Now applications for European patents will automatically include the designation of the Republic of Moldova. This further increases the potential economic value of European patents as intangible assets.
Josef Kratochvil, Chairman of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organization, said: “Moldova’s accession reflects the continued attractiveness and strength of the European patent system. It demonstrates our shared commitment to fostering innovation, supporting economic development and deepening cooperation across Europe at a time when sustainability and competitiveness are more important than ever”.
Antonio Campinos, President of the European Patent Office (EPO), the executive body of the European Patent Organization, said, “We are delighted to welcome the Republic of Moldova as our new Member State. Building on many years of close cooperation with the State Agency for Intellectual Property (AGEPI), this step will further enhance access to high quality patent protection for innovators in the Republic of Moldova and across Europe, and strengthen the integration of the country’s innovation ecosystem into the European landscape.”
Vladislav Cojuhar, Moldovan Minister of Justice, said: “The Republic of Moldova is honored to become a Member State of the European Patent Organization. This important milestone will significantly improve the patent protection system in our country. Accession to the European Patent Convention will create a more favorable environment for innovation and will provide new opportunities and enhanced support to enterprises, inventors and researchers by continuously aligning the national intellectual property system with the European standards”.
Long-term partnership: from validation to EPO membership
The cooperation between the ERO and the Republic of Moldova started in the mid-1990s. An important milestone was the signing of the validation agreement in October 2013, which entered into force on November 1, 2015 and allowed patentees to extend their European patent protection to the country without having to file a separate application. For Moldova, validation was a step towards deeper integration with the European patent system. The EPO worked closely with AGEPI (European Patent and Trademark Agency) to harmonize practices and build technical capacity, paving the way for the country’s accession to the EPC (European Patent Convention).
A success story of European cooperation
The European Patent Organization supports innovation and economic growth across Europe. Since the EPC was signed by 16 states in 1973, the organization has grown to 40 member countries. These include all 27 EU Member States, as well as Albania, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino, Republic of Moldova, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
European patent protection for a market of 715 million people
The European Patent Office (EPO) applies a centralized procedure to examine applications for European patents in 40 Member States, one Extension State (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and five Validator States (Morocco, Tunisia, Cambodia, Georgia and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic). This enables inventors, researchers and companies from around the world to obtain high quality patent protection for their inventions in 46 countries, covering a market of more than 715 million people. The EPO, founded in 1977, is headquartered in Munich, with offices in The Hague, Berlin, Vienna and Brussels, and employs almost 6,300 staff.
