WORLD TRADE IP/C/13
14May1998
ORGANIZATION(98-1926)
Council forTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights
REVIEW UNDER ARTICLE 24.2OFTHE APPLICATION OFTHE PROVISIONS OFTHE
SECTION OFTHE TRIPS AGREEMENT ONGEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS
Checklist ofQuestions
Atitsmeeting of12May1998, theCouncil tooknoteoftheannexed Checklist ofQuestions
andinvited those Members already under anobligation toapply theprovisions oftheSection on
Geographical Indications toprovide theirresponses by16November 1998, itbeing understood that
other Members could alsofurnish replies onavoluntary basis. Thisaction wastaken bytheCouncil
ontheunderstanding thatboththequestionnaire itselfandtheresponses toitwould bewithout prejudice
totherights andobligations ofMembers. Responding Members would befreetogroup theirresponses
toquestions astheyfindappropriate inthecontext oftheirnational systems. Itwasfurther understood
thatshouldMembershaveanyadditionalpointsthattheywouldwishtomakeregardingthequestionnaire
theycould dosoattheJuly1998 meeting oftheCouncil.IP/C/13
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ANNEX
REVIEW UNDER ARTICLE 24.2OFTHE APPLICATION OFTHE PROVISIONS OFTHE
SECTION OFTHE TRIPS AGREEMENT ONGEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS
Checklist ofQuestions
A. GENERAL
1. Isprotection forgeographical indications provided through unfair competition law,e.g.,passing
off,falsedesignation oforigin; through aformal procedure fornotification/registration before protection
isavailable; orthrough both? Does therecognition ofageographical indication require registration?
2. Isthere onesingle regime ofprotection ofgeographical indications forallproducts? Ifnot,
identify thedifferent regimes.
3. Do(es) theregime(s) ofprotection ofgeographical indications alsoextend toservices?
4. What provisions oflaworregulations aredirected totherecognition ofgeographical indications
required byArticles 22.2and23.1oftheTRIPS Agreement? Citations tolawsshould beprovided
and,ifthetextsofthelawshavenotbeennotified totheWTO, copies should beprovided pursuant
toArticle 63.2.
5. Iftherequired recognition ofgeographical indications isnotprovided through statutes or
regulations,pleaseexplain,indetail,themechanismormechanismsthroughwhichtheprotectionrequired
isprovided.
6. Please provide afewexamples ofdomestic geographical indications protected inaccordance
withthemeans discussed above andindicate themeans bywhich suchprotection isprovided.
7. Isthehigher levelofprotection required forwines andspirits under Article 23.2oftheTRIPS
Agreement provided foranyother product? Ifso,please specify suchproducts andthelawunder which
theyareprotected.
B. DEFINITION AND CRITERIA FOR RECOGNITION
8. How aregeographical indications defined?
9. Would suchadefinition comprise geographical indications identifying products ofacertain
quality orreputation which areindirectly linked toaspecific region?
10. Indetermining whether recognition should begiven ageographical indication, whatcriteria
areconsidered?
11. Isthere anyhuman creativity involved inthemaking ofspecific products under protection by
thesystem ofgeographical indications? Ifso,howmuch? Anddothese products involve anyhuman
factors?
12. Arethere anyother intellectual property rights involved, suchaspatents forexample?IP/C/13
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13. What authority, ifany,maydefine thegeographic region orareaforwhich rights areclaimed
andonwhatbasis issuchdefinition made?
14. Does yourlegislation contain criteria forhomonymous geographical indications forwines?
15. Doesyournational legislation provide forrecognition andprotection ofgeographical indications
orappellations oforigin offoreign countries?
16. Isthere anyspecific prohibition inthelegislation/regulations/rules/procedures covering
geographical indications notprotected inthecountry oforigin? Ifso,please specify therelevant statutory
provision.
C. PROCEDURE FOR RECOGNITION
17. Withrespecttoanyformalsystemforrecognitionofgeographicalindications,musttheapplicant
beagovernmental organization orcanaprivate entity owntherights toageographical indication?
18. What arethecompetent authorities where theprotection ofageographical indication canbe
obtained?
19. Dotheprocedureswhichleadtotherecognitionofageographicalindicationtakeplaceexofficio
ormust theybebased ontheinitiative ofanentity orperson?
20. What, ifany,feesareinvolved intheapplication andmaintenance ofrights inageographical
indication?
21. Ifcriteria must besetoutinanapplication forrecognition ofageographical indication, are
those criteria purely geographic innature?
22. What other criteria, ifany,mustbesetoutinanapplication forrecognition ofageographical
indication?
23. What information mustbesupplied inanapplication forrights inageographical indication?
24. Must thegoods orservices withrespect towhich ageographical indication isclaimed beset
out?
25. What mechanisms areprovided tooppose therecognition ofageographical indication? How
isaninvestigation conducted aftersuchacomplaint?
26. Whocanoppose therecognition ofageographical indication?
27. Ifyournational legislation provides forrecognition andprotection ofgeographical indications
orappellations oforigin offoreign countries, whatistheprocedure thathastobefollowed inorder
toobtain suchrecognition andconsequent protection?IP/C/13
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D. MAINTENANCE
28. How longdoesrecognition forageographical indication continue?
29. Ifrecognition ofageographical indication mustberenewed orreaffirmed, whatinformation
mustbeprovided inorder toeffect sucharenewal orreaffirmation? Specify anyfeesinvolved inrenewal
orreaffirmation.
30. Must ageographical indication beusedinorder tomaintain rights? Ifso,howissuchuse
determined?
31. Isthere aspecified limitfornon-use before rights inageographical indication cease and,if
so,whatisthatlimit?
32. Whomonitors theuseofgeographical indications todetermine ifthecriteria identified inthe
application continue tobemet?
33. Ifagovernment entity isresponsible formonitoring theuseofgeographical indications, what
areitsprocedures fordoing so?
34. Aretheremeansbywhichinterestedpartiesmayrequestterminationofageographicalindication
based onnon-use orfailure tomaintain thecriteria identified intheapplication? Describe theprocedure.
35. Dotheprocedures which leadtoforfeiture ofageographical indication takeplace exofficio
ormust theybebased ontheinitiative ofanentity orperson?
E. SCOPE OFRIGHTS AND USE
36. Mayanyone whomeets thecriteria submitted toobtain recognition ofageographical indication
usethatgeographical indication afterrecognition isgiven ormust additional criteria orprocedures
befollowed bythatparty before useispermitted?
37. Whomakes thedetermination regarding useofageographical indication byparticular parties,
theentity responsible fortherecognition ortheentity thatobtained therecognition?
38. Arethere feesinvolved inreceiving authorization touseaparticular geographical indication
and,ifso,whatarethose feesandhowaretheyestablished?
39. Ifthere isadispute regarding useofageographical indication byaparticular party, what
procedures arefollowed toresolve it?
40. Must individual authorized users ofageographical indication usethatgeographical indication
continually toretain theirrighttouseitand,ifso,howistheirusedetermined andhowlongwilldisuse
bepermitted?
41. Ifthere isadispute overcontinuity ofusebyaparticular party, howisitresolved?
42. Does theregime forprotection ofgeographical indications allow geographical indications to
belicensed and,ifso,whatconditions areimposed onsuchlicenses? Ifsuchconditions arenotmet,
whatistheeffect onthegeographical indication?IP/C/13
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43. How is"grandfathered use"ofageographical indication, under Article 24.4oftheTRIPS
Agreement, applied inyourcountry?
F. RELATIONSHIP TOTRADEMARKS
44. What steps aretaken toensure that,inrecognizing ageographical indication, theobligations
ofArticle 16.1oftheTRIPS Agreement arenotnullified andimpaired?
45. What steps aretaken toensure that,inrecognizing ageographical indication, theobligations
ofArticle 16.2and16.3oftheTRIPS Agreement arenotnullified andimpaired?
46. What procedures areforeseen incaseofaconflict ofageographical indication withatrademark?
G. ENFORCEMENT
47. Howarerights inthegeographical indication enforced? Areprovisions available under unfair
competition law? Trademark law? Other laws? Provide citations tothelawsand,iftheyhavenot
beennotified under Article 63.2oftheTRIPS Agreement, please provide copies.
48. Whohastherighttoenforce ageographical indication?
49. What judicial oradministrative bodies havejurisdiction overenforcement actions related to
geographical indications? Arethere feesinvolved and,ifso,whatarethose fees?
50. Must thepublic benotified oftheexistence ofageographical indication and,ifso,howand
howoften?
51. Isunauthorized useofageographical indication subject tocriminal action and,ifso,describe
theprocedures. Ifthelawhasnotbeennotified pursuant toArticle 63.2oftheTRIPS Agreement,
please provide acopy.
H. INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS
52. Isyourgovernment party toaninternational, including bilateral orplurilateral, agreement for
thenotification and/or registration ofgeographical indications? Ifso,please name theinternational
agreement andexplain therelationship between itandyournational legislation.
53. What otherinternational agreements, ifany,havebeenentered into? What dothose agreements
provide?
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