The city of Geneva, Switzerland, hosts from July 6 to 14, 2023, the 64th Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), an event that brings together delegates from over 190 WIPO Member States, international and regional organizations, ambassadors, ministers, etc. The Republic of Moldova, represented by Tatiana Molcean, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Moldova to the UN Office in Geneva and other International Organizations based in Geneva, serves for the second consecutive year as chair of the Annual Assemblies.

At this edition, the delegation of the Republic of Moldova is led by Eugeniu Rusu, Director General of the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI).

At the opening session of the Annual Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO, the Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova in Geneva, Tatiana Molcean, as Chair of the General Assembly, expressed her gratitude to all those involved in the organization of this series of meetings and reiterated her commitment to contribute to the success of the meeting. She emphasized the importance of international cooperation and the promotion of intellectual property in the current context.

In his opening address, WIPO Director General Daren Tang thanked Member States' representatives for their attendance and noted that this series of meetings was the most represented in the history of WIPO’s Annual Assemblies. Likewise, in his report, the Director General of WIPO presented the significant achievements of the organization in the recent period, highlighting the progress made and the positive impact of the activities carried out. He also highlighted the challenges that both WIPO and Member States are currently facing, stressing the need for innovative solutions to overcome these challenges. At the same time, Daren Tang conveyed messages of gratitude, commitment and determination to the international audience, emphasizing the importance of WIPO in promoting and developing the global intellectual property system.

The agenda of the current edition of the WIPO Assemblies addresses key topics such as solving the problems of the global intellectual property system, implementing the organization’s development programs, respecting the treaties and conventions administered by WIPO, as well as the development priorities of international law.

The Director General of AGEPI, Eugeniu Rusu, in the address given at the beginning of the Assemblies, informed the Member States about the alignment of the delegation of the Republic of Moldova to the declaration of the Regional Group of the Central European and Baltic States, of which it is a party, positively appreciating the activity carried out by the WIPO Secretariat in the preparation of the current series of meetings of the Annual General Assemblies. Also, the representative of Moldova wanted to inform the high forum about the latest achievements of the Republic of Moldova in the field of intellectual property, including the country’s European integration agenda.

“The alignment of national legislation with international standards, including the European acquis, is a clear priority for the Republic of Moldova, and the support and expertise offered by WIPO are essential in this process”, emphasized Eugeniu Rusu.

The Moldovan official particularly highlighted the importance of WIPO’s evaluation of draft laws in areas such as copyright, patents, geographical indications and other aspects related to intellectual property, thus contributing to the development and strengthening of the legal framework of our country in the field of intellectual property.

By successfully organizing the 64th Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO, the Republic of Moldova further strengthens its position in the international community and highlights its active role in the promotion and development of the intellectual property system.

Beyond the Consolidated Agenda of the WIPO Assemblies, the AGEPI delegation has planned a series of bilateral meetings with the Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization, Daren Tang, as well as with the representatives of the various WIPO units, and also with the delegations of the Member States present at the meeting.

We note that the mandate of Ambassador Tatiana Molcean as Chair of the General Assembly of WIPO was approved during the 62nd Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and is exercised for two years, being a first for the diplomacy of the Republic of Moldova when a representative of the country assumes a position of such a level within the respective organization.