Accession to two International Agreements

04.05.2001

On April 5, 2001 the Republic of Moldova became a State-member of two more International Agreements in the field of industrial property protection. The Government of the Republic of Moldova filed with WIPO on January 5, 2001 instruments to to access to the Lisbon Agreement for Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration and to the Madrid Agreement for the Repression of False or Deceptive Indications of Source on Goods. The both Agreements l entered into force in the Republic of Moldova on April 5, 2001.

The countries to which the first mentioned Agreement applies constitute a Special Union within the framework of the Union for the Protection of Industrial Property. These countries undertake to protect on their territories the appellations of origin of products of the Special Union.

"Appellation of origin" means the geographical name of a country, region or locality, which serves to designate a product originating therein, the quality and characteristics of which are due exclusively or essentially to the geographical environment, including natural and human factors which have create the notoriety of the product on the market.

Protection shall be ensured against any usurpation or imitation, even if the true origin of the product is indicated or if the appellation is used or commercialised on the market.
The Madrid Agreement for Repression of False or Deceptive Indications of Source on Goods stipulates that all goods bearing a false or deceptive indications by which one of the countries to which this Agreement applies, or a place situated therein, is directly or indirectly indicated as being the country or place of origin shall be seized on importation into any of said country.

Seizure shall also be effected in the country where the false or deceptive indication of source has been applied, or into which the goods bearing the false or deceptive indications have been imported.

If the laws of a country do not permit seizure upon importation, such seizure shall be replaced by prohibition of importation.

If the laws of a country do not permit neither seizure upon importation nor prohibition of importation, nor seizure within the country, then, until such time as the laws are modified accordingly, those measures shall be replaced by the actions and remedies available in such cases to nationals under the laws of such country.

The need of accession of the Republic of Moldova to the Agreements at issue was stipulated by the Status or membership of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and other Treaties governed by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

Press service of the AGEPI
2001.04.05