Support to legislative alignment with EU acquis in Moldova: legal comparative analysis and drafting law amendments/regulations on IP enforcement
In line with the commitments of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) and the EU accession process, the purpose of this activity is to produce a legal comparative analysis of the respective EU-Moldovan legislation on Intellectual Property (IP) enforcement. This analysis will assess the level of alignment between European and Moldovan law. The expected result is to analyse the respective differences between the two legal frameworks with the ultimate objective of facilitating a set of recommendations for amendments to law and by-laws to align with the EU acquis.
Under the EU-Moldova Association Agreement and EU candidate status, Moldova is committed to aligning its legislation with EU standards. Moldovan authorities highlighted their interest in reviewing their rules governing IP rights enforcement and comparing them to European standards. Performing a comparative analysis of the respective legislation on enforcement (storage and destruction of seized counterfeit goods) will make it possible to assess the degree of compliance with the EU acquis, including Directive (EU) 2004/48/EC on the enforcement of IP rights and Directive (EU) 2000/31/EC on electronic commerce.
On 2-3 April in Chișinău, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) facilitated an IP enforcement workshop, which brought together key stakeholders, including members of the Observatory on Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in Moldova, EU officials, and experts from Bulgaria and Romania, facilitated discussions to assess Moldova’s current enforcement legal framework and support its alignment with the EU acquis. As the host of the European Observatory on Infringement of IP Rights, the EUIPO brings together a wide range of stakeholders who use their technical skills, experience, and knowledge to protect and promote IP rights and support those directly engaged in IP enforcement, demonstrating its commitment to promoting IP protection and its leadership in the global IP landscape.