The EUIPO supports the 9th Youth IP Contest in the Republic of Moldova

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), as part of the EU-funded EU4IP project, supported the organisation of the 9th edition of the Youth Intellectual Property Contest in the Republic of Moldova. The initiative was led by the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI) in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova, the State Office for Inventions and Trademarks of Romania and the Romanian Copyright Office, on the occasion of World Intellectual Property Day 2025.

Held under the theme ‘IP and Music: Feel the Beat of Intellectual Property’, the contest aimed to raise awareness among young people about the importance of IP rights. It also sought to foster creativity, innovation and critical thinking around pressing IP-related challenges such as counterfeiting and piracy.

The competition was open to students from grades 8 to 12 across technical vocational, post-secondary and high school institutions in both the Republic of Moldova and Romania. This year’s edition attracted a record number of applicants, with 264 students entering the contest. Of these, 142 qualified for the first stage and 69 students representing 40 educational institutions across more than 20 localities in the Republic of Moldova advanced to the second stage, submitting final works on IP-related topics proposed by AGEPI.

The contest concluded with an award ceremony on 23 April 2025, where three students were awarded for their outstanding contributions. An additional twelve students received honourable mentions. The event also featured a session with the artist Satoshi, renowned for his authentic style and powerful messages, further inspiring participants to explore the role of IP in the creative industries. All participants were awarded certificates of participation, promotional materials and took part in an informative and networking programme organised at AGEPI’s headquarters.

The EUIPO’s support, as part of the EU4IP project, contributed to the expansion and visibility of this important youth-focused initiative. By encouraging young minds to engage with IP topics, the contest fostered a deeper understanding of how intellectual property protects innovation and supports the creative economy—a key objective of the EUIPO’s cooperation efforts with EU candidate countries.