supported the continuation of WIPO’s assistance for the innovation ecosystem, the creative sector and the intellectual property system of the neighboring country. In its national statement, the Republic of Moldova appreciated the support provided by WIPO in a context in which the war of aggression launched by the Russian Federation continues to affect researchers, innovators, creators and relevant institutions in the neighboring country. At the same time, the need for continued international support was emphasized, not only through immediate assistance measures, but also through long-term commitments aimed at preserving human capital, rebuilding affected institutions and relaunching sectors based on innovation and creativity, essential for Ukraine’s economic recovery. The Republic of Moldova also reaffirmed its firm support for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally recognized borders, emphasizing that peace and security are fundamental prerequisites for innovation, competitiveness and sustainable development.

In his closing message to the participants, Director General Daren Tang stressed that the success of this year’s WIPO Assemblies was due not only to the results achieved during the formal sessions, but also to the dialogue and cooperation between Member States and the international intellectual property community. He highlighted that the WIPO Assemblies are the Organization’s main decision-making forum and an important platform for strengthening dialogue, exchanging experiences and developing partnerships among intellectual property offices around the world. It is worth noting that, during the 68th Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO, Member States considered and adopted decisions in 22 assemblies, unions and governing bodies of the Organization, covering the entire spectrum of the international intellectual property system. These included the WIPO General Assembly, the WIPO Conference, the Coordination Committee, the assemblies and executive committees of the Paris and Berne Unions, as well as the assemblies of the unions administering the main international systems and treaties in the field of intellectual property, including the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks, the Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs, the Lisbon Union for Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications, the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), the International Patent Classification (IPC), the Locarno, Nice, Vienna and Budapest Unions, as well as the assemblies of the WCT, WPPT, PLT, Singapore, Marrakesh and Beijing treaties.

The summary report [1] of the 68th Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO, which includes the decisions adopted by each of the Organization’s 22 governing bodies, can be consulted on the WIPO website. At the same time, video recordings of all meetings are available on the Organization’s official platform at https://webcast.wipo.int/home [2].

AGEPI was represented at the WIPO Assemblies by a delegation consisting of Iulian E. Iorga, Director of the State Agency on Intellectual Property, Liliana Vieru, Head of the Promotion and International Relations Directorate, and Diana Stici, Head of the Legal Directorate. During the meetings, the AGEPI delegation participated in debates devoted to the main topics on the agenda of the Assemblies and had bilateral meetings with representatives of national intellectual property offices and partner organizations, with a view to strengthening international cooperation and promoting the interests of the Republic of Moldova in the field of intellectual property.