On 26 May this year, Director General of the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI), Octavian Apostol, and President of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova (ASM), Gheorghe Duca, signed a Cooperation Agreement on the Protection and Promotion of Intellectual Property.

The event took place in the framework of a joint meeting of the Supreme Council for Science and Technological Development and AGEPI, which was held at ASM.

The Agreement was concluded with the view of capacity building of research and development institutions on the protection and management of intellectual property.

By signing this Agreement, AGEPI and ASM have agreed on the following priority trends of cooperation:

• familiarization of researchers and inventors in the country with the national and international legislation in force in the field of intellectual property, the procedures and advantages of protection of intellectual property objects in the process of development and implementation of scientific achievements in the national economy;

• cooperation in the drafting of legislative and other normative acts to implement state policies in the fields of innovation, research and development and protection of intellectual property rights;

• ensuring, under conditions of reciprocity, access to library collections and an exchange of technical and scientific publications;

• joint organization of conferences, symposia and seminars on science and innovation, as well as national and international exhibitions of inventiveness;

• promotion of the interests of researchers, inventors and national holders of intellectual property objects in the process of integration and international cooperation on intellectual property protection, etc.

AGEPI Director General, Octavian Apostol, said that, currently, it is undeniable the fundamental role of intellectual property in creating an environment conducive to innovation, creativity and free competition for economic development of the Republic of Moldova. Octavian Apostol expressed hope that the signing of this Agreement will intensify the relations of cooperation for the promotion and dissemination of knowledge on intellectual property among researchers and inventors from the Republic of Moldova.

In turn, ASM President, Gheorghe Duca, said that the relations of cooperation between the AGEPI and ASM are extremely necessary since both institutions have a common goal of developing the Moldovan economy.

During the meeting, Deputy Director General of AGEPI, Svetlana Munteanu and First Vice President of ASM, Ion Tighineanu, also presented brief information on cooperation between the two institutions over the last years.

At the same time, several proposals for cooperation were presented during the meeting, including joint publishing of a book about inventors and inventions created and protected in the Republic of Moldova.