introduction to geographical indications · legal framework • benefits • ip ... regulation (eu)...

Introduction togeographical indications

Tokyo, 12 December 2014

Lionel MESNILDREYEuropean Commission

DG Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentUnit A2 – Asia and Australasia

Content

• Legal framework• Benefits• IP Protection• Overview registrations and figures• Third countries GIs protection

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Legal framework• TRIPS Agreement

• Agricultural products and foodstuffsRegulation(EU) No 1151/2012

• Wines & Aromatised winesRegulation (EU) No 1308/2013 Regulation (EU) No 251/2014

• SpiritsRegulation (EC) No 110/2008

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Geographical Indications in the EU2 logos – 1 single (high) level of protection

Recognised by consumers

1. geographicalarea + + =2. specific

product3. causal link 4. PGI or

PDO4

PDO and PGI

PDO: • Closer link “essential or exclusive”• Raw materials and all stages of production in the

area

Appellation of origin (Lisbon Agreement)

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PDO and PGI

PGI: • Specific quality characteristics or

reputation• One of the stages of production

process must take place in the area

TRIPS definition

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Benefits / producer• Name reserved to products respecting the

specification and produced in a delimitedgeographical area (IP protection)

• Administrative protection by public authorities• Name used by all producers• Differentiation on the market

• better price• better share of the added value

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Benefits / consumer

• Guarantee on• Origin of the product• Quality of the product (specification) • Authenticity of the product (no imitation)

• Controls on production site and on the market

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Other benefits

• GIs encourage the preservation of:• Biodiversity: plant, animal, …• Local know-how and tradition• Agro-tourism

• GIs vs. standardised food• Wider choice• Cultural heritage, social cohesion, rural communities

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IP protection

• Protection of the NAME, not of the product.• Right to use: applies to ‘any operator’ respecting product specification • Protection indefinite in time

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IP protection

Protection against wrongful uses: • direct or indirect use for non-originating product • misuse, imitation or evocation, even if true origin is indicated or if name is translated • any other false or misleading indication or other practice liable to mislead consumer

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IP protection - Relation with trademarks

• Prior GI prevents the registration of a trademark → relation with TM offices.• Prior trademark which has been applied or registered, or established by use, in good faith, before the date of protection in the country of origin, or before 1/1/1996 may continue to be used → coexistence• Renown TM prevents GI registration - if risk to mislead the consumer as to the true identity of the good 12

Overview PDO/PGI per country (n=3292)(all sectors – Food: 1199; Wines: 1752; Spirits: 336; Aromatized wines: 5)

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910

743

348268

199151

82 71 69 62 54 44 42 39 31 23 23 20 14 14 13 11 33 19 90

100200300400500600700800900

1000

Registered GIs by Country  November, 2014

Non-EU countries GIs

• 19 names registered• Andorra (1) • China (10)• Colombia (1)• Guatemala (1)• India (1)• Norway (1)• Peru (1)• Thailand (1)• Turkey (1) • Vietnam (1)

• Many others / bilateral agreements 14

Sales destinations• 60% of sales take place on the domestic market, 20% on the EU market and 20% in third countries

• 663 GIs sold only in their MS of production

• 1525 GIs exported (1224 wines, 231 agri products, 70 spirits)

• Wines + spirits = 90% of total GI exports (in value)

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Protection through international agreements (FTAs or Stand alone)• … A more comprehensive process (more GIs

protected in a shorter period of time)• EU's basic expectations concern:

- High level of protection; (TRIPS art 22 is INSUFFICIENT)- Ex officio protection;- Co-existence with prior Trade marks- Protection through the Agreement

• EU-Japan FTA a common interest

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Examples of evocation (imagination is endless!!)

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Evocation of "Côte-Rôtie" and "Bordeaux" for South-African wine and Feta

Exemples of wrongful uses of GIs

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More information

• Quality policy web-pages: http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality/index_en.htm

• GI Databases:• Spirits http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/spirits/• Foodstuffs http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality/door/• Wines http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/markets/wine/e-bacchus/

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