DECISION No 1/2022 OF THE EU-CENTRAL AMERICA ASSOCIATION COUNCIL

of 23 June 2022

on the amendment to Annex XVIII (‘Protected Geographical Indications’) to the Agreement establishing the Association between the European Union and its Member States, on the one hand, and Central America, on the other [2022/1411]

THE EU-CENTRAL AMERICA ASSOCIATION COUNCIL,

Having regard to the Agreement establishing the Association between the European Union and its Member States, on the one hand, and Central America, on the other hand, and in particular Article 247 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) The Agreement establishing the Association between the European Union and its Member States, on the one hand, and Central America, on the other hand (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Agreement’) (1) has been provisionally applied since 1 August 2013 in respect of Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, since 1 October 2013 in respect of Costa Rica and El Salvador, and since 1 December 2013 in respect of Guatemala.

(2) Article 247 of the Agreement provides for the possibility to add new geographical indications to Annex XVIII (‘Protected Geographical Indications’) to the Agreement after having completed the objection procedure and after having been successfully examined by the competent national or regional authorities in accordance with the relevant rules and procedures for the Association Council.

(3) On 2 July 2020, Costa Rica submitted to the Union its request to add one new geographical indication to Annex XVIII (Protected Geographical Indications) to the Agreement pursuant to Article 247 of the Agreement. The Union has completed the examination and the objection procedure, published on 6 December 2021 (2), of Costa Rica’s new geographical indication.

(4) On 7 June 2021, El Salvador submitted to the Union its request to add ten new geographical indications to Annex XVIII (Protected Geographical Indications) to the Agreement pursuant to Article 247 of the Agreement. The Union has completed the examination and the objection procedure, published on 28 December 2021 (3), of El Salvador’s new geographical indications.

(5) On 13 June 2022, pursuant to Article 274(2) of the Agreement, the Sub-Committee on Intellectual Property, in a joint meeting between the EU and Central America parties, concluded, following prior assessment of the information provided in relation to the new geographical indications of Costa Rica and El Salvador, to recommend to the Association Council to modify Annex XVIII to the Agreement accordingly.

(6) The Association Council has the power to take the decision by mutual agreement in accordance with article 11 of its Rules of Procedure.

(7) Annex XVIII to the Agreement should therefore be modified as outlined in this decision,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1 The entries in the Annex to this Decision are added to the table in Part B of Annex XVIII ‘Protected Geographical Indications’ of the Agreement, as established by Decision No 5/2014 of the EU-Central America Association Council (4).

Article 2 This Decision, done in duplicate, shall be signed by representatives of the EU-Central America Association Council who are authorized to act on behalf of the Parties for purposes of modifying the Agreement. This Decision shall be effective from the date of the later of these signatures. This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.

Done at Brussels, 23 June 2022.

(1) OJ L 346, 15.12.2012, p. 3.

(2) INFORMATION NOTICE – PUBLIC CONSULTATION Geographical Indications from Costa Rica to be protected as Geographical Indications in the European Union, OJ C 489, 6.12.2021, p. 10.

(3) INFORMATION NOTICE – PUBLIC CONSULTATION Geographical Indications from El Salvador to be protected as Geographical Indications in the European Union, OJ C 522, 28.12.2021, p. 20 and Corrigendum to INFORMATION NOTICE – PUBLIC CONSULTATION – Geographical Indications from El Salvador to be protected as Geographical Indications in the European Union, OJ C 30, 20.1.2022, p. 2.

(4) Decision No 5/2014 of the EU-Central America Association Council of 7 November 2014 on the geographical indications to be included in Annex XVIII of the Agreement, OJ L 196, 24.7.2015, p. 59.