In the period 27–28 November 2014, the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI) received the visit of a delegation from the Islamic Republic of Iran, which arrived in Chisinau to take the experience of the Republic of Moldova in the administration of intellectual property protection system, especially in the field of industrial design.

The working visit to Chisinau of the Iranian delegation was organized with the support of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

The delegation is headed by Mr. Ahmad Toiserkani Ravari, Deputy Minister of Justice and Head of the State Organization for the Registration of Values and Properties of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Iranian delegation included Mr. Mohammad Hassan Kiani, Director General of the Office of Industrial Property, experts in the field of protection of industrial design of the Office, Mr. Hossein Moayedoddin, Deputy Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific at WIPO.

According to the visit program, on 27 November, at the headquarters of AGEPI took place the official meeting of the AGEPI Director General Lilia Bolocan with the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The meeting was attended by the deputy directors general of the AGEPI, representatives of the AGEPI subdivisions responsible for the legal protection of industrial designs and the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova.

During this meeting, the guests were familiarized with the national system of protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, AGEPI activities aimed at implementing the National Intellectual Property Strategy until 2020, the progress made by our country in the harmonization of the national intellectual property system with the regional and international one; development and implementation of a modern information technology system, including the system for online submission of applications for the protection of intellectual property objects; staff training and retraining in the field of intellectual property in order to raise the level of culture in society on the role and economic importance of intellectual property; activities to promote IP system in the business environment, including SMEs through seminars, workshops, exhibitions, etc.

On 27 November this year, Mr. Ahmad Toiserkani Ravari, Deputy Minister of Justice and Head of the State Organization for the Registration of Values and Properties of the Islamic Republic of Iran, paid a working visit to the Ministry of Justice, in which he met with Mr. Nicolae Esanu, Deputy Minister of Justice of the Republic of Moldova.

The current visit presents an opportunity for an exchange of experience in the field of protection of industrial designs, Moldova being recommended by WIPO as a member state with a national system fully harmonized with the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs in this area. Thus, within 2 working days, AGEPI specialists presented to experts from the Industrial Property Office of Iran the national and international procedures for registration of industrial designs, databases developed and managed by AGEPI in this area, procedures for publication and examination of applications for the protection of industrial designs and other practical aspects related to the examination of applications and the issue of titles of protection.

During the working visit to AGEPI were identified some priority directions of bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the field of protection of intellectual property for the next period, including within WIPO.