It was reported on November 26, 2019 that the EU joined the “The Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications” (hereinafter referred to as the “Lisbon Agreement Geneva Act”). The pivotal fifth member, a milestone that made the bill come into effect. This international registration system provides international protection for the names that identify the geographic origin of products such as coffee, tea, fruits, wine, pottery, glass and cloth. With the accession of the European Union, the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement will enter into force for all its contracting parties on February 26, 2020.
Mr. Gurry, Chairman of the European Union, said: “The accession of the European Union has brought into force the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement, and it has also greatly expanded the geographic coverage of this important registration system.” He went on to say: “As interest in the origin of products increases The protection of appellations of origin and geographic indications is beneficial to consumers seeking authenticity, and it also helps manufacturers who seek new ways to increase product value to stand out in an increasingly global and competitive market.”
Mr. Hogan, EU Commission for Agriculture and Rural Development, said: “The EU has invested more than 20 years in developing a successful geographic indication policy to protect the intellectual property rights of farmers and food producers in and outside the region.” He also said: “After joining the Geneva Act, we will strengthen the promotion of food quality to an international level and strengthen our commitment to tracking the source of food. This will bring obvious benefits for growth and employment to our global partners, EU producers, consumers, and regional growth and employment.”
The Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement passed on May 20, 2015, that geographical indications and appellations of origin were registered internationally through a single registration procedure with WIPO, and allowed the accession of cross-governmental organizations including the European Union and the African Organization for Intellectual Property (OAPI).
The Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration was first signed in 1958.
The Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement and the Lisbon Agreement together constitute the so-called “Lisbon System.”
【Background Knowledge】
Both “Appellation of Origin (AO)” and “Geographical Indication (GI)” are used to refer to labels that identify products. The label must establish a specific relationship between the product it refers to and its place of origin. Both of these labels are marketing tools that interest producers because they allow consumers to understand the geographic origin of a product and the quality, characteristics and reputation associated with that origin. The basic difference between these two proper nouns is that the “appellation of origin” has a stronger correlation with the source of origin.
Like all intellectual property rights, the rights granted by “appellations of origin” or “geographical indications” are basically territorial and are only valid in countries or regions where the indication is protected.
The Lisbon system provides a system for obtaining international registrations of “appellations of origin” and “geographical indications” through a single WIPO procedure. Through a single registration procedure and a minimum fee, the owner of the “appellation of origin” or “geographical indication” in a country or region can obtain the protection of identifying product labeling in other parties to the Lisbon system.
Examples of “appellations of origin” and “geographical indications” include Kampot Pepper, Darjeeling Tea, Panjin Rice, Café de Colombia, Prosciutto di Parma, Oku Honey, Scotch Whisky, Tequila, Argan Oil (Argane, Argan Oil), Chulucanas Ceramics (Chulucanas), Kohloma Handicrafts (Khokhloma), Chiangmai Celadon, Swiss Watches and Bohemia Crystal.
Released by TIPO
