The traditional pie from Napadeni, the smallest stuffed cabbage rolls from Lalova or North goat cheese are just a few of the products that could be promoted as Geographical Indications (GI), Appellations of Origin (AO) and Traditional Specialties Guaranteed (TSG) in the Republic Moldova.

The products were identified within a national study conducted within the project “Support to enforcement of the intellectual property rights". The main results of the study were presented on November 16, by the national expert Anatolie Fala at the International Innovation Conference “Intelectual property – Innovation-Quality of life”.

Thus, the smallest stuffed cabbage rolls in the country we meet in the Rezina rayon, namely in the village of Lalova. Prepared in leafy cabbage leaves or in the smallest vine leaves, the rolls have a rice filling and wheat grits made on the grinder, as is the local tradition. "The chopped onion and the carrot a fried a little in oil, along with the chopped pasta. If the cooked cabbage is too sour, we keep it in cold water for a while. The vine leaves are the smallest, finest, smoothed, washed, dried well on a canvas, put them in dry glass jars to keep them fresh. We also prepare rolls with meat, most often pork", says Emilia Hanganu, for the regional newspaper “Cuvantul”.

And the goat cheese from the North of Moldova, also called Mangura Cheese, is a natural product obtained from goats on the farm in the village of Slobozia Magura (Sangerei rayon), located near the Magura mound, where the name of the product comes from. Cheese is obtained from a traditional recipe for hundreds of years.

The smallest stuffed cabbage rolls from Lalova and the Magura Cheese are just some of the 61 products and craft objects with the potential to be registered under GI, AO and TSG identified in the study. Among them, we can mention: the cold pie from Serpeni, the Pie of the bride in the village of Crocmaz (Stefan Voda rayon), Salami from Domulgeni, the picked cucumbers picked from Colibasi, Brief from Taul, Strawberries from Sadova, Gagauz carpet from Gaidar, Iurceni ceramics and the list can continue.

"Moldova's agri-food patrimony is unfortunately not used and fully exploited. However, local products that could be promoted under GIs, AOs and recognized as TSGs would, by their uniqueness and their flavor, create a high added value in the national agri-food sector and would also increase production and export capacities on foreign markets", considers Anatolie Fala.

In order to be registered under the GI symbol, the product must comply with the following rules provided by the legislation: originating in a region or locality; have a specific quality, reputation and other characteristics that can be attributed to a geographic origin, and production takes place in the defined geographical area.

According to Anatolie Fala, a product promoted under the symbols of the GI, AO and TSG guarantees that the registered name is protected against unauthorized use throughout the EU and increases the producers' incomes. And for consumers, these titles offer guarantees of origin, uniqueness, quality and production tradition.

The following Geographical Indications and Appellations of Origin are registered in Moldova: Divine GI; Stefan Voda GI; Trajan's Tide wine and Codru wine; Zabriceni GI for dry plants and fruits; Calarasi roses jam GI; Nimoreni apricot brandy GI; AO Ciumai for sweet red and naturally red dessert wine; Romanesti AO for red wine and the AO Cheese from Popeasca.

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Together with Anatolie Fala, international experts from the EU project, Yuriy Kapitsa, Maximilian Foedinger and Arnold Vahrenwald shared their experience at the innovation conference. Experts addressed the innovational policies of the EU states, the importance of intellectual innovation for the development of the economy and the role of the state in promoting innovative activities.

The International Innovation Conference is organized by AGEPI, in cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and with the support of the technical assistance project, financed by the EU “Support to enforcement of the intellectual property rights".

The technical assistance project EuropeAid/137467/DH/SER/MD "Support to enforcement of the intellectual property rights” launched in November 2016, with a two-year implementation period, one of the basic objectives being the improvement of the geographical indication system in the Republic of Moldova.

For more information please contact Ana-Maria Veverita, Expert on media and communication, veverita.maria@gmail.com.