RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/C/W/54
26February 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-0802)
Original: English Council forTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights
FOLLOW-UP TOTHE REVIEW OFLEGISLATION ONTRADEMARKS,
GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS AND INDUSTRIAL DESIGNS
Questions posed byIndia
Bymeans ofcommunications fromthePermanent Mission ofIndia, dated 17February 1997,
theSecretariat hasreceived follow-up questions posed byIndia tothefollowing WTO Members
concerning thereview ofnational implementing legislation intheareas oftrademarks, geographical
indications andindustrial designs:
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European Communities 2
United States 4IP/C/W/54
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EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Original Question 1andAnswer
1. HowfarisArticle 12oftheCouncil Regulation (EEC) No.2081/92 incompliance withthe
TRIPS Agreement? Please particularly explain how:
(i) theguarantees under Article 4asrequired under Article 12.1 takeintoaccount
geographical indications where thereputation ofthegoodiscritically attributable to
itsgeographical origin?
Inaccordance withArticle 22ofTRIPS, reputation assuchisasufficient element to
obtain theprotection asgeographical indication under Article 2.2(b) ofRegulation (EEC)
No.2081/92.
(ii) having inspection arrangements equivalent toArticle 10canbearequirement fornon-
members oftheEC,when thisisnotarequirement under TRIPS?
Itisimportant tostress that,ingeneral, conditions provided inArticle 12ofRegulation
(EEC) No.2081/92 areonlyrequired when abilateral agreement isconcluded between the
ECandaWTO Member. Thismeans thatitonlyoccurs when twoparties voluntary wish
higher level ofprotection ("exofficio") thanthisprovided under TRIPS. So,thisisnota
compulsory condition butanother option thatcanbeusedwhen systems areequivalent, in
particular conditions under Article 4(specifications) andArticle 10(inspection).
(iii) thereciprocity provision inArticle 12(3rdindent) iscompatible withArticle 3ofthe
TRIPS Agreement, especially forcountries which arestillavailing oftransition periods
under Article 65.2ofthatAgreement?
Seeanswer (ii).
Follow-up Question 1toAnswer toQuestion 1
1. WhilethedefinitionofgeographicalindicationsunderArticle2.2(b)oftheECRegulation2081/92
includesproductsoriginatinginaregion,specificplaceorcountry,andpossessing,interalia,reputation,
Article 4imposes therequirement ofcomplying withaproduct specification which includes aminimum
ofeight specific conditions andageneral condition encompassing anyrequirements laiddown bythe
Community and/or national provisions. Itisnotclearwhyageographical indication based onreputation
alone should havetocomply withsuchspecifications, especially those inArticle 4.2(b) and(e).Should
geographical indications fromthirdcountries based onreputation alone besubject tosuchconditions,
especially when under Article 12itappears thattheregistration willhavetobeprocessed through
thethird country government, which should beasufficient check onthevalidity oftheclaim?
Follow-up Question 2toAnswer toQuestion 1
2. Howwould Article 10oftheECRegulation 2081/92 beapplied tothirdcountries, especially
inregard tojudging the"adequate guarantees ofobjectivity andimpartiality" asrequired under 10.3?
Would itsatisfy theECifthethirdcountry government wastocertify allconditions given inArticle 10?IP/C/W/54
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Further, donottheconditions inArticle 10constitute anunjustifiable discrimination, especially for
thedeveloping countries?
Follow-up Question 3toAnswer toQuestion 1
3. Protection forregistered names isdefined under Article 13ofECRegulation 2081/92. This
protection isanadvantage granted byECtoitsnationals whomeettherequirements ofArticle 4and
Article 10.Insuchacase,doesnotArticle 3ofTRIPS require ECtoaccord treatment nolessfavourable
tothenationals ofother WTO Members?
Follow-up Question 4toAnswer toQuestion 1
4. Similarly when athird country which isaMember ofWTO avails itself oftheadvantage of
registration, doesnotArticle 4ofTRIPS require ECtoaccord thesame advantage immediately and
unconditionally tothenationals ofallother WTO Members?
Original Question 3andAnswer
3. AreECRegulations directly applicable lawinallMember States?
Which aretheexceptions andwhatstepshavethese Member States taken toapply therelevant
ECRegulations?
Regulations (ex.Regulation (EEC) No.2081/92) aredirectly applicable lawinallMember
States; thismeans thatnosupplementary steps (ex.transposition bynational law)arenecessary to
apply Regulations.
Follow-up Question 1toAnswer toQuestion 3
1. Evenwhile ECRegulation 2081/92 isdirectly applicable lawinMember States, Germany has
incorporated thisinitsdomestic law. Under Chapter 1ofPart6oftheGerman Trade Mark Lawof
April 1996, Protection ofIndications ofGeographic Origin isdefined, while under Chapter 2Protection
ofGeographical Indications andDesignation ofOrigin under ECRegulation 2081/92 isincorporated.
Please clarify whether applications inGermany fromthirdcountries whoareWTO Members forthe
protectionofgeographicalindicationswillbeconsideredunderChapter1orChapter2orboth?Further,
ifprotection issought onlyforGermany, istherearequirement toregister thegeographical indication
ornot?IP/C/W/54
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UNITED STATES
Original Question 1andAnswer
1. Does theUSprovide protection ofgeographical indications asrequired under Article 22of
TRIPS onlythrough registration ascollective marks andcertifications marks? Canpassing-off action
beinitiated inUSCourts without registration insuchamanner?
Protection isprovided through Section 43(a) oftheTrademark Actof1946, asamended. It
states:
(a)(1) Anyperson who, onorinconnection withanygoods orservices, oranycontainer
forgoods, usesincommerce anyword term, name, symbol, ordevice, orany
combination thereof, oranyfalsedesignation oforigin, falseormisleading description
offact,orfalseormisleading representation offact,which -
(A) islikely tocause confusion, ortocause mistake, ortodeceive astothe
affiliation, connection, orassociation ofsuchperson withanother person, or
astotheorigin, sponsorship, orapproval ofhisorhergoods, services, or
commercial activities,
...
shallbeliable inacivilaction byanyperson whobelieves thatheorsheislikely tobedamaged
bysuchact.
Notethatregistration ofthegeographic indication isnotrequired toinvoke theprotection offered
bySection 43(a) oftheTrademark Act.
ProtectionisalsoavailableunderthelawsandregulationsadministeredbytheBureauofAlcohol,
Tobacco, andFirearms. Thepertinent lawcovering geographic indications istheFederal Alcohol
Administration Actandimplementing regulations. These regulations include 27CFRParts 4and12
forwine, 27CFR Part5fordistilled spirits, and27CFR Part7formaltbeverages. Under these
regulations, ATFhastheauthority toprevent themisleading useofgeographical indications fordistilled
spirits, wineandmaltbeverages. Thus registration isnotrequired before anaction canbebrought
inFederal Court.
Follow-up Question 1toAnswer toQuestion 1
1. Istheanswer given bytheUSthatregistration isnotrequired before anaction canbebrought
inFederal Court, applicable onlytoalcohol, tobacco andfirearms ordoesitapply toallproducts?
Follow-up Question 2toAnswer toQuestion 1
2. How doestheUSprovide legal means foranyparty toprevent unfair competition within
Article 10bisoftheParis Convention, inparticular inrespect ofanyactofcompetition contrary to
honest practices?IP/C/W/54
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Original Question 2andAnswer
2. Article 24.9ofTRIPS states, interalia,thatthere shallbenoobligation under theAgreement
toprotect geographic indications which arenotprotected intheircountry oforigin. Ifthegeographic
indication isprotected inthecountry oforigin bycourts under apassing-off action, willtheUnited
States allow ittobesimilarly protected initsterritory?
Whether thegeographic indication isprotected initscountry oforigin might beonefactor
which acourt would consider. However, theissues tobeconsidered under Article 43(a) ofthe
Trademark Actiswhether thegeographical termisafalsedesignation oforigin orwhether theterm
causes confusion, mistake orisdeceptive anduseofthetermdamages theinterests ofanother.
Follow-up Question 1toAnswer toQuestion 2
1. Isittobeunderstood fromtheanswer given bytheUSthat,iffalsedesignation oforigin causes
confusion ormistake orcanbeconsidered asdeceptive thenthegeographical indication isprotected
intheUSevenwhen itisprotected onlyunder passing-off action inthecountry oforigin?
Follow-up Question 2toAnswer toQuestion 2
2. Isthere anyprovision intheUSLawwhich requires geographical indications tobeprotected
inthecountry oforigin before remedies canbemade available under Article 43(a) oftheTrade Mark
Actof1946, asamended?