New international cooperation project in Western Balkans and Republic of Moldova supports EU accession by enhancing intellectual property systems

Western Balkans’ project was launched by the European 
Union Intellectual Property Office and the European Commission, in partnership 
with the intellectual property offices and authorities of Albania, Bosnia and 
Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and the Republic 
of Moldova.
• The initiative will support the EU’s Western Balkan partners and the Republic of 
Moldova’s integration into EU intellectual property systems.
• The project’s goals are aligned with the EU’s strategic objective to advance EU 
accession negotiations with the Western Balkans and the Republic of Moldova.
20 May 2026, Alicante, Spain. The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), 
together with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern 
Neighbourhood (DG ENEST), officially launched the ‘EU4IP – Western Balkans’ (EU4IP-WB) 
project to support Western Balkan partners and the Republic of Moldova in advancing their 
EU accession process through stronger intellectual property (IP) systems.
The initiative will focus on IP acquis alignment, capacity building, IP enforcement and raising 
greater awareness of the value of IP among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and 
young people.
EU4IP-WB will complement the existing EU4IP project in Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine, 
taking advantage of the EUIPO’s long-standing experience in the successful implementation 
of IP-focused EU-funded projects all over the world, together with its specialised European 
Union Intellectual Property Network, IP experts and advanced digital tools.
The EU4IP-WB official project launch took place on 20 May at the EUIPO headquarters in 
Alicante, Spain, bringing together high-level representatives from the European Commission, 
EUIPO, Western Balkans and Republic of Moldova.

The Executive Director of the EUIPO, João Negrão, said: “A stronger intellectual property 
system is the bedrock of a more innovative and prosperous society. The launch of EU4IP for 
the Western Balkans and the Republic of Moldova is our shared commitment to building that 
foundation – delivering real, tangible benefits for industry, for users, for business, and for 
society.”
Supporting innovation, growth and EU integration
Strong IP systems are essential to modern economies. By protecting ideas, brands, 
inventions, designs and creative works, IP rights encourage innovation, attract investment and 
create new business opportunities.
Through EU4IP-WB, IP authorities will be widely supported to empower businesses, creators, 
entrepreneurs, SMEs and young innovators across the region to benefit from more reliable, 
just and efficient IP frameworks that help them protect their assets to grow domestically and 
access wider European and international markets.
Meanwhile, this EU-funded project will contribute to the broader EU efforts of boosting 
economic growth, promoting economic integration with the EU internal market and within the 
region and regional cooperation, in line with the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans and the 
Common Regional Market (CRM) action plan. It will help to introduce and leverage more 
consistent IP rules and practices, which will make trade easier within the Western Balkans as 
well as between the region and the EU.
The EU4IP Component for the Western Balkans is co-funded by the European Commission 
and the EUIPO, and will run for three years from January 2026. As its implementing agency, 
the EUIPO will work closely with IP offices, public administrations, enforcement authorities,
the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) Secretariat, and other stakeholders to 
modernise services, simplify procedures, and strengthen fair and effective IP protection for 
innovators and businesses in preparation for EU accession.