Specialists from the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI) and the National Institute for Applied Research in Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine (NIARAVM) participated from September 22 to 24, 2026, in a study visit to Hungary, supported by the EU-funded EU4IP project.

The visit took place at the National Food Chain Safety Office (NEBIH) and aimed to facilitate the exchange of experience and capacity building for specialists from the Republic of Moldova in the field of plant variety protection.

Over the course of the three days, participants examined how the plant variety testing and examination process is organized in Hungary and gained insight into NEBIH’s experience in this area. Particular emphasis was placed on DUS testing—Distinctness, Uniformity, and Stability, which verifies whether a variety differs from others, exhibits uniform characteristics, and maintains those characteristics across generations.

The program included presentation sessions and technical discussions, as well as visits to NEBIH testing stations in Tordas and Pölöske. The specialists from the Republic of Moldova familiarized themselves with the testing procedures for various agricultural crops and ornamental plants, such as soybean, sunflower, melon, peach, apple, grapevine, pepper, and other species.

The field visits provided participants with practical insight into how plant varieties are evaluated and the conditions required for conducting fair and objective testing. Discussions also covered aspects such as quality assurance, the independence and impartiality of the testing process, and the potential for delegating certain activities.

The program also addressed other topics relevant to the development of the plant variety protection system, including farm-saved seeds (FSS) and aspects related to compliance with and enforcement of relevant legislation.

The experience gained during the visit enables specialists from the Republic of Moldova to better understand the functioning of a European plant variety protection system and to use best practices identified in Hungary.

Such activities contribute to strengthening the institutional and professional capacities of specialists from the Republic of Moldova and support the alignment of the national system with European and international intellectual property standards.