The 188th Meeting of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organization (EPO) was held in Munich, Germany, from 13 to 14 October 2026, and was also attended by a delegation from the Republic of Moldova led by Natalia Mogol, Deputy Director of the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI).

During the meeting, the Administrative Council reviewed the activity of the Organization and the European Patent Office, respectively, with a focus on the results and main developments in the third quarter of 2026, strategic priorities, legal and institutional initiatives, as well as decisions aimed at ensuring its development and consolidation.

During the meeting, the Chair of the Administrative Council, Mr Josef Kratochvíl (Czech Republic), presented the activity report for the last three months and summarised the main conclusions of the 119th meeting of the Bureau of the Administrative Council, held in Munich on 15 September 2026.

The President of the European Patent Office, Antonio Campinos, presented an update on the Office’s activity in the third quarter of 2026, including the evolution of the key performance indicators related to the Strategic Plan 2028 (SP2028), the main strategic projects and the results achieved under each of the strategic pillars. The presentation also addressed the objectives and growth prospects, as well as the cybersecurity measures implemented as part of the Office’s broader digital transformation process.

One of the most important decisions of the meeting was the approval of the common European position on the outstanding issues of Substantive Patent Law Harmonisation (SPLH). The Administrative Council approved, by a majority vote, the proposal to identify best practices from a European perspective for the outstanding issues of the harmonisation process, thus establishing a common basis for further work within the European Patent Organisation.

The initiative covers three areas of substantive patent law: grace periods, conflicting patent applications and earlier rights. The European alignment process aims to identify a coordinated approach, taking into account the diversity of national legal frameworks, public policy considerations and stakeholder input. Following the favourable opinion expressed by the Patent Law Committee in May 2026, the approval by the Administrative Council marks the conclusion of the first stage of this process. The next stage will focus on identifying flexibilities and negotiation limits, while respecting the confidentiality requirements applicable to strategic discussions.

For the Republic of Moldova, these developments are relevant in the context of the continued alignment of national legislation in the field of intellectual property with the acquis of the European Union and the strengthening of the national patent system, following the accession to the European Patent Organization on 1 June 2026. The common European position constitutes an important benchmark for understanding the approaches supported by European delegations in the field of patent law and for assessing their implications for future legislative and public policy options of the Republic of Moldova.

The Administrative Council also examined the activity of the EPO Boards of Appeal, including the activity report for 2026 and issues regarding the appointment and reconfirmation of their members. An element of particular relevance for the Republic of Moldova is the appointment of a judge from our country as an external member of the Enlarged Board of Appeal of the EPO. This designation marks an important step in consolidating the participation of the Republic of Moldova in the institutional structures of the Organization.

The unitary patent system and related developments were another topic of the meeting, including the examination of the report on the status of ratification procedures. For the Republic of Moldova, this topic is of strategic importance in the context of the accession process to the European Union and the preparation of national authorities, the business environment and innovators for deeper integration into the European intellectual property protection framework.

Since not all Member States of the European Union currently participate in the unitary patent system, the analysis of the experience of the participating States and the evolution of this mechanism is important for substantiating future public policy decisions. In particular, the assessment of the implications for patent protection in multiple jurisdictions, litigation before the Unified Patent Court, costs and procedures for maintaining protection can contribute to identifying opportunities and challenges for innovative enterprises, research institutions, technology companies and rightholders from the Republic of Moldova, which seek to exploit their inventions on European markets.

The participation of the Republic of Moldova in the meetings of the Administrative Council of the EPO allows for direct monitoring of legal, institutional and strategic developments in the field of patents, at an important stage of the country’s integration into the European patent system.

At the same time, this participation supports the activity of AGEPI in monitoring European developments, substantiating national policies and continuously modernizing the intellectual property system, in accordance with European standards, in order to stimulate innovation, technology transfer and economic competitiveness of the Republic of Moldova.

The Republic of Moldova is a member state of the European Patent Organization since 1 June 2026, the date that marks the country’s integration into the European patent system. Within the Organization, AGEPI represents the Republic of Moldova and ensures the country’s participation in its activities and decision-making processes, including within the relevant governing bodies and executive structures.

More information on the activity of the EPO and the activity of the Administrative Council is available on the EPO website.