During September 22–26, 2025, a delegation of the Republic of Moldova, represented by Marin CEBOTARI – Counselor, Deputy Permanent Representative (WIPO, UNECE, UNHCR, International Organization for Migration, GFMD, International Committee of the Red Cross, ILO, ITU, IPU, UNEP, UNICEF, etc.), Natalia MOGOL, Deputy Director General of the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI) and Ludmila COCIERU, Head of the International Trademarks Section, AGEPI, participated in the 23rd session of the Working Group on the Legal Development of the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks, held in Geneva, at the headquarters of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
The session brought together representatives of contracting parties, observers and associations of rightholders, and addressed major topics such as amendments to the Regulations implementing the Madrid Protocol, proposals for a centralized system for the substitution of national registrations, issues related to dependency and central attack, as well as aspects on the use of official languages and their possible extension.
A central point of discussion was the proposal of the Republic of Moldova to revise Rule 8(2) of the Regulations implementing the Madrid Protocol, concerning international applications filed by two or more applicants in co-ownership. Although the proposal was supported by the overwhelming majority of the contracting parties, there were also two states that expressed reservations regarding the subject addressed, respectively, the discussions will continue during the 24th session of the Working Group, planned for 2026.
A particularly important result for the Republic of Moldova is the unanimous election of Ms. Natalia MOGOL as Chair of the Working Group, a mandate that will be exercised during the 2026 session. This election represents an international recognition of the active role of the Republic of Moldova within the Madrid System and confirms our country’s commitment to contributing to the development and consolidation of the international trademark protection system.
