The Regional Seminar with the main title “Identification of Products, Beverages, Dishes and Handicrafts of the Republic of Moldova, Potential to Be Registered as Geographical Indications (GIs), Appellations of Origin (AO) and Traditional Specialties Guaranteed (STG) and Business Development based on Traditional Products” was held on 2 November this year, within the premises of the State Agency on Intellectual Property. The event was organized in the framework of the Action Plan of implementation of the European Union Technical Assistance Project “Support to Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights” in the Republic of Moldova, being carried out in collaboration with AGEPI. The activity was part of the series of training seminars held in the northern, southern and central regions of the country.
The event was attended by representatives of local public authorities, civil society in the agricultural and rural development sector from the Soldanesti, Rezina, Orhei, Telenesti, Calarasi, Nisporeni, Hancesti, Straseni, Ungheni, Anenii Noi, Criuleni, Dubasari, Causeni, Stefan Voda, Criuleni, Ialoveni districts and Chisinau municipality. Specialists from the District Agriculture and Food Directorates of the territorial branches of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, representatives of the regional offices of the Rural Extension Network, Viticultural and Wine Growing Association of the Delimited Geographical Region “Codru”, Association of Wine Producers with Protected Geographical Indication “Stefan Voda”, National Association of Beekeepers of the Republic of Moldova, Handicraftsmen’s Union of Moldova, Associations on Branches and Profiles, and agricultural producers identified in the Study. The team of European experts responsible for project implementation and representatives of AGEPI were also present.
The seminar was opened by Natalia Mogol, Deputy Head of the AGEPI Trademarks and Industrial Design Department, which related about the benefits of business based on geographical indications and development potential, as well as the peculiarities of protection, registration and use of GIs, AO and TSG in the Republic of Moldova. The participants in the seminar asked questions about the steps and procedures for collecting and submitting the set of documents for agricultural products specific to the region: sausages from pork, sheep and goat cheese, fresh fruits and vegetables, berries, traditional dishes, handicrafts and crafts, which could be registered and promoted under geographical indications system.
Yuriy Kapitsa, key expert in intellectual property of the Project, spoke about project support in the development of the country’s geographical indications system, and highlighted the identification of potential traditional products to be promoted under geographical indications at national and international level. The expert exemplified the use of the intellectual patrimony and especially of the GIs from the countries of the European Union, as well as the economic effect produced by them.
In turn, the EU Expert in Geographical Indications, former Director of the GI Registration and Promotion Department at the Polish Ministry of Agriculture, Dariusz Goszczyński, presented the practical experience in identifying, registering and developing GI-based business in Poland, leader in registrations from relatively newly acceded to the EU countries. The expert highlighted the similarity of the business and agricultural environment between the Republic of Moldova and Poland, where predominantly a large number of small and medium-sized farms are active, for which the registration, promotion and trade of products under the symbol of GI, firstly means the association of producers and the common adoption of a specification and similar technological elements. Initiating GI identification and registration creates prerequisites for using traditional products and gaining extra value from their trade on the internal and external markets.
The regional seminar was moderated by the Non-Key National Expert, Anatolie Fala, who presented the preventive results of the “Study on Identification of Products, Beverages, Dishes and Handicrafts Potential to Be Registered and Promoted Under GIs, AO or Recognized as GIs in the Regions of the Republic of Moldova” and the support provided by the Government of the Republic of Moldova through the National Fund for Agricultural and Rural Development. In the framework of the Study were identified 61 products and handicrafts with potential for registration under GIs, AO and TSG, including from the Central area: Cold Pie of Serpeni, Bride’s Pie from Crocmaz, Pie of Napadeni, Force-meat rolls “midget of Lalova”, Goat cheese from Telita, Salami of Domulgeni, Prunes with walnuts in red wine of Lalova, Wine of Rascaieti, Sublimated berries from Ustia, Strawberries from Sadova, Honey of Codru and Condrita, Wood and wood products from Bulboaca and Pohoarna, Bulrushwork from Mitoc, Ceramics from the Potter’s House, Ceramics of Iurceni and Ungheni.
During the seminar, the agricultural products and handicrafts were presented by the entrepreneurs and the producers: Castravet Ludmila - products from MoBery berries from the village of Ustia; Hanganu Sergiu - owner of Agrotouristic Pension at Hanganu in Lalova; Buzila Varvara - scientific secretary at the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History; Costandachi Dumitru - President of the Handicraftsmen’s Union of Moldova; Popa Tatiana - folk craftsman, President of PA “Casa Parinteasca” from the village of Palanca, Calarasi district, Sandu Ghenadie - Executive Director of PA “Pomusoarele Moldovei”. As a result, the seminar facilitated discussions and exchange of views on effective collaboration for the further exploration of local markets and the promotion of local products at national and international level.
The EuropeAid/137467/DH/SER/MD Technical Assistance Project “Support to Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights” was launched in November 2016, with a two-year implementation period, one of the core objectives being to improve the geographical indications system in the Republic of Moldova.
