The State Agency on Intellectual Property (hereinafter AGEPI) is the national office in the field of intellectual property protection and the only authority that, on the territory of the Republic of Moldova, ensures the protection of trademarks under the conditions of Law no. 38 of 29.02.2008 on the protection of trademarks (hereinafter Law no. 38/2008).
1) What is a trademark?
The trademark is any sign or any combination of signs susceptible of graphic representation serving to distinguish the goods or services of certain natural / legal persons from those of other persons. You can register your trademark to protect your brand, for example the name of your product or service. When you register your trademark, you’ll be able to:
- take legal action against anyone who uses your brand without your permission, including counterfeiters;
- put the ® symbol next to your brand - to show that it’s yours and warn others against using it;
- sell and license your brand.
A trade mark lasts 10 years. You must renew your trade mark every 10 years for it to stay in force.
2) What trademarks may be registered?
The following may be registered as trademarks: words (including names of persons), letters, figures, drawings, combinations of colours, figurative elements, three-dimensional forms, in particular the form of a product or its package, and any combinations of signs, provided that such signs may serve to distinguish the products and/or services of a natural or legal person from the products and/or services of other persons.
