The bilateral screening meeting for Chapter 7 “Intellectual Property Law” between the Republic of Moldova and the European Commission took place from 17 to 18 December 2024, in Brussels, Belgium. This meeting marked an essential stage in the European integration process of the Republic of Moldova, involving a detailed analysis of the national legislation in the field of intellectual property and the measures adopted to ensure effective and harmonized protection of intellectual property rights (IPR).

The meeting was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Chief Negotiator Cristina Gherasimov, together with Marc Jorna, an official of the European Commission. The Delegation of the Republic of Moldova included representatives of the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI), the Bureau for European Integration, the Legislation Harmonization Centre, the Agency for Courts tAdministration, as well as representatives of civil society, including Collective Management Organizations and the Institute for European Policies and Reforms. In parallel, from Chisinau, representatives of other institutions responsible for the enforcement of IPRs connected online to support the discussions.

The agenda included 24 presentations structured in thematic blocks, addressing essential topics such as trademarks, industrial designs, geographical indications, patents, copyright and other related areas. The Delegation of the Republic of Moldova presented the national legal and institutional framework for the protection of intellectual property, the measures adopted for the enforcement of the norms, as well as actions aimed at raising awareness on enforcement of IPRs. Cooperation with international organizations and European institutions, such as the World Intellectual Property Organization, the European Patent Organization and the European Union Intellectual Property Office, was also described.

The Director General of AGEPI, Eugeniu Rusu, stated that: “This meeting underlines the firm commitment of the Republic of Moldova in the process of aligning with European Union standards and consolidating an efficient system of intellectual property protection. We are dedicated to implementing the necessary reforms to ensure full compatibility with the European acquis and to support the development of an environment conducive to innovation and creativity.”

The representatives of the European Commission appreciated the progress made by the authorities of the Republic of Moldova and encouraged the continuation of the reforms necessary for the adoption of the European acquis in the field of intellectual property.

This meeting reinforces the efforts of the Republic of Moldova to become a reliable partner in the European space, advancing in the process of integration and cooperation with the Member States of the European Union.

We remind you that bilateral screening is the exercise in which the candidate country is invited to present to the European Commission the degree of approximation of national legislation with EU legislation, the challenges and future plans.