INFORMATION NOTICE – PUBLIC CONSULTATION – Geographical indications from Mauritius
Date: 2026-03-04
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Mauritius, alcoholic beverage, consumer information, cooperation agreement (EU), designation of origin, public consultation, sugar








C_202601379EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2026/1379


4.3.2026






INFORMATION NOTICE – PUBLIC CONSULTATION
Geographical indications from Mauritius
(C/2026/1379)

The European Union and five Eastern and Southern African States (Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and Zimbabwe) are negotiating the deepening of their Economic Partnership Agreement (1). In that context, Mauritius has submitted two geographical indications for protection under the future Agreement. The Commission is currently considering whether these geographical indications should be protected in the Union.
The Commission invites any Member State or third country or any natural or legal persons 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 six weeks of the date of publication of this notice. Statements of opposition should be sent to the following e-mail address: AGRI-G1@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:






1.


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;










2.


the name proposed would be wholly or partially homonymous with that of a name already protected in the Union under Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2), or with one of the geographical indications from non-EU countries protected in the Union under bilateral agreements available at the following address: https://www.tmdn.org/giview/;










3.


in the light of a trade mark’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;










4.


the protection of the name proposed would jeopardise the existence of an entirely or partly identical name, the existence of a trade mark, 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;










5.


from the details they provide, 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 eventual protection of these names in the European Union is subject to the successful conclusion of these negotiations and subsequent legal act.

List of geographical indications from Mauritius to be protected as geographical indications in the European Union








Country of origin


Category of products and short description (for information purposes)


Name protected in the country of origin




Mauritius


Spirits


Mauritius rum / Rhum de Maurice




Mauritius


Sugar


Mauritius unrefined sugar






(1)  
            Interim Economic Parternship Agreement between the EU and Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and Zimbabwe (OJ L 111, 24.4.2012, p. 1).

(2)  Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 on geographical indications for wine, spirit drinks and agricultural products, as well as traditional specialities guaranteed and optional quality terms for agricultural products, amending Regulations (EU) No 1308/2013, (EU) 2019/787 and (EU) 2019/1753 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 (OJ L, 2024/1143, 23.4.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1143/oj).


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2026/1379/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)