IPTango: geographical indications

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Tuesday, 6 December 2022

Some news and views from me to you

Patricia Covarrubia December 06, 2022 No comments:

I cannot deny that keeping up with the blog has been arduous to say the least. The matter is that joggling between a full-time academic job comes with presenting and attending conferences, writing papers and plenty of responsibilities not only academic but also administrative, and then a house, family, and a bit of Legal consultancy. Aside, the University of Buckingham, where I work, drives, and leads on personal mentorship – and I am proud of it, but it is time and energy consuming. On this fact, I got some news to share, well ...maybe there are not brand new, but indeed good news to share. However, I have to say, that at first, I did not make a fuzz of it, because I do not like to ‘show off’ but on reflection, the idea of obtaining any recognition is to acknowledge, and if someone feels that this is their right path and want to connect with me for further guidance then, I am more than happy to give a hand.

The Kindness & Leadership, 50 Leading Lights UK announced the listees in November, and I am one of them 😉. The campaign “seeks to shine a great big spotlight on leaders who are impacting others through kindness. We see this campaign as a unique chance to build a new status quo, sharing advice and expertise from leaders and recognising the contribution of kind leaders to business, the economy and society.” The 50 listees come from different industries (me as academic) [View the 2022 listees at https:// www.kindnessrules.co.uk/uk/] You can check my statement if you click on my name, and you can also watch a video (1 minute) here.

My second big news is more IP related. The 30^th of November came out the e-copy of the edited collection Transboundary Heritage and Intellectual Property Law: Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage. The book took a few years to materialise, but one cannot expect less as the calibre of the authors were of high standard and engaged in their own projects. I was indeed honoured for them to embark with me in this task. For more info on this, check this page

The Book Description reads

Since the Intangible Heritage Convention was adopted by UNESCO in 2003, intangible cultural heritage has increasingly been an important subject of debate in international forums. As more countries implement the Intangible Heritage Convention, national policymakers and communities of practice have been exploring the use of intellectual property protection to achieve intangible cultural heritage safeguarding outcomes.

This book examines diverse cultural heritage case studies from Indigenous communities and local communities in developing and industrialised countries to offer an interdisciplinary examination of topics at the intersection between heritage and property which present cross-border challenges. Analysing a range of case studies which provide examples of traditional knowledge, traditional cultural expressions, and genetic resources by a mixture of practitioners and scholars from different fields, the book addresses guidelines and legislation as well as recent developments about shared heritage to identify a progressive trend that improves the understanding of intangible cultural heritage.

Considering all forms of intellectual property, including patents, copyright, design rights, trade marks, geographical indications, and sui generis rights, the book explores problems and challenges for intangible cultural heritage in crossborder situations, as well as highlighting positive relationships and collaborations among communities across geographical boundaries. Transboundary Heritage and Intellectual Property Law: Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage will be an important resource for practitioners, scholars, and students engaged in studying intangible cultural heritage, intellectual property law, heritage studies, and anthropology.

Some of the chapters cover specifically Latin America

Chapter 3 ‘Scaling up and down the edible heritage: Food and foodways as terrains of cultural friction ‘by Raúl Matta, focusing on Mexico cuisine

Chapter 7 ‘Colombian/Panamanian molas: Coping with the challenges posed in protecting and commercialising transboundary intangible cultural heritage’ by Florelia Vallejo-Trujillo

Chapter 8 ‘The ‘Pisco War’: A Chilean-Peruvian conflict at the crossroads of an intellectual property regime and intangible cultural heritage’ by Bernardo Alarcón Porflidtt

Chapter 11 ‘Knitting a future for the Aymara’s weavers: The Andean project’ by Patricia Covarrubia

Hope you forgive me for not being as prompt with news and views in the blog as it should be, this has been a crazy year! And as always, please do contact me if you think you have what we need to make this blog shine with news once again.

oriGIn on Geographical Indications compilations

Patricia Covarrubia June 16, 2022 No comments:

Yesterday afternoon I attended the event on oriGIn worldwide GI compilations. It comprises several speakers from around the world but relatable to Latin America, Sergio Chuez from INAPI was present.

The welcoming was led by Erik Thevenod-Mottet from the Swiss IPO, followed up by Massimo Vittori representing oriGIn. The idea was to share the wonderful tool, that much needed, GI compilation. The talk started by ‘some figures’

1. recognising that there are over 13,000 GIs around the world [oriGIn has compiled 9,047 – that are ‘recognized’], and here I made a pause. It was an important remark made by Massimo that ‘recognised’ may not label it as ‘registered’ as some countries may not legally registered a particular GI but still there is recognition. This is important to know because a GI is appreciated by us, society/consumers and while perhaps a GI has not obtained the legal status of registered GI, it still, in our minds, has goodwill.
2. There are different legal systems, mainly sui generis around the world that protect GI e.g. China, the EU, Africa (OAPI), the Andean countries (South America), Canada, Mexico, Chile, etc
3. GI is applicable to several sectors not only agro-products but also includes non-agricultural products such as craft [Brazil protects services too]
4. International legal frameworks are in place: TRIPS, Lisbon Agreement and more recently the Geneva Act
5. There are over 200 bilateral agreements covering GIs [mainly they follow the bilateral agreement between France and Germany signed back in the 60s - adding an annex with a list of GIs].

Massivo moved to explain how the search works (database can be accessed here). I must say that I have tried and it is not complicated at all [I do not consider myself tech-savvy] and it is, I may say ‘ straightforward’. You may search by regions (e.g., South America (you can see all 444); Central America (with 74), etc), or by country. There is also interesting data such as ‘legal protection’ under which the said GI is protected, for instance, sui generis, trade marks, legislative act, etc; as well as per ‘type of product’. Under this, I have been intrigued by ‘services’, knowing the case of ‘Porto Digital’ in Brazil reported in this blog here. The data shows THREE GIs for services; aside from the Brazilian case, there is one in Chile ‘Calidad Aysen Paragonia-Chile (protected as a trade mark); and another, that of ‘Duzdag’ from Azerbaijan as a sui generics GI. Under types of products there is a very meticulous selection e.g., food products/dairy; food products fruits; food products/vegetable oils and fats; non-food product/ wood; non-food product leather; etc. There are 7846 GIs protected under sui generic rights which Massivo asserted is a legal system which is more robustic and solid.

While I (virtuality) attended all speakers, I engaged with a couple of question when Chuez spoke about the work they do at the INDECOPI. Relating to this report today was the fact that by mere coincidence, yesterday morning I had published in this blog, about collective marks, and the QR code as well as the application been done for free. I therefore asked if there were any incentives for nationals to apply for GIs, here is the answer: ‘…[while GI applications are not free], we offer free and complete technical assistance for the filing, including the organization of the regularity council’ . This is indeed a pretty good offer, and I am sure many micros and SMEs do and will benefit from this. Peru, as many other countries in Latin America, is rich on natural resources and traditional knowledge. Yet, as of today, there are only 10 national GIs: ONE for a spirit, ONE for handcraft and EIGHT for food related products.

If you attended the event, what are your thoughts? The next GI event would be in Montpellier (5th July), I will be in (physical) attendance, would you? More info on the Worldwide Perspectives on GI here.

Tequila: finaliza la investigación bajo el Reglamento sobre obstáculos al comercio (TBR) de la UE

Verónica Rodríguez Arguijo February 06, 2022 No comments:

El 3 de febrero de 2022, la Comisión Europea anunció que finalizó formalmente su investigación sobre la denuncia referente a obstáculos al comercio en el sentido del Reglamento (UE) 2015/1843 (Reglamento sobre obstáculos al comercio, TBR en inglés) aplicados por México y consistentes en medidas que afectan la importación del Tequila. Consulta el anuncio aquí.

La denuncia

La denuncia había sido presentada por la Asociación de Cerveceros de Europa (The Brewers of Europe) debido a la decisión del Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) de “ya no [conceder] certificados de exportación a … [TdS, una empresa] que produce y exporta «Tequila» … [a una] filial de Heineken NV … [debido a que] la cerveza Desperados de Heineken (una cerveza con aroma de «Tequila» añadido) infringe la [Norma Oficial Mexicana] aplicable a la utilización de la Indicación Geográfica (IG)” Tequila.

Durante la primera etapa de la investigación de la Comisión, intervinieron 22 partes interesadas, “en su mayoría representantes de asociaciones velando por la protección de las indicaciones geográficas europeas”. En efecto, oriGIn solicitó a la Comisión el reconocimiento como parte interesada considerando las implicaciones de la disputa en cuanto a los principios de las IG.

De igual manera, el procedimiento de examen también fue discutido por el Parlamento Europeo (lea aquí la pregunta parlamentaria planteada a la Comisión Europa, y consulte aquí la respuesta, ambas en inglés).

En mayo de 2021, la Comisión Europea finalizó el procedimiento de examen de la medida aplicada por México que afecta las exportaciones del Tequila a la UE (consulta el reporte aquí). Se concluyó “que si bien la medida plantea preocupaciones sobre el cumplimiento de México respecto de las normas de la OMC, específicamente la prohibición de restricciones a la exportación, está sujeta a una serie de procedimientos administrativos pendientes que pueden conducir a la revocación o modificación de la medida. Por lo tanto, la Comisión continuará monitoreando el resultado de los distintos procedimientos y, dependiendo de su resultado, podrá reevaluar las acciones a emprender” (énfasis añadido).

En octubre de 2021, la Asociación de Cerveceros de Europa informó a la Comisión Europea que “la empresa de la UE afectada había encontrado una solución con las autoridades mexicanas, lo que permitió la eliminación de los supuestos obstáculos al comercio”. En consecuencia, retiraron la denuncia.

*El 7 de febrero de 2022, se publicó en el Diario Oficial de la Unión Europea, la Decisión de Ejecución (UE) 2022/161 de la Comisión de 3 de febrero de 2022 por la que se da por concluido el procedimiento de examen relativo a los obstáculos al comercio, en el sentido del Reglamento (UE) 2015/1843, aplicados por los Estados Unidos Mexicanos y consistentes en medidas que afectan a la importación de Tequila. Consulta aquí la Decisión de Ejecución.

El retiro de la denuncia y la finalización de la investigación por parte de la Comisión Europea suceden al acuerdo amistoso entre CRT y Heineken, luego de que CRT iniciara varias acciones legales en la Unión Europea que involucraban el uso de la palabra Tequila en la cerveza Desperados. Consulta aquí mi reporte sobre el acuerdo amistoso al que llegaron las partes.

Créditos:

La imagen es cortesía de Dante Gbn.

*Artículo actualizado el 7 de febrero de 2022.

CRT y Heineken ponen fin amistosamente a la disputa por el uso de la palabra “Tequila” en la cerveza Desperados

Verónica Rodríguez Arguijo July 16, 2021 No comments:

CRT (el Consejo Regulador del Tequila) anunció que la disputa legal por el uso de la palabra Tequila en la cerveza Desperados ha terminado.

En un video difundido el 13 de julio de 2021, Miguel Ángel Domínguez Morales (presidente del Consejo Regulador del Tequila) indicó que se ha llegado a un acuerdo amistoso con Heineken luego de que CRT iniciara varias acciones legales en la Unión Europea que involucraban el uso de la palabra Tequila en la cerveza Desperados.

Aunque los términos permanecen confidenciales, Miguel destacó que el acuerdo es beneficioso para ambas partes y que el Tequila continúa fuertemente protegido en la Unión Europea [su segundo mercado de exportación más grande después de Estados Unidos].

De acuerdo al comunicado de prensa, anualmente se exportan alrededor de 20 millones de litros a la Unión Europea, donde se encuentran disponibles más de 50 marcas de tequila*.

El Tequila está protegido en la Unión Europea de conformidad con el Acuerdo entre México y la Comunidad Europea sobre el reconocimiento mutuo y la protección de las denominaciones en el sector de las bebidas espirituosas de 1997, modificado en 2004 y 2020.

WIPO: Worldwide Symposium on Geographical Indications

Verónica Rodríguez Arguijo June 01, 2021 No comments:

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) will hold the Worldwide Symposium on Geographical Indications from 6 to 8 September 2021.

The biennial Symposium is “a forum for exchanging ideas and perspectives on issues relating to the use and protection of geographical indications”, where recent developments and technical insights into the field are discussed.

The 2021 edition will be held online and will include the following sessions:

Selected International Developments
The Socio-economic Impact of Geographical Indications
Commercialization Strategies for Geographical Indications
Geographical Indications and Trade
Geographical Indications and Sustainability
Challenges for Geographical Indications and the Internet Domain Name System

Review here the full program and the list of speakers. You can register here.

A virtual exhibition will also be launched on 6 September 2021. It will provide an overview of geographical indications (GI) and examples of products protected by GI from around the world. The exhibition will be available for six months.

Find here more information about the Symposium.

Image by Couleur from Pixabay.

Paraguay – Expide el primer certificado de registro de una Denominación de Origen

Gilberto Macias (@gmaciasb) March 29, 2021 No comments:

Recientemente la Dirección Nacional de Propiedad Intelectual (DINAPI) , expidió el primer certificado de registro para una denominación de origen al Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne.

El Champagne es la primera solicitud que concluye todo el proceso de reconocimiento preliminar y registro establecido en la Ley 4923/2013 reglamentada en el año 2019 a través del Decreto del P.E. N° 1286

Paraguay cuenta con una legislación específica en la materia desde el año 2013, para presentación de solicitudes de reconocimiento preliminar y posterior registro de indicaciones geográficas y denominaciones de origen y, desde su reglamentación en el mes de febrero del año 2019, la DINAPI ha impulsado campañas de promoción y difusión de esta herramienta de PI.

Actualmente, el Comité de Champagne reúne a alrededor de 16000 vignerons (viticultores) y 320 maisons (casas) de la región de Champagne – Francia.

Paraguay se suma así a la lista de 122 países, incluyendo la mayoría de los países de América Latina, China, India, etc., que ya protegen el nombre Champagne, una de las denominaciones más notorias y antiguas del mundo.

Mas información aquí y aquí.