The 65th Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), held from 9 to 17 July this year, has concluded. Over 1,400 delegates from the 193 WIPO Member States, international and regional organizations, ambassadors and ministers participated in this important meeting.

During the event, representatives of the member states addressed and made essential decisions on resolving current issues in the field of intellectual property. Among the topics discussed were the implementation of WIPO development programs, ensuring compliance with the treaties and conventions administered by the organization, and the approval of documents crucial to its functioning.

The WIPO General Assembly was preceded by the Diplomatic Conference in May 2024, during which Member States approved a new landmark Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Traditional Knowledge Associated with Genetic Resources. This treaty represents significant progress ahead of the final stage of negotiations on the Design Law Treaty, scheduled for November in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Also on July 12, WIPO announced the nine winners of the 2024 edition of the Intellectual Property Competition for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises.

The Republic of Moldova played an important role this year, serving as the coordinator of the Central European and Baltic States (CEBS) Regional Group within WIPO.

The AGEPI delegation, led by Director General Eugeniu Rusu, held a series of bilateral meetings on July 10 and 11 with high-ranking officials, including the Director General of WIPO, Daren Tang, and the Executive Director of the European Union Intellectual Property Office, João Negrão, as well as with delegations of other member states.

At the same time, within the General Assembly, AGEPI and the Ukrainian National Office for Intellectual Property and Innovations (UANIPIO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding, laying the foundations for effective cooperation in the promotion and protection of intellectual property rights in the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.

The delegation of the Republic of Moldova also had meetings with representatives of the intellectual property office of Azerbaijan, discussing opportunities for concluding a Cooperation Agreement in the field of intellectual property, covering both the fields of industrial property and copyright and related rights.

At the same time, AGEPI discussed with representatives of the WIPO Division for Transition and Developed Countries about ongoing and future projects, receiving assurances of WIPO’s full support for the development of the national intellectual property system.

This year’s WIPO General Assembly highlighted the global commitment to innovation and the protection of intellectual property, laying the foundation for closer international cooperation and the development of effective policies to respond to current and future challenges in this area.