The initiative will contribute to the integration of partners from the Western Balkans and Moldova into the intellectual property systems of the European Union, the State Agency for Intellectual Property (AGEPI) said.
The project’s objectives are in line with the EU’s strategic goal to advance EU accession negotiations with the Western Balkans and the Republic of Moldova.
Complementing the existing program
The initiative will focus on harmonization with European Union intellectual property legislation, institutional capacity building, enforcement of IP rights and raising awareness of the value of intellectual property among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and young people.
The EU4IP-WB project complements the existing EU4IP project aimed at strengthening the intellectual property systems of Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine, building on EUIPO’s long experience in successfully implementing EU-funded intellectual property projects around the world, including with the support of the European Intellectual Property Network, intellectual property experts from EUIPO and EU Member States, and using advanced digital tools.
The official launch of the EU4IP-WB project took place on May 20 at the EUIPO headquarters in Alicante, Spain, and brought together high-level representatives of the European Commission, EUIPO, the Western Balkan countries and the Republic of Moldova.
Attending the event, EUIPO Executive Director Joao Negrao said: “A stronger intellectual property system is the foundation of an innovative and prosperous society. The launch of the EU4IP project for the Western Balkans and the Republic of Moldova reflects our shared commitment to developing this foundation – delivering real and tangible benefits to industry, users, businesses and society.”
AGEPI representative Liliana Vieru, Head of Promotion and International Relations, said: “For the Republic of Moldova, this project comes at a particularly important moment on the road to European integration. Strengthening intellectual property rights is not just a goal of sectoral reform, but part of a broader effort to make the regulatory framework more predictable, enhance investment protection and accelerate Moldova’s integration into the European single market.”
Supporting innovation, economic growth and EU integration
Robust intellectual property protection systems are essential for a modern economy. By protecting trademarks, inventions, designs and models, as well as intellectual creations, intellectual property rights stimulate innovation, attract investment and create new business opportunities.
Through EU4IP-WB, intellectual property protection authorities will receive comprehensive support to enable businesses, creators, entrepreneurs, SMEs and young innovators in the region to benefit from more robust, fair and effective intellectual property protection systems, enabling them to protect their assets for development in the domestic market and to access wider European and international markets.
At the same time, this EU-funded project will contribute to the EU’s wider efforts to stimulate economic growth, promote economic integration with the EU internal market and within the region, and strengthen regional cooperation in line with the Western Balkans Growth Plan and the Regional Common Market (RCM) Action Plan.
The project will contribute to the transposition and enforcement of more harmonized intellectual property rules and practices, facilitating trade both within the Western Balkans and between the countries of the region and the European Union.
The EU4IP component for the Western Balkans is co-financed by the European Commission and EUIPO and will be implemented over three years starting from January 2026.
As an implementing body, EUIPO will work closely with intellectual property offices, public administrations, law enforcement agencies, the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) Secretariat and other relevant actors to modernize services, simplify procedures and enhance fair and effective intellectual property protection for innovators and businesses in anticipation of EU accession.
