Agreement between the European Community and the United Mexican States on the mutual recognition and protection of designations for spirit drinks
Date: 1997-05-27
Institutions: European Community, Mexico
Subjects: Mexico, designation of origin, labelling, marketing standard, mutual recognition principle, product designation, spirits, trade agreement (EU)








L_1997152EN.01001601.xml










11.6.1997   


EN


Official Journal of the European Communities


L 152/16





AGREEMENT
between the European Community and the United Mexican States on the mutual recognition and protection of designations for spirit drinks
THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY, hereinafter called ‘the Community’,
of the one part, and
THE UNITED MEXICAN STATES,
of the other part,
hereinafter called ‘the Contracting Parties’,
DESIROUS of improving the conditions for the marketing of spirit drinks on their respective markets, in accordance with the principles of equality, mutual benefit and reciprocity,
HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:
Article 1
The Contracting Parties agree, on the basis of non-discrimination and reciprocity, to facilitate and promote trade between them in spirit drinks.
Article 2
This Agreement shall apply to products falling within code 2208 of the International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System.
For the purposes of this Agreement:






(a)


‘spirit drink originating in’ shall mean, when followed by the name of one of the Contracting Parties, a spirit drink listed in the Annex and made on the territory of that Contracting Party;










(b)


‘description’ shall mean the names used on the labelling, on the documents accompanying the transport of the spirit drinks, on the commercial documents, particularly the invoices and delivery notices, and in advertising;










(c)


‘labelling’ shall mean all the descriptions and other references, signs, designs or trade marks which distinguish the spirit drinks and which appear on the same container, including the sealing device or the tag attached to the container and the sheathing covering the neck of the bottles;










(d)


‘presentation’ shall mean the names used on the containers, including the closure, on the labelling and on the packaging;










(e)


‘packaging’ shall mean the protective wrappings such as papers, straw envelopes of all kinds, cartons and cases, used in the transport of one or more containers.




Article 3
The following designations are protected:






(a)


as regards spirit drinks originating in the Community, the designations listed in Annex I;










(b)


as regards spirit drinks originating in the United Mexican States, the designations listed in Annex II.




Article 4
1.   In the United Mexican States, the protected Community names:






—


may not be used otherwise than under the conditions laid down in the laws and regulations of the Community, and










—


are reserved exclusively to the spirits originating in the Community to which they apply.




2.   In the Community, the protected Mexican names:






—


may not be used otherwise than under the conditions laid down in the laws and regulations of the United Mexican States, and










—


are reserved exclusively to the spirits originating in the United Mexican States to which they apply.




3.   Without prejudice to Articles 22 and 23 of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights set out in Annex 1 C of the Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization, the Contracting Parties shall take all the necessary measures, in accordance with this Agreement, to ensure reciprocal protection of the designations referred to in Article 3 and used to refer to spirit drinks originating in the territory of the Contracting Parties. Each Contracting Party shall provide the interested parties with the legal means of preventing the uses of a designation to designate spirit drinks not originating in the place indicated by the designation in question or in the place where the designation in question is traditionally used.
4.   The Contracting Parties will not deny the protection provided for by this Article in the circumstances specified in paragraphs 4, 5, 6 and 7 of Article 24 of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights.
Article 5
The protection afforded by Article 4 shall also apply even where the true origin of the spirit drink is indicated or the designation is used in translation or accompanied by terms such as ‘kind’, ‘type’> ‘style’, ‘way’, ‘imitation’, ‘method’ or other analogous expressions, including graphic symbols which may lead to confusion.
Article 6
In the case of homonymous designations for spirit drinks, protection shall be accorded to each designation. The Contracting Parties will lay down the practical conditions under which the homonymous designations in question will be differentiated, taking into account the need to treat the producers concerned fairly and to avoid misleading the consumer.
Article 7
The provisions of this Agreement shall in no way prejudice the right of any person to use, in the course of trade, their name or the name of their predecessor in a business, provided that such name is not used in such a manner as to mislead consumers.
Article 8
Nothing in this Agreement shall oblige a Contracting Party to protect a designation of the other Contracting Party which is not protected or ceases to be protected in its country of origin or which has fallen into disuse in that country.
Article 9
The Contracting Parties shall take all measures necessary to ensure that, in cases where spirit drinks originating in the Contracting Parties are exported and marketed outside their territory, the protected names of one Contracting Party referred to in this Agreement are not used to designate and present spirit drinks originating in the other Contracting Party.
Article 10
To the extent that the relevant legislation of the Contracting Parties allows, the benefit of the protection given by this Agreement shall be extended to natural and legal persons and to federations, associations and organizations of producers, traders or consumers whose headquarters are in the other Contracting Party.
Article 11
If the description or presentation of a spririt drink, particularly on the label or in the official or commercial documents or in advertising, is in breach of this Agreement, the Contracting Parties shall apply administrative measures or initiate legal proceedings as appropriate in order to combat unfair competition or prevent any other form of wrongful use of the protected name.
Article 12
This Agreement shall apply, on the one hand, to the territories in which the Treaty establishing the European Community is applied and under the conditions laid down in that Treaty and, on the other hand, to the territory of the United Mexican States.
Article 13
This Agreement shall not apply to spirit drinks:






(a)


which are in transit through the territory of one of the Contracting Parties; or










(b)


which originate in the territory of one of the Contracting Parties and are consigned in small quantities between them.




The following shall be considered to be small quantities:






(a)


quantities of spirit drinks not exceeding 10 litres per traveller contained in traveller's personal baggage;










(b)


quantities of spirit drinks not exceeding 10 litres forming part of consignments from one individual to another,










(c)


spirit drinks forming part of the household effects of individuals moving house;










(d)


up to one hectolitre of spirit drinks imported for conducting scientific and technical experiments;










(e)


spirit drinks imported as part of the duty-free allowances of diplomatic missions, consular posts and assimilated bodies;










(f)


spirit drinks which form part of the supplies carried on board international means of transport.




Article 14
1.   The Contracting Parties shall each designate the bodies to be responsible for the enforcement of this Agreement.
2.   The Contracting Parties shall inform one another of the names and addresses of the said bodies not later than two months after this Agreement comes into force. There shall be close and direct cooperation between the said bodies.
Article 15
1.   If one of the bodies referred to in Article 14 has reason to suspect that:






(a)


a spirit drink as defined in Article 2, being or having been traded between the United Mexican States and the Community, does not comply with this Agreement or Community or Mexican legislation applicable to spirit drinks; and










(b)


this non-compliance is of particular interest to the other Contracting Party and could result in administrative measures or legal proceedings being taken,




that body shall immediately inform the Commission and the relevant body or bodies of the other Contracting Party.
2.   The information to be provided in accordance with paragraph 1 shall be accompanied by official, commercial or other appropriate documents, as well as an indication of what administrative measures or legal proceedings may, if necessary, be taken. The information shall include, in particular, the following details of the spirit drink concerned:






(a)


the producer and the person who stocks the spirit drink;










(b)


the composition of that drink;










(c)


the description and presentation; and










(d)


details of the non-compliance with the rules concerning production and marketing.




Article 16
1.   The Contracting Parties shall enter into consultations if one of them considers that the other has failed to fulfil an obligation under this Agreement.
2.   The Contracting Party which requests the consultations shall provide the other Party with the information necessary for a detailed examination of the case in question.
3.   In cases where any delay could endanger human health or impair the effectiveness of measures to control fraud, interim protective measures may be taken, without prior consultation, provided that consultations are held immediately after the taking of these measures.
4.   If, following the consultations provided for in paragraphs 1 and 3, the Contracting Parties have not reached agreement, the Party which requested the consultations or took the measures referred to in paragraph 3 may take appropriate protective measures so as to permit the proper application of this Agreement.
Article 17
A Joint Committee shall be established, consisting of representatives of the Community and of the United Mexican States. It shall meet at the request of one of the Contracting Parties and in accordance with the requirements for implementing the Agreement alternately in the Community and the United Mexican States.
The Joint Committee shall ensure the proper functioning of this Agreement and shall examine all questions which may arise in implementing it. In particular, the Joint Committee may make recommendations which would contribute to the attainment of the objectives of this Agreement.
Article 18
1.   The Contracting Parties may by mutual consent amend this Agreement in order to enhance the level of cooperation in the spirit drinks sector.
2.   Where the legislation of one of the Contracting Parties is amended to protect designations other than those listed in the Annexes to this Agreement, these designations shall be included, within a reasonable length of time, following conclusion of the consultations.
Article 19
1.   Spirit drinks which, at the time of entry into force of this Agreement, have been legally produced, designated and presented, but which are prohibited by this Agreement, may be marketed by wholesalers for a period of one year from the entry into force of the Agreement and by retailers until stocks are exhausted. From the entry into force of this Agreement spirit drinks included therein may no longer be produced outside the limits of their regions of origin.
2.   Spirit drinks produced, designated and presented in accordance with this Agreement when they are marketed but whose description and presentation ceases to conform to this Agreement following an amendment thereto may be marketed until stocks are exhausted unless otherwise agreed by the Contracting Parties.
Article 20
The Annexes to this Agreement shall form an integral part thereof.
Article 21
This Agreement is drawn up in duplicate in the Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish languages, all these languages being equally authentic.
Article 22
This Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the second month after the date on which the Contracting Parties have notified each other in writing that their respective requirements for the entry into force of this Agreement have been complied with.
Either Contracting Party may terminate the Agreement by giving one year's written notice to the other Contracting Party.

Hecho en Bruselas, el veintisiete de mayo de mil novecientos noventa y siete.
Udfærdiget i Bruxelles den syvogtyvende maj nitten hundrede og syvoghalvfems.
Geschehen zu Brüssel am siebenundzwanzigsten Mai neunzehnhundertsiebenundneunzig.
'Έγινε στις Βρυξέλλες, στις είκοσι εφτά Μαΐου χίλια εννιακόσια ενενήντα επτά.
Done at Brussels on the twenty-seventh day of May in the year one thousand nine hundred and ninety-seven.
Fait à Bruxelles, le vingt-sept mai mil neuf cent quatre-vingt-dix-sept.
Fatto a Bruxelles, addì ventisette maggio millenovecentonovantasette.
Gedaan te Brussel, de zevenentwintigste mei negentienhonderd zevenennegentig.
Feito em Bruxelas, em vinte e sete de Maio de mil novecentos e noventa e sete.
Tehty Brysselissä kahdentenakymmenentenäseitsemäntenä päivänä toukokuuta vuonna tuhatyhdeksänsataayhdeksänkymmentäseitsemän.
Som skedde i Bryssel den tjugosjunde maj nittonhundranittiosju.

Por la Comunidad Europea
For Det Europæiske Fællesskab
Für die Europäische Gemeinschaft
Για την Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινότητα
For the European Community
Pour la Communauté européenne
Per la Comunità europea
Voor de Europese Gemeenschap
Pela Comunidade Europeia
Euroopan yhteisön puolesta
På Europeiska gemenskapens vägnar





Por el Gobierno de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos







ANNEX I












1.


Rum






Rhum de la Martinique
Rhum de la Guadeloupe
Rhum de la Réunion
Rhum de la Guyane
(These designations may be supplemented by the indication ‘traditional’)
Ron de Málaga
Ron de Granada
Rum da Madeira










2. (a)


Whisky






Scotch Whisky
Irish Whisky
Whisky español
(These designations may be supplemented by the indication ‘malt’ or ‘grain’)










(b)


Whiskey






Irish Whiskey
Uisce Beatha Eireannach/Irish Whiskey
(These designations may be supplemented by the indication ‘Pot Still’)










3.


Grain spirit






Eau-de-vie de seigle de marque nationale luxembourgeoise
Korn
Kornbrand










4.


Wine spirit






Eau-de-vie de Cognac
Eau-de-vie des Charentes
Cognac
(This designation may be supplemented by the following indications:






—


Fine










—


Grande Fine Champagne










—


Grande Champagne










—


Petite Fine Champagne










—


Fine Champagne










—


Borderies










—


Fins Bois










—


Bons Bois.)




Fine Bordeaux
Armagnac
Bas-Armagnac
Haut-Armagnac
Ténarèse
Eau-de-vie de vin de la Marne
Eau-de-vie de vin originaire d'Aquitaine
Eau-de-vie de vin de Bourgogne
Eau-de-vie de vin originaire du Centre-Est
Eau-de-vie de vin originaire de Franche-Comté
Eau-de-vie de vin originaire du Bugey
Eau-de-vie de vin de Savoie
Eau-de-vie de vin originaire des Coteaux de la Loire
Eau-de-vie de vin des Côtes-du-Rhône
Eau-de-vie de vin originaire de Provence
Faugères or Eau-de-vie de Faugères
Eau-de-vie de vin originaire du Languedoc
Aguardente do Minho
Aguardente do Douro
Aguardente da Beira Interior
Aguardente da Bairrada
Aguardente do Oeste
Aguardente do Ribatejo
Aguardente do Alentejo
Aguardente do Algarve










5.


Brandy






Brandy de Jerez
Brandy del Penedés
Brandy italiano
Brandy Αττικής/Attica Brandy
Brandy Πελοποννήσου/Peloponnese Brandy
Brandy Κεντρικής Ελλάδας/Brandy from central Greece
Deutscher Weinbrand
Wachauer Weinbrand, Weinbrand Dürnstein










6.


Grape marc spirit






Eau-de-vie de marc de Champagne or Marc de Champagne
Eau-de-vie de marc originaire d'Aquitaine
Eau-de-vie de marc de Bourgogne
Eau-de-vie de marc originaire du Centre-Est
Eau-de-vie de marc originaire de Franche-Comté
Eau-de-vie de marc originaire du Bugey
Eau-de-vie de marc originaire de Savoie
Marc de Bourgogne
Marc de Savoie
Marc d'Auvergne
Eau-de-vie de marc originaire des Coteaux de la Loire
Eau-de-vie de marc des Côtes du Rhône
Eau-de-vie de marc originaire de Provence
Eau-de-vie de marc originaire du Languedoc
Marc d'Alsace Gewürztraminer
Marc de Lorraine
Bagaceira do Minho
Bagaceira do Douro
Bagaceira da Beira Interior
Bagaceira da Bairrada
Bagaceira do Oeste
Bagaceira do Ribatejo
Bagaceira do Alentejo
Bagaceira do Algarve
Orujo gallego
Grappa
Grappa di Barolo
Grappa piemontese or del Piemonte
Grappa lombarda or di Lombardia
Grappa trentina or del Trentino
Grappa friulana or del Friuli
Grappa veneta or del Veneto
Südtiroler Grappa/Grappa dell'Alto Adige
Τσικουδιά Κρήτης/Tsikoudia from Crete
Τσίπουρο Μακεδονίας/Tsipouro from Macedonia
Τσίπουρο Θεσσαλίας/Tsipouro from Thessaly
Τσίπουρο Τυρνάβου/Tsipouro from Tyrnavos
Eau-de-vie de marc de marque nationale luxembourgeoise










7.


Fruit spirit






Schwarzwälder Kirschwasser
Schwarzwälder Himbeergeist
Schwarzwälder Mirabellenwasser
Schwarzwälder Williamsbirne
Schwarzwälder Zwetschgenwasser
Fränkisches Zwetschgenwasser
Fränkisches Kirschwasser
Fränkischer Obstler
Mirabelle de Lorraine
Kirsch d'Alsace
Quetsch d'Alsace
Framboise d'Alsace
Mirabelle d'Alsace
Kirsch de Fougerolles
Südtiroler Williams/Williams dell'Alto Adige
Südtiroler Aprikot or Südtiroler
Marille/Aprikot dell'Alto Adige or Marille dell'Alto Adige
Südtiroler Kirsch/Kirsch dell'Alto Adige
Südtiroler Zwetschgeler/Zwetschgeler dell'Alto Adige
Südtiroler Obstler/Obstler dell'Alto Adige
Südtiroler Gravensteiner/Gravensteiner dell'Alto Adige
Südtiroler Golden Delicious/Golden Delicious dell'Alto Adige
Williams friulano or del Friuli
Sliwovitz del Veneto
Sliwovitz del Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Sliwovitz del Trentino-Alto Adige
Distillato di mele trentino or del Trentino
Williams trentino or del Trentino
Sliwovitz trentino or del Trentino
Aprikot trentino or del Trentino
Medronheira do Algarve
Medronheira do Buçaco
Kirsch or Kirschwasser friulano
Kirsch or Kirschwasser trentino
Kirsch or Kirschwasser veneto
Aguardente de pêra da Lousã
Eau-de-vie de pommes de marque nationale luxembourgeoise
Eau-de-vie de poires de marque nationale luxembourgeoise
Eau-de-vie de kirsch de marque nationale luxembourgeoise
Eau-de-vie de quetsch de marque nationale luxembourgeoise
Eau-de-vie de mirabelle de marque nationale luxembourgeoise
Eau-de-vie de prunelles de marque nationale luxembourgeoise
Wachauer Marillenbrand










8.


Cider spirit and perry spirit






Calvados du Pays d'Auge
Calvados
Eau-de-vie de cidre de Bretagne
Eau-de-vie de poiré de Bretagne
Eau-de-vie de cidre de Normandie
Eau-de-vie de poiré de Normandie
Eau-de-vie de cidre du Maine
Aguardiente de sidra de Asturias
Eau-de-vie de poiré du Maine










9.


Gentian spirit






Bayerischer Gebirgsenzian
Südtiroler Enzian/Genzians dell'Alto Adige
Genziana trentina or del Trentino










10.


Fruit spirit drinks






Pacharán
Pacharán navarro










11.


Juniper-flavoured spirit drinks






Ostfriesischer Korngenever
Genièvre Flandres Artois
Hasseltse jenever
Balegemse jenever
Péket de Wallonie
Steinhäger
Plymouth Gin
Gin de Mahón










12.


Caraway-flavoured spirit drinks






Dansk Akvavit/Dansk Aquavit
Svensk Aquavit/Svensk Akvavit/Swedish Aquavit










13.


Aniseed-flavoured spirit drinks






Anís español
Évoca anisada
Cazalla
Chinchón
Ojén
Rute
Ouzo/Ïýæï










14.


Liqueur






Berliner Kümmel
Hamburger Kümmel
Münchener Kümmel
Chiemseer Klosterlikör
Bayerischer Kräuterlikör
Cassis de Dijon
Cassis de Beaufort
Irish Cream
Palo de Mallorca
Ginjinha portuguesa
Licor de Singeverga
Benediktbeurer Klosterlikör
Ettaler Klosterlikör
Ratafia de Champagne
Ratafia catalana
Anis português
Finnish berry/fruit liqueur
Großglockner Alpenbitter
Mariazeller Magenlikör
Mariazeller Jagasaftl
Puchheimer Bitter
Puchheimer Schloßgeist
Steinfelder Magenbitter
Wachauer Marillenlikör
Jägertee, Jagertee, Jagatee










15.


Spirit drinks






Pommeau de Bretagne
Pommeau du Maine
Pommeau de Normandie
Svensk Punsch/Swedish Punch










16.


Vodka






Svensk Vodka/Swedish Vodka
Suomalainen Votka/Finsk Vodka/Vodka of Finland







ANNEX II







Agave spirit drink


TEQUILA:


Protected, made and classified in accordance with the laws and regulations of the United Mexican States




Agave spirit drink


MEZCAL:


Protected, made and classified in accordance with the laws and regulations of the United Mexican States