Geographical Indications: reputation and quality as a consequence of geographical origin
Products with a specific geographical origin and a reputation, quality or characteristic essentially attributable to that geographical origin are protectable with a geographical indication (GI).
GIs are intellectual property rights that protect agricultural products and foodstuffs, spirits (and wines in particular) against misuse or imitation, in order to preserve and guarantee the origin of the product to consumers.
European and national rules confer a high level of protection to Gis to ensure that all producers in a given geographical area have collective rights over the product as long as certain requirements are met.
The protection granted by GIs is intended to assure consumers that the product in question is indeed made in a given region and that knowledge and skills rooted in the region have been used in its production.
The EU has concluded more than 30 international agreements allowing the recognition of many EU geographical indications outside the EU and the recognition of non-EU geographical indications in the EU. Geographical indications play an increasingly important role in trade negotiations between the EU and other countries. The EU Commission also spends some 50 million euros each vear to promote quality products in the EU and around the world.
The right to use a protected GI belongs to the producers in the defined geographical area which comply with the specific production conditions of the product.
GIs are registered rights, which means that they must be registered in order to receive the correspondina protection under EU and national legislation.
In the EU, registrations of geographical indications are not subject to a specific period of validity. This means that the protection of a registered geographical indication will remain valid unless the registration is cancelled.
Economic impact of Geographical Indications in the EU
According to the EU Commission’s latest published study on the subject, agricultural products, foodstuffs and beverages whose names are protected as Gls represented a sales value of 75 billion euros in 2020. One fifth of this amount is accounted for by exports to third countries. The study also shows that the value of sales of a product with a protected name is, on average, double that of similar products without certification.
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%
Wine
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Agricultural and food products
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Spirits
Differences between Geographical Indications and Trademarks
GIs are distinctive signs, like, for example, trademarks and trade names. However, contrary to trademarks, which identify goods and services originating from a particular person or company, GIs identify a product as originating from a particular place. At the same time, while a trademark usually consists of a fanciful or arbitrary sign, geographical indications usually consist of the name of a geographical area and are therefore descriptive by nature.
A trademark can be assigned or licensed for use while a GI can only be used by persons producing the protected products in accordance with specific rules and in view of their link to the place of origin. This means that a GI cannot be transferred or licensed for use to persons outside the geographical area or not belonging to an authorized producer.
Enhanced protection of Geographical Indications
GIs are enforceable before national courts in the EU. Related laws, both at the EU and national levels seek to defend them against direct or indirect use, particularly when the use consists of a sign that is identical and/or similar to the registered GI and exploits its reputation.
GIs are also protected against “evocation”, which means that it is not necessary for an unauthorized third party to directly or indirectly use the protected name itself, but it is sufficient that the GI is evoked in such a way that the consumer establishes a sufficient link of proximity to the name.
Diferencias entre Indicaciones Geográficas y Marcas
Las IG son signos distintivos, como, por ejemplo, las marcas y los nombres comerciales. Sin embargo, a diferencia de las marcas, que identifican productos y servicios procedentes de una persona o empresa determinada, las IG identifican un producto como originario de un lugar concreto. Al mismo tiempo, mientras que una marca comercial suele consistir en un signo de fantasía o arbitrario, las indicaciones geográficas suelen consistir en el nombre de una zona geográfica y, por tanto, son descriptivas por naturaleza.
Una marca puede cederse o ser objeto de licencias de uso, mientras que la IG sólo puede ser utilizada por personas que produzcan los productos protegidos de acuerdo con normas específicas y a la vista de su vínculo con el lugar de origen. Esto significa que una IG no puede ser cedida ni ser objeto de licencias de uso a personas que se encuentren fuera del ámbito geográfico o que no pertenezcan a un productor autorizado.
Protección reforzada de las Indicaciones Geográficas
Las IG pueden hacerse valer ante los tribunales nacionales de la UE. Las leyes relacionadas, tanto a nivel de la UE como nacional, tratan de defenderlas contra el uso directo o indirecto de las mismas, en particular cuando el uso consiste en un signo idéntico y/o similar a la IG registrada y explota su reputación.
Las IG también están protegidas contra la «evocación», lo que significa que no es necesario que un tercero no autorizado utilice directa o indirectamente la propia denominación protegida, sino que basta con que la IG sea evocada de tal manera que el consumidor establezca un vínculo de proximidad suficiente con dicha denominación.
YUNIKA LAW, specialized in Gls
At YUNIKA LAW, we have developed a solid experience in relation to Gls cases before the competent Courts and we provide our clients with tailored and effective advice and representation before the competent agencies and judicial bodies.
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