On 1 June 2026, Moldova became the 40th EPO member state. Any European application with a filing date (or PCT filing date) on or after 1 June 2026 will automatically designate Moldova and can be validated in that country after grant.
Moldova is one of the smaller member states but has large agricultural and wine making industries, being the 21st largest wine exporter in the World in 2021 (source Wikipedia). ICT is also a fast-growing part of its economy.
Our partner John Kensett would also highly recommend the book “Playing the Moldovans at Tennis” by the British comedian Tony Hawks, where he chronicles his attempt to track down and play tennis against all the then members of the Moldovan football team.
Sadly, Moldova did not qualify for the forthcoming World Cup.