CWS.ATR.PI.2010.MD

Annual Technical Report 2010 on Patent Information Activities submitted by Republic of Moldova (CWS/ATR/PI/2010/MD)

Where URLs are requested below, it is preferred that either URLs which are likely to remain stable over time (three years or more) are provided, or home (main) page URLs are provided with a short explanation of how to access the corresponding information.

The term "patent" covers utility models and Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPCs). Offices which issue design patents should report their design patent information activities in their Annual Technical Reports on Industrial Design Information Activities.

I. Evolution of patent activities

Changes experienced in terms of application filings and grants with respect to the previous year

After entry into force, on 4 October 2008, of the Law of the Republic of Moldova No. 50-XVI of 07.03.2008 on the Protection of Inventions, their protection became possible by both patent for invention (PI) and short-term patent for invention (STPI). At the same time, it was stopped the receiving of applications for the issue of patents under the responsibility of the applicant and of applications for the registration of utility models. Protection of inventions by short-term patent for invention proved very attractive to national applicants, namely due to:
- the simpler, faster and cheaper procedure, compared with the protection by patent for invention granted with the substantive examination of the application, on the one hand, and
- the extension of categories of objects that can be protected by this way, compared with the protection by utility model, on the other hand.
In 2010, AGEPI received 143 PI applications and 201 STPI applications - with 2 and, correspondingly, 3 more than in 2009. Most applications were filed directly with the AGEPI, respectively, 139 - for PI and 201 - for STPI, and under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) have been received 4 PI applications.
In the year under review, the total number of patent applications, received by AGEPI, has remained almost the same  344 (compared with 339 the previous year), the report of PI applications compared with STPI applications being of 42%: 58%.
All PI applications and the absolute majority of STPI applications (200 - 99.5%), filed directly with the AGEPI, came from national applicants. As in previous years, most of them - 125 PI applications (90%) and 194 STPI applications (97%) - were filed by applicants from Chişinău, 3 (2.2%) and, respectively, 5 (2.5%) - from Bălţi and the remaining 11 (7.9%) and, respectively, 6 (3%) - from various districts and cities of the republic.

Foreign applicants filed on the whole 5 patent applications, of which a single STPI application - directly with the AGEPI, and 4 PI applications - under the PCT (opening of the national phase). The extremely small number of patent applications, filed by them directly with the AGEPI, is explained by the fact that, in order to patent their inventions in the Republic of Moldova, foreign applicants make their option either for the international way (PCT) or the regional one (Eurasian Patent Convention (EAPC), to which the Republic of Moldova is party).
In the period 1993-2010, 5862 patent applications were filed with the AGEPI (5,420 PI applications and 402 STPI applications), of which 5165 (88%) came from national applicants and 697 (12%) - from foreign applicants.
In 2010, the national applicants have submitted via the AGEPI, as the receiving office, 9 applications for patenting of inventions abroad, including one - under the PCT and 8  by the regional way, under the EAPC. In the previous year were filed 4 applications for patenting of inventions abroad 2 under the PCT and 2 under the EAPC and in the period 1995-2010 were submitted in total 82 applications  36 under the PCT and 46 under the EAPC.
2010 reveal an increased activity, in terms of patenting, of the institutions in the field of science and innovation, including higher education institutions, which have submitted 214 applications all in all (63% of the total number, including 77 PI applications and 138 STPI applications), being recorded some increase compared to 2009 (188 applications: 60 - PI and 128 - STPI). The number of applications proceeded from natural persons - 116 (58 PI and STPI applications) - decreased slightly in comparison with the previous year (138 applications: 76 - PI and 62 - STPI), constituting 34% of the number of applications filed by the national applicants in the year under review.
Following the formal examination in the National Register of patent applications have been entered 144 PI applications, of which 140 belong to national applicants. Most of these relate to the following sections of the International Patent Classification (IPC):
• A (Human necessities)  38 (27%);
• B (Performing operations; Transporting) - 16 (11%);
• C (Chemistry; Metallurgy) - 53 (37%);
• F (Mechanical engineering; Lighting; Heating; etc.) - 16 (11%);
• G (Physics) - 15 (10.5%).
In the National Register of short-term patent applications were entered 211 STPI applications, including 210  from national applicants. It should be noted that 16 of them proceed from PI applications converted, upon request, into STPI applications. According to statistical data, the first two places on top of most requested fields in the STPI applications are taken by the following sections of the IPC:
• A (Human necessities) - 103 (51.2%);
• C (Chemistry; Metallurgy) - 32 (16%).
This demonstrates the increased interest of applicants in patenting inventions in the nominated fields by a simplified and less expensive procedure.
In the year under review, were examined 356 patent applications and was adopted the same number of decisions.
In the year under review, there were examined 356 patent applications, including 138 patent applications and 218 STPI applications, being taken the following decisions:
• to grant a patent  265 ( 77  for PI and 188  for STPI)
• to reject the application  41 (23  for PI and 18  for STPI)
• to withdraw the application  50 (38  for PI and 12  for STPI).
PI applications rejected on legal grounds of noncompliance with the criteria of patentability are distributed as follows: 2 - nonpatentable subject-matter of the invention, 6 - lack of novelty, 11 - lack of inventive step, 4  lack of industrial applicability. In 2010, the number of STPI applications rejected under the same legal grounds has grown significantly and is distributed as follows: 6 - lack of novelty, 12 - lack of inventive step.
The rate of rejected PI applications is much higher than that of STPI applications, increasing compared with 2009 by about 7 and, respectively, 6 percentage points.
According to the legal provisions, 41 PI applications have been published on the expiry of 18 months from the filing date.
The average pendency (duration of the examination period until the publication of the decision in BOPI) in 2010 for PI applications was 14 months and for STPI applications was 7 months. The reduced examination time for STPI applications is one of the factors that determine most applicants to opt for this way of patenting inventions.
In 2010, AGEPI issued 316 titles of protection for inventions (132 - PI and 184 - STPI), with 4 more patents than the previous year, the period under review being marked by the largest number of patents ever issued by the AGEPI during a year of activity. The absolute majority of titles of protection for inventions being issued to national owners - 306 (96.8%), of which 116 (38%) belonging to natural persons and 190 (62%) - to legal persons.
As in the previous years, the first places on top of most active institutions in the patenting field (PI and STP) are taken by the State Universities and Institutes of Academy of Sciences.
Throughout its period of activity, AGEPI has issued 4060 titles of protection for inventions (3854 PI and 206 STPI): 3641 (90%) - to national owners and 419 (10%)  to foreign ones.
Of the total number of issued patents 993 were valid (31%) on 31.12.2010 (on 31.12.2009 - 1162), only a quarter of them (214 patents) being maintained in force after the 5th year. It should be noted that owners of patents in the research and innovation field are exempt from fees for maintaining in force the protection for the first 5 years. Thus, the number of patents valid after 5 years is a relevant indicator to assess their real economic value.
Of the patents maintained in force over 5 years, 144 (67%) belong to national owners and 70 (33%)  to foreign ones. National patent owners who have maintained their patents in force for more than 5 years shall be allocated as follows: natural persons  80 (55.5%), legal persons  64 (44.4%), including 36 (25%)  organizations in the science and innovation field.
In total, 5349 patents were valid in the Republic of Moldova on 31.12.2010, of which 4187 are Eurasian patents (78.3%).

Utility models
After the entry into force of Law 50/2008 receiving of applications for registration of utility models (UM) was ceased, but according to Art. 97(3) of this Law this fact shall neither have an impact upon the utility model registration certificates having become valid on the territory of the Republic of Moldova before the entry into force of the Law in question, nor upon the procedure of their renewal. Consequently, in the period under review have been renewed three UM protection certificates, by 31.12.2010 of the total number of 184 issued UM registration certificates being valid 68, 12 of them - renewed.

Trends or areas experiencing rapid changes with respect to the previous year

The total number of patent applications, received by AGEPI in the year under review, has remained almost the same  344 (compared with 339 in the previous year), the report of PI applications (143) compared with STPI applications (201) being also the same of 42%: 58%.

URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that provide statistics related to patents

http://www.agepi.md/en/statistica/inv-cbi.php

http://www.agepi.md/en/statistica/inv-cbisd.php

II. Matters concerning the generation, reproduction, distribution and use of primary and secondary sources of patent information

Publishing, printing, copying (main types of publications of the Office in the field of patent information, etc.)

1) Paper
Patent applications:
The front page containing bibliographic data, the abstract and the drawings are printed. The original specifications are laid open to public inspection in the AGEPI library.
Patents:
The front page and the specification are printed, the incorporated drawings being scanned.
2) CD-ROM
- CD-ROM „Inventions of the Republic of Moldova, 1993-2009", containing bibliographic data and abstracts in 3 languages (Romanian, English and Russian) for patent applications; bibliographic data, abstracts and specifications for patents. This CD-ROM is renewed annually by adding the data for the last year.
- CISPATENT - in conjunction with the IP Offices of several CIS countries (AM, BY,GE, RU, TJ, UZ, UA) and of the EAPO is issued this CD-ROM containing bibliographic data and abstracts in Romanian, English and Russian for patent applications and bibliographic data, abstracts in 3 languages and specifications in the original language for patents. The CD-ROM is issued on a monthly basis; there is also a yearly issue.
3) Official Bulletin on Industrial Property (BOPI)
Bibliographic data and abstracts in Romanian, English, Russian and official notices are published in this official monthly newspaper. The Bulletin appears on paper form and on the AGEPI website in PDF format: http://www.agepi.md/en/cid_pi/periodice/bopi.php
BOPI is also published and distributed on CD-ROM, on a monthly basis.
4) On-line database
Bibliographic data and abstracts relating to MD patent applications and granted patents are available through the database "Inventions" on the office website: http://db.agepi.md/InventiiEng/Baza.aspx?Lang2=engt
It is a free Internet service. For patents is also published the specifications and drawings.

Main types of announcements of the Office in the field of patent information

Announcements, notices and changes in the legal status or the patenting procedure are published in the Official Bulletin on Industrial Property (BOPI). The Bulletin is published also electronically on the public AGEPI website (in pdf format):

http://www.agepi.md/en/cid_pi/periodice/bopi.php

The most important office notices regarding patents and other IP rights are provided directly on the AGEPI website (www.agepi.md) for different kinds of users (applicants/owners, patent agents etc).

Mass storage media used (paper, microforms, optical storage, etc.)

The AGEPI has a complete classified paper collection of MD patent documents. The full data relating to MD patent documents, excepting the drawings for non-published patent applications, are stored in the internal databases. The AGEPI has a CD/DVD-ROM collection containing published/granted US, FR, DE, CH, RU, WO, EP, EA, CISPATENT and other patent documents.
See also “Publishing, printing, copying etc.”, item II, p.2).

Word processing and office automation

The Patent Office uses Microsoft Office XP or 2003 which provides an integrated and extensive network of applications that are available to all staff. All staff has their own personal workstation on which numerous applications are available. Word processing can be carried out using Microsoft 2003; search tools including access to online databases, translation software, management and administration information etc. There is also a corporate database (Inventions) and automated production of search and examination reports.
All staff has access to the Internet and has their own e-mail and official e-mail address.

III. Matters concerning abstracting, classifying, reclassifying and indexing of technical information contained in patent documents

Abstracting, reviewing, translating

The office translates the titles and abstracts into English and review the titles and abstracts provided by the applicant (in Romanian and Russian) and, if necessary, amend them accordingly to WIPO standard ST.12/A in order to ensure that the abstract contain the necessary information to be a useful search tool. The abstracts and titles are published in the Official Bulletin for patents and utility models applications and granted protection titles in 3 languages.

Classification¹, preclassification² (if applicable), and reclassification³ activities; Classification system used, e.g., International Patent Classification (IPC), other classification (please indicate whether or not patent documents are classified by your Office and, if so, which classification is used)

From January 1, 2006, the AGEPI use the advanced level of the IPC (8th edition).

Bibliographic data and full-text processing

The AGEPI maintains an electronic search file for all MD patent documents, which are searchable using bibliographic data, classification symbols and the keyword contained in titles and abstracts for all types of tittles of invention protection: patents, short-term patents and utility models.
In the year 2009 there were introduced some new searchable fields such as “Cited prior art in Search Report”, “Patent examiner”, full-text search in the “Description” or “Claims”. A new field “Current legal state” has been introduced also.

IV. Search file establishment and upkeep

File building

File building of paper search files classified under the IPC and of the CD/DVD-ROM collections classified under years and countries are centralized at the office library. The patent documents and author certificates of the former URSS from 1924 up to 1992 are stored in National Technical Scientific Library (NTSL).
All MD patent documents are electronically stored and searchable for internal use; all published MD patent applications (abstracts) and patents (full text) are electronically searchable for external use.

Updating

Paper and some CD/DVD-ROM search files are updated monthly, several CD-DVD/ROM search files are updated yearly. Electronically searchable files for internal use are updated permanently depending of filings; electronically searchable files for external use are updated monthly.

Storage, including mass storage media

Patent documentation on paper is stored on shelves in the AGEPI archive, CD-DVD/ROM are stored in the library, electronic data are stored on Fileservers, and on magnetic tapes, for backup.

Documentation from other offices maintained and/or considered part of the available search file

Eurasian published patent applications and granted patents are mandatory search files.

V. Activities in the field of computerized and other mechanized search systems

In-house systems (online/offline)

The online “patents” search database, can be used by examiners and other interested persons for electronic search through the MD published patent applications/short term applications and granted patents/short term patents, as well as for utility models. There is also another online “Inventions” search database that contains bibliographic data of Certificates of authorship of the USSR that were published in the 1963-1992 period. The offline search database, is used by examiners in conducting the examining procedure by searching through all of the MD applications and patents.

External databases

- EAPATIS, administered by EAPO;
- VINITI (NPL - bibliographic data), managing by the Scientific and Technical Information Institute (VINITI) of the Russian Federation (www.vinini.ru);
- Global Patent Index

Administrative management systems (e.g., register, legal status, statistics and administrative support)

The whole administration is built in “Patents” program and is performed by an Administrator from Inventions Department, but also by a Database Administrator for a complete administration.

Equipment used (hardware, including the types of terminal and network used, and software), carriers used

Each expert has a modern personal computer with LCD monitor and DVD drive. Microsoft Windows XP or Vista is used as operating system. All computers are connected via the 100 Mb/s network into the Microsoft Active Directory 2003 Domain. Agency has a fiber channel link into the internet with 20 Mbps speed foreign traffic and each expert can use internet.

VI. Administration of the industrial property office library, and information products and services available to the public (relating to facilities, e.g., for lodging applications, for assisting clients on searching procedures, for obtaining official publications and registry extracts)

Planning, administration, automation, security, buildings

The Intellectual Property Information Retrieval Center (IP IRC) functions simultaneously as an in-house and public library are used for rendering services to all the categories of users without any restrictions (researches, inventors and innovators, experts in technological problems in all areas of national economy, managers, lawyers, patent attorneys, etc.)

The IP IRC specialists are available to render to readers the methodological assistance necessary for information search in electronic databases, consultation, thematic and bibliographic references.

For the complex automation of Library technological processes a new version of the library integrated software IRBIS-64 was implemented in 2010.

The AGEPI IP IRC is available to the public during 5 days (except Saturday and Sunday) from 9:00 to 16:00.

Collecting, acquisitions, preparation

The main information sources of the Patent Collection are the official publications of the AGEPI, patent documentation and collections of patent law related publications, normative and methodical acts, related literature including dictionaries, periodicals, as well as a set of Indexes and other references and search aids to these collections, received through international exchange with the Patent Offices worldwide and other information centers, purchase or subscription. All received documents are registered, classified and grouped for storage purpose.

By January 1, 2011, the national collection of documents in th IP field constituted 26,332,719 copies, including:
 Books and pamphlets: 5,562 copies
 Periodicals: 18,849 copies
 Documents on electronic career: 26,297,989 documents
 National documents (patent applications, patents, utility models, plants varieties): 8,764 documents
In the collection Library of intellectual property has been reissued a number of completed and updated booklets, including:
 How to patent an Invention in the RM
 IP Protection in the Republic of Moldova. Brief Information.
 The ABC of Intellectual Property

Collection management, preservation

The Patent collection of Library is arranged along the systematic-numerical lines. The conditions for storing collections correspond to the types of information carried out:
- patent documentation on paper is stored in cassettes on shelves;
- on CD-ROM/DVD-ROM – in catalog racks;
- in automated databases.

URLs of web pages of the Office's website for electronic filing of patent applications

http://www.agepi.md/en/noutati/detail.php?ID=4446

URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that provide a description of information products and services offered by the Office (e.g., patent search service(s) and patent databases), as well as information on how to access and utilize them

http://www.db.agepi.md/inventions/Search.aspx

VII. Matters concerning mutual exchange of patent documentation and information

International or regional cooperation in the exchange of machine-readable information, e.g., bibliographic data, abstract and/or full text information

The AGEPI is sending, monthly, information to several destinations: European Patent Office (EPO)-(INPADOC) bibliographic data and abstracts in txt files, changes in legal status, images of bibliographic data for published applications and full patent information in national language for patents in bookmarked PDF (examples: published, granted) (monthly), Eurasian Patent Office bibliographic data in ACCESS database, abstracts, claims, images, in pdf files. AGEPI sends to CISPATENT both MSWORD documents and XML, St.36, “ru” extension, the bibliographic data and abstracts for applications and published patents and full patent information for granted patents.
AGEPI furnished the MD patent documents and the official gazette (BOPI) on CD-ROM to 41 IP Offices and receives patent documentation and information from 35 countries and 2 regional patent organizations (EPO and EAPO).

Medium used for exchange of priority documents

On paper or on-line.

Medium allowed for filing applications

On paper, fax machine, e-mail, floppy discs, CD (DVD)-ROMs

VIII. Other relevant matters concerning education and training in, and promotion of, the use of patent information, including technical assistance to developing countries (please indicate URLs of web pages of the Office’s website wherever appropriate)

Training courses for national and foreign participants, use of audiovisual means

With the view of increasing the level of training of the national teaching staff in the IP field, particularly of the young generation, during the year 2010, AGEPI continued the activity on awareness of the teaching staff in the higher education institutions in the country on the need for introduction in the university curricula of the optional course “Introduction to Intellectual Property”.
In the year under review, 15 persons have attended the courses „Protection of intellectual property” organized by AGEPI, obtaining the qualification of Counselor in intellectual Property (in 2009 – 22 persons, in 2008 – 29 persons).

Another 15 persons attended the courses „Evaluation of Intellectual Property”, obtaining the qualification of „Evaluator of IPO”.

In 2010 there have been attested another 7 patent attorneys, their total number reaching 105 persons, at the end of the year.

In the framework of Joint Action Program in IP field between AGEPI and European Patent Organization (EPO) for the year 2010, 5 AGEPI experts followed the Upgrading Course in the field of chemistry and mechanics, organized by the Danish Patent and Trademark Office (DKPTO) in collaboration with the European Patent Office (EPO), in Taastrup, Denmark, from September 13 – 17.

Also, in the context of the same AGEPI-EPO Joint Action Program, 3 AGEPI experts participated in the Regional Seminar „Patent Publication at National Offices and Examples of Patent Searches”, organized by the EPO in cooperation with The Moroccan Industrial and Commercial Property Office (OMPIC), in Casablanca, Marocco.

To get familiar with the process of extension of the European patent to a state which is not a member of the European Patent Convention (EPC) and its subsequent preparation for plenary accession to the EPC, a delegation of the Republic of Moldova, headed by the Director General of AGEPI, Dr. Lilia Bolocan, made a visit to the State Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Croatia in Zagreb.

Assistance to developing countries (sending consultants and experts, receiving trainees from developing countries, etc.)

With a view to upgrade the national personnel’s skills in IP field, AGEPI benefited by the EAPO Program and Assistance to EAPO Member states in the year 2010. Thus, 4 AGEPI experts beneficiated of upgrading courses in the fields of patents, organized by the State Institute of Intellectual Property of the Russian Federation.

With the support and participation of the EPO experts, within AGEPI premises were organized two working visits, aim of which were analysis of information technology infrastructure of the AGEPI and its compliance with the EPO standards, and the second concerned the procedures for examination of patent applications and grant of patents for invention. There were also evaluated the compatibility of the national legislation with the acquis communautaire, AGEPI strategies of communication with the beneficiaries of the IP system, access to relevant databases, services rendered by the Agency, etc.


Also, EPO paid special attention to the development of the system of patent attorneys from the Republic of Moldova, a mission of evaluation of the system in question being conducted by the European patent experts, Mr. Karl Rackette and Mr. Emmanuel Jelsh. The mission ended in presentation of set of recommendations on strengthening the national system of patent attorneys from Moldova. With a view of familiarizing the patent attorneys with the best European practices in drafting the patent application documents, it was organized a Training Seminar entitled “Patent Claim Drafting”, thus continuing the training course started in 2009.

Promotional activities (seminars, exhibitions, visits, advertising, etc.)

• Promotional activities (seminars, exhibitions, visits, advertising, etc.)
In the year under review, AGEPI participated actively in 25 exhibitions, including 10-international and 15 national, most of them being organized at IEC “Moldexpo” JSC. AGEPI presented information stands within 7 national exhibitions, most important being “Made in Moldova” and “Moldagrotech”. An extensive information dissemination and consultancy was conducted within 8 national exhibitions: “Beauty”, “Moldconstruct&Moldenergy”, “Food&Drinks”, Tourism.Leisure.Hotels”, “Black Sea Letex”, “Reclama&Design”, “MoldMEDIZIN”.

In 2010, AGEPI promoted innovative activity by ensuring the participation of national inventors in 10 international exhibitions:
1. International Exhibition of Inventions, Techniques and New Products (Geneva, Switzerland);
2. World Exhibition “World Expo 2010”;
3. Exhibition of Inventions in Warsaw (Poland);
4. International Exhibition of Innovation, Research and New Technologies “Brussels-Innova (Belgium);
5. International Exhibition of creativity and innovation “Euroinvent” (Iasi, Romania);
6. International Exhibition of research, innovation and inventiveness “Proinvent” (Cluj-Napoca, Romania);
7. International Exhibition of Inventions, Scientific Research and New Technologies “Inventika 2009” (Bucharest, Romania);
8. International Exhibition of Inventions and New Technologies “New Time” (Sevastopol, Ukraine);
9. International Exhibition of Innovations (Moscow, Russian Federation);
10. International Exhibition of Industrial Property “ARCHIMEDES” (Moscow, Russian Federation).

Annually, the best inventors and rationalizators are being rewarded with diplomas and prizes within the framework of the “Inventor’s and Rationalizator’s Day”. In the official ceremony, there were designated laureates of the 5th edition of the Contest “Invention of the year”, aim of which is to promote innovative activity, stimulate the authors and holders of IP objects in the process of creation and use of IP assets.

To support and encourage creativity and inventiveness among young generation, AGEPI organized the 3rd edition of the Republican Contest “The Best Innovative Pupil”.

With the view to of identifying and stimulating the most valuable 10 innovations of the year 2010, the 3rd edition of the Contest “Top of Innovations” took place, at which 30 files from 20 institutions in the field of science and innovation were presented.

During the year 2010, the AGEPI experts participated in the following regional, international events dedicated to patent issues:
 The Regional Seminar „Patent Publication at National Offices and Examples of Patent Searches”, organized by the European Patent Office (EPO) in cooperation with The Moroccan Industrial and Commercial Property Office (OMPIC), held in Casablanca, Morocco, November 30 – December 1;
 Conference on Patent Information, organized by the European Patent Office in cooperation with Swiss Intellectual Property Office (IPI), held in Laussanne, Switzerland, October 18 – 21;
 Working visit at the Federal Service on Intellectual Property, Patents & Trademarks (ROSPATENT) for acquaintance with the electronic documents workflow procedure and electronic filling of the patent applications, held in Moscow, Russian Federation
from October 18-22;
 The scientific-practical Conference „Legal protection of the IP objects”, organized by the Federal Service on Intellectual Property, Patents & Trademarks (ROSPATENT), held in Moscow, Russian Federation, from October 14 – 15;
 The 15th session of the Standing Committee on the Law of patents (SCP), held by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, Switzerland, from October 11-15;
 Workshop on Plant Variety Protection, organized by the Research Centre for Cultivar Testing (COBORU) of Poland in cooperation with the Office of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), held in Slupia Wielka, from June 22 to 24;
 Executive Workshop on the Application of Management Techniques in the delivery of IP Services, held by the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), held in Ottawa, Canada, from May 31 – June 4 ;
 Public Seminar „How to understand EPO search reports and written opinions”, organised by European Patent Academy of the European Patent Office (EPO), held in Berlin, Germany, from May 5 – 7;
 Seminar on DUS testing, organized by the International Union for the protection of new varieties of plants (UPOV), held in Geneva, Switzerland, from March 18 – 20.

Studies to identify trends in new technology, e.g., by the use of patent statistics and preparation of monographs

In order to improve exchanges of information and experience in the field of information technology, AGEPI participated in the Standing Working Group on Information Technologies of the EAPO Administrative Council, organized in Moscow, as well as in the works of the Regional Seminar “Automation of Modern Patent Office and Electronic Filing of Patent Applications”, organized by EAPO jointly with the National Patent Center of Tajikistan in Dushanbe.

IX. Other general information related to the Office that is available on the Internet -- URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that:

provide information on legislation related to patents

http://www.agepi.md/pdf/lege/lege-prot-inv_en.pdf
http://www.agepi.md/pdf/lege/reg_filing_exam_patent.pdf

contain the Annual Report of the Office

http://www.agepi.md/en/despre/raport/

contain patent-related news regarding the Office

http://www.agepi.md/en/noutati/

X. Other relevant matters