WTO panel speeds up talks on GIs
The issue of framing multilateral rules on protection of geographic indications at the Trips Council of the WTO is gathering steam.
By Amiti Sen, TNN |
NEW DELHI: The issue of framing multilateral rules on protection of geographic indications at the Trips Council of the WTO is gathering steam. These indications, known as GIs, identify a product as originating from a particular place with which its reputation gets associated. While the EU is pushing for stringent rules to prevent misuse of GIs and unfair competition for wines and spirits (currently recognised as GIs) by the WTO, other countries like the US and Japan are opposing it.
India, which has an interest in GIs to protect products such as Darjeeling tea and Kanjeevaram sarees, has taken the middle path in the negotiations. It has said that while it could support a purely factual report on a GI registry by the Trips council, there should be no mention of options.
According to sources, Trips Council chairperson Manzoor Ahmad told members that he was preparing a factual report on the GI negotiations for the forthcoming meetings on the ongoing Doha Round, which would primarily focus on liberalising markets for agriculture and industrial goods.
He said his paper will be a summary of positions in the negotiations, which currently focus on setting up a multilateral register for place names used to describe the origin and particular characteristics of wines and spirits.
The EU wants registered terms not only to be presumed protectable in all WTO members, but also open to challenge. It said the option of ���voluntary��� participation should apply to the freedom to choose whether to submit terms to the register.
The opponents, which include the US, New Zealand and Japan, said that they prefer the register to act as a database that countries can choose to consult when deciding whether a term is eligible to be protected within their territories. They said that the EU���s proposal should not even find mention in the chairperson���s text.
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India, on the other hand, took a less offensive position. India is part of the friends of GI group, which wants the WTO to recognise GIs beyond wines & spirits.Download
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