EUROPE
April 30, 2026
Moldova is due to become the 40th contracting state of the European Patent Organization on 1 June 2026. The country has taken the final step towards acceding to the European Patent Convention (EPC) by depositing its instrument of accession on 25 March 2026.
This change means that its status within the European patent system will change from a “validation state” to a “designation state”:
- Any applicant filing a European patent application (or a PCT application designating Europe) before 1 June 2026 can pursue protection in Moldova by paying a validation fee;
- For applications with a filing date on or after 1 June 2026, it will no longer be necessary to pay the validation fee to pursue protection in Moldova. Instead, Moldova will be automatically designated along with the other 39 members.
For patent applicants, the change helps reduce the administrative burden and avoids payment of additional fees, while also minimizing the risk of accidentally excluding Moldova from Intellectual Property protection strategies in Europe.
At UNGRIA we have expert patent attorneys who can advise and help you establish the best Intellectual Property protection strategy that fits your specific needs.