The Workshop on Copyright: Alignment of Moldovan Legal Framework with the EU Acquis took place from 15 to 16 May 2025, in Chisinau. Organized by the State Agency on Intellectual Property of the Republic of Moldova (AGEPI) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), with the support of the EU Project “Strengthening Intellectual Property Rights” (EU4IP), the workshop aimed to facilitate the exchange of best practices and strengthen the legal framework in the field of copyright, essential for the integration of the Republic of Moldova into the European Union.
The event brought together intellectual property experts, decision-makers, representatives of collective management organizations and users from the Republic of Moldova, Romania, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine, officials of international and national organizations interested in promoting an efficient and balanced copyright protection system.
In the official opening, the Director General of AGEPI, Eugeniu Rusu, stressed the importance of the workshop for strengthening the copyright and related rights system and ensuring a level of effective protection of the rights of creators, companies and users. Representatives of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova and the Romanian Copyright Office (ORDA) welcomed the organization of the event, especially in the context of the European integration process and the commitments of the Republic of Moldova to align with the acquis of the European Union. In this context, the role of intellectual property in supporting innovation and creativity, as well as its impact on economic and cultural development, was highlighted.
On the first day of the workshop, discussions focused on the findings of the study on the current state of national legislation in the field of copyright and related rights from the perspective of its compliance with the EU acquis. The study conducted by EU4IP project experts, Karol Kościński, President of the Union of Authors’ Associations ZAiKS in Poland, and Ion Țiganaș, a lawyer specializing in intellectual property in the Republic of Moldova, highlighted the strengths and also the inconsistencies of the copyright protection system in the Republic of Moldova, with the experts also coming up with a series of recommendations for its improvement. The participants addressed the challenges faced by the Republic of Moldova in implementing European legislation, as well as possible solutions for improving copyright protection, including in the context of the development of a digital market for the exploitation of works. The participants also discussed the importance of adapting national legislation to new digital realities and its impact on creative industries, including the music and publishing sectors.
Another important topic was the management of copyright in the context of market globalization with a focus on multi-territorial licensing, the right of communication to the public and the protection of musical works in the online environment. Essential aspects regarding retransmission and direct injection were analyzed, as well as regulations for the protection of blind or visually impaired persons, who face significant barriers to access to information.
The second day of the event addressed the challenges related to the collective management of copyright and the remuneration for private copying, highlighting the need for a transparent and efficient management of collective rights, in order to ensure a fair distribution of remuneration to rightholders. In this context, ways to strengthen the collective management system were explored, including the management of multi-territorial licenses, the protection of databases and computer programs, as well as aspects related to the rental and lending right.
The workshop concluded with a round table discussion on current challenges and future plans for aligning the copyright system in the Republic of Moldova with the EU acquis in line with European best practices. The discussions highlighted the importance of a modern and effective legislative framework for protecting creators’ rights and supporting economic and cultural development, with a focus on creating a competitive and balanced environment for creators and users.
The event represented an important step in the efforts of the Republic of Moldova to align its national legislation with European Union standards, thus strengthening cooperation with EU Member States and promoting effective copyright protection at the regional and international levels, while contributing to increasing the country’s economic attractiveness and developing the cultural industry.
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]
[6]
[7]
[8]
[9]
[10]
[11]
[12]
[13]
[14]
[15]
[16]
[17]
[18]
[19]
[20]
[21]
[22]
[23]
[24]
[25]