New EU4IP Western Balkans initiative strengthens intellectual property systems to advance EU integration of the Western Balkans and the Republic of Moldova

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), in cooperation with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Enlargement and the Eastern Neighbourhood (DG ENEST), has officially launched the EU4IP Western Balkans (EU4IP-WB) project.

The project forms a dedicated regional component of the wider EU‑funded programme ‘EU4IP – Strengthening Intellectual Property Rights in Enlargement and Neighbourhood’.

Implemented in partnership with the intellectual property offices and relevant authorities of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, this project will support participating partners in advancing their EU accession path by aligning their IP laws, structures, systems and practices with EU standards. The Republic of Moldova also participates in selected regional activities, contributing to cooperation and knowledge-sharing across the wider region.

The EU4IP‑WB project was formally launched on 20 May 2026 at the EUIPO headquarters in Alicante, Spain. At the event, high‑level representatives from the European Commission, the EUIPO and IP institutions from the Western Balkan partners and the Republic of Moldova endorsed the project’s first work plan and outlined the priorities for the upcoming implementation period. The event also served as a platform for the EUIPO and its Western Balkan partners, alongside the Republic of Moldova, to reaffirm their shared commitment to strengthening IP systems as a driver of economic development, innovation and fair competition – all key factors in the EU accession process.

Built around four key outcomes, the EUIPO, through the EU4IP‑WB project, aims to make intellectual property more accessible and more beneficial for businesses, institutions and individuals across the region. This will be achieved through targeted activities in four main areas:

• improving IP laws and bringing them closer to European standards;
• supporting and modernising the region’s IP offices and networks;
• strengthening cooperation among authorities that enforce IP rights; and
• raising awareness of the value of IP, particularly among SMEs and the private sector.

The EU4IP Western Balkans component is co-funded by the European Commission and implemented by the EUIPO. The project will run for 36 months, from January 2026.

 (*)This name does not prejudge the status of Kosovo and is in line with UN Resolution 1244 and the decision of the International Court of Justice on Kosovo's declaration of independence.