EC nod for GIs of Darjeeling tea soon
India expects to get GI characteristics of a commodity peculiar to a specific growing region of the famous Darjeeling tea registered with the European Commission in the next two months.
By PTI |
NEW DELHI: After waiting for one-and-a-half years, India expects to get geographical indications (GIs) characteristics of a commodity peculiar to a specific growing region of the famous Darjeeling tea registered with the European Commission in the next two months.
The Tea Board also hopes to wrap up registration of traders of the Darjeeling tea in the UK and Germany where it is already protected under GI norms by April 2009. GI identifies a product as originating from a region or locality in a territory where a given quality, fame and other characteristics of the product are essentially attributable to its geographical origin. ���We have provided the online registration facility for traders both from the UK and Germany. By April, the process may be over,��� Tea Board chairman Basudeb Banerjee said.
���We had also approached the commission in November 2007 to approve the GIs of Darjeeling tea so that other European countries get to recognise them. I am optimistic of getting the permission in the next two months,��� he added.
However, the board���s primary focus is on the registration of traders in the UK and Germany as both of them among European countries are the major importers of Darjeeling tea, Mr Banerjee added.
A senior official of the Darjeeling Tea Association said once the commission approves the registration of the GIs of this tea, all countries under the European Union will need to recognise them.
���In the UK and Germany, where the GIs have already been accepted, all buyers willing to trade in Darjeeling Tea are needed to register with the Tea Board of India,��� Mr Banerjee added. The board has taken up the issue of the implementation of norms under the protected GI regime with the British authorities through its office in London.
The tea is also processed and manufactured in a factory located in the defined geographical area, he added. The Kolkata-based board administers tea produced in all the growing areas in the country including Darjeeling under the Tea Act 1953.
The Tea Board also hopes to wrap up registration of traders of the Darjeeling tea in the UK and Germany where it is already protected under GI norms by April 2009. GI identifies a product as originating from a region or locality in a territory where a given quality, fame and other characteristics of the product are essentially attributable to its geographical origin. ���We have provided the online registration facility for traders both from the UK and Germany. By April, the process may be over,��� Tea Board chairman Basudeb Banerjee said.
���We had also approached the commission in November 2007 to approve the GIs of Darjeeling tea so that other European countries get to recognise them. I am optimistic of getting the permission in the next two months,��� he added.
However, the board���s primary focus is on the registration of traders in the UK and Germany as both of them among European countries are the major importers of Darjeeling tea, Mr Banerjee added.
A senior official of the Darjeeling Tea Association said once the commission approves the registration of the GIs of this tea, all countries under the European Union will need to recognise them.
���In the UK and Germany, where the GIs have already been accepted, all buyers willing to trade in Darjeeling Tea are needed to register with the Tea Board of India,��� Mr Banerjee added. The board has taken up the issue of the implementation of norms under the protected GI regime with the British authorities through its office in London.
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In India, all exporters of Darjeeling Tea and all of 87 producers have been registered with the board, he said. Another official of the Darjeeling Tea Association said the tea grown and produced in the defined area of Darjeeling district in West Bengal can only be called Darjeeling tea and it cannot be grown and manufactured anywhere else in the world. The tea is also processed and manufactured in a factory located in the defined geographical area, he added. The Kolkata-based board administers tea produced in all the growing areas in the country including Darjeeling under the Tea Act 1953.
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