The Interactive Map of Traditional Moldovan Products (http://harta-ig.agepi.gov.md) was launched on September 24, within the framework of a press conference, at the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI).

The event was attended by the Interim Director General Andrei Popa, who presented the interactive map, the producers of traditional products with protected geographical indications or with potential to be protected, the national experts who participated in the elaboration of the interactive map and the representatives of the partner institutions.

AGEPI is the only authority that grants legal protection on the territory of the Republic of Moldova to geographical indications (GIs), appellations of origin (AO) and traditional specialties guaranteed (TSG). At the same time, the institution is making significant efforts to strengthen and promote them at national and international level.

The Interactive Map for Traditional Moldovan Products (www.harta-ig.agepi.gov.md/) is one of the final products of the EU project, which aims to ensure the sustainability and continuity of the results obtained in promoting the GIs system.

The elaboration of the Interactive Map was identified as an opportunity to promote the traditional Moldovan products. This is a useful tool through which any interested person, including national and foreign tourists, will have the opportunity to explore our country and be informed about traditional products from different regions thereof.

The interactive map has 2 basic sections:

• Map of potential geographical indications;
• Map of protected geographical indications.

The map of potential geographical indications includes information on traditional products that could benefit from protection by protected geographical indication (PGI), protected appellation of origin (PAO) or as a TSG.

The map of protected geographical indications includes information on the protected geographical indications and local appellations of origin. Currently there are 10 such appellations.

The Interactive Map contains detailed information about products, contact details of manufacturers or producers’ associations. At the same time, the Map allows the search of information according to certain criteria (administrative-territorial units, product categories, etc.).

This map can easily be used by travel agencies for establishing or completing gastronomic routes or for anyone who has a special guest from abroad and who wants to impress him with the unique traditional products that characterize a certain locality or area of the Republic of Moldova.

During the launch event, the Interim Director General Andrei Popa came with a call to producers, people’s craftsmen, journalists, travel agents, local public administrations, members of non-governmental organizations (organizers of festivals and other such events) and all those interested, to contribute to the completion and development of this promotion tool.

For this, it is necessary the authentication on the website www.harta-ig.agepi.gov.md, and as a result the identification Card of products with the potential to be protected as a geographical indication. The identification Card of products contains brief information, including product name, manufacturing economic entity, address and contact details, location and production area data, product quality in terms of taste, aroma, texture, appearance (color, size), production method, connection with geographical factors (soil, climatic characteristics), history, production traditions and product photography.

“We intend for the future to develop a mobile application with this map, and if you have other suggestions for completing or improving the existing one, we are open to implementing any constructive idea. Please send all proposals to office@agepi.gov.md”, said Andrei Popa.

During the launch event, the guests present had the opportunity to taste some products with geographical indications, having the possibility to convince themselves of their uniqueness and ability to become the business card of the Republic of Moldova.

It should be mentioned that, during 2017-2018, AGEPI benefited from an EU-funded project, focused on strengthening the intellectual property system of the Republic of Moldova, including strengthening the geographical indications system.

Thus, within the EU project “Support to Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in the Republic of Moldova”, with the involvement of European experts, a series of actions intended for all actors in this field were carried out, both at the level of state institutions involved in registration, protection and control of compliance with geographical indications, as well as at the level of producers of products with the potential to benefit from GIs.

Among the most important are the following:

• Practical Guide for the identification of potential products which can be promoted under Protected Geographical Indications, Protected Appellations of Origin or recognized as Traditional Specialties Guaranteed in the Republic of Moldova,
• Study for identification of products, beverages, dishes and handicrafts potential to be registered as Geographical Indications, Appellations of Origin and Traditional Specialties Guaranteed in the Republic of Moldova, (http://agepi.gov.md/sites/default/files/2019 /08/Studiu_potentiale_IG.pdf)
• Support in the creation of 5 producers’ associations and assistance in the elaboration of specifications and other relevant documents for registration of 6 traditional Moldovan products as GI.

A campaign to inform and promote the GIs system and its benefits for the producers, and also for the consumers of products with protected geographical indications was also organized.