Information Notice – Public consultation Geographical indications from Japan 2023/C 86/13
Date: 2023-03-08
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Japan, agricultural product, alcoholic beverage, consumer information, cooperation agreement (EU), designation of origin, meat, processed food product, public consultation, vegetable oil








C_2023086EN.01002601.xml










8.3.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 86/26






INFORMATION NOTICE – PUBLIC CONSULTATION
Geographical indications from Japan
(2023/C 86/13)
Pursuant to Article 14.30 of the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, the Japanese authorities have presented a list of additional geographical indications to be protected under the Agreement. The European Commission is currently considering whether these geographical indications shall be protected under the Agreement.
The Commission invites any Member State or third country or any natural or legal person having a legitimate interest, resident or established in a Member State or in a third country, to submit oppositions to such protection by lodging a duly substantiated statement.
Statements of opposition must reach the Commission within two months of the date of this publication. Statements of opposition should be sent to the following e-mail address: AGRI-G3@ec.europa.eu
Statements of opposition shall be examined only if they are received within the time limit set out above and if they show that:






(a)


the protection of the name proposed would conflict with the name of a plant variety or an animal breed and as a result is likely to mislead the consumer as to the true origin of the product;










(b)


the name proposed would be wholly or partially homonymous






a.


with that of a name already protected in the Union






i.


under Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (1),










ii.


under Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products (2),










iii.


under Regulation (EU) 2019/787 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the definition, description, presentation, labelling of spirit drinks, the use of names of spirit drinks in the presentation and labelling of other foodstuffs, the protection of geographical indications of spirit drinks and the use of ethyl alcohol distillates of agricultural origin in alcoholic beverages (3),














b.


or with one of the geographical indications from non-EU countries protected in the EU under bilateral agreements available at the following address: https://www.tmdn.org/giview/














(c)


in the light of a trademark’s reputation and renown and the length of time it has been used, the protection of the name proposed would be liable to mislead the consumer as to the true identity of the product;










(d)


the protection of the name proposed would jeopardise






a.


the existence of an entirely or partly identical name,










b.


the existence of a trademark,










c.


or the existence of products which have been legally on the market for at least five years preceding the date of the publication of this notice;














(e)


or if they can give details from which it can be concluded that the name for which protection is considered is generic.




The criteria referred to above shall be evaluated in relation to the territory of the Union, which in the case of intellectual property rights refers only to the territory or territories where the said rights are protected. The possible protection of these names in the European Union is subject to the successful conclusion of the discussions led under Article 14.30 of the Agreement and subsequent legal act.

List of Geographical Indications (4)









No


Protected name in Japan


Transcription into Latin alphabet
(for information purposes)


Category of products and short description
[in square brackets, for information purposes]




1


大口れんこん / Okuchi Renkon


Okuchi Renkon


Agricultural product [lotus root]




2


氷見稲積梅 / Himi Inazumiume


Himi Inazumiume


Agricultural product [ume (Japanese apricot)]




3


種子島安納いも / Tanegashima Annou sweetpotato / Tanegashima Annou Imo


Tanegashima Annou Imo


Agricultural product [sweet potato]




4


飛騨牛 / Hidagyu / Hida Beef


Hida Gyu


Fresh meat [beef]




5


伊達のあんぽ柿 / Date no Anpo Gaki / Date no Anpo Kaki


Date no Anpo Gaki / Date no Anpo Kaki


Processed agricultural product [dried Japanese persimmon]




6


サヌキ白みそ / Sanuki Shiro Miso


Sanuki Shiro Miso


Seasonings and soups [miso paste]




7


たむらのエゴマ油 / Tamura no Egoma oil / Tamura no Egoma Abura


Tamura no Egoma Abura


Oils and fats [perilla oil]




8


佐賀


Saga


Seishu (Sake)




9


大阪


Osaka


Wine




10


長野


Nagano


Wine




11


長野


Nagano


Seishu (Sake)




12


山形


Yamagata


Wine




13


新潟


Niigata


Seishu (Sake)




14


滋賀


Shiga


Seishu (Sake)






(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.

(2)  OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 671.

(3)  OJ L 130, 17.5.2019, p. 1.

(4)  List of GIs registered in Japan provided by the Japanese authorities in the framework of the on-going discussions according to Article 14.30 of the Agreement.