Enforcement

oriGIn supports all effective mechanisms (court, out of court, opposition in the context of trademarks’ application, …) to enforce GIs rights. In this context, mechanisms of administrative protection, which make it easier and less onerous for groups to enforce their rights, are extremely interesting.

The expression administrative protection commonly refers to an active role played by the public authorities of a given country to ensure the respect of the rights deriving from GIs.  As a way of example, by virtue of Article 36 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, each EU Member States had to designate its competent authority/ies in charge of monitoring the use of PDO/PGI on the market, in conformity with the protection conferred to them by Article 13 of the same Regulation. Such authorities must offer adequate guarantees of objectivity and impartiality, and shall have at their disposal qualified staff and resources necessary to carry out such functions.

In support of its members, oriGIn developed a policy concerning its involvement in enforcement activities . On enforcement, see also the section Relations with Trademarks

• 31/10/2024-Evocation established through conceptual proximity in the case concerning the PDO Mejillón de Galicia
• 31/10/2024-The United States Court of Appeal for the Federal Circuit affirms crucial principles for the protection of certification marks in the USA.
• 20/06/2024-Withdrawal of a EUTM application in conflict with the PDO Fontina and role of oriGIn in enforcement activities in support of its members
• 31/05/2024-Member’s Voice: EUIPO case law report: Dutch tequila evokes Tequila, even for wines! by Benjamin Fontaine, Partner, Plasseraud IP
• 21/05/2024-Further consolidation of the evocation case law
• 24/01/2024-Member’s Voice II (press release): The PGI “Plátanos de Canarias” gets a differentiated nomenclature within the EU custom code.
• 24/01/2024-Member’s Voice (press release): The group in charge of the PDO Asiago obtains two favorable legal decisions in Brazil and Chile.
• 15/11/2023-Some other recent positive decisions for GIs in the second part of 2023(Gorgonzola, Romanée-Conti, Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosecco)
• 15/11/2023-Members’ Voice: BNIC secures major victory for Cognac and GI Protection in China against unfair competition, by the BNIC Legal Team
• 09/11/2023-The recognition of oriGIn’s direct interest in the outcome of GI disputes in its capacity as global alliance
• 15/06/2023-Member’s Voice: The “Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma” wins crucial cases for the PDO, by Simone Calzi, Head of Legal Department, Consorzio Prosciutto di Parma
• 28/03/2023-Member’s Voice: Update on the legal standing of GI representing organisations enforcing GI rights in Germany – A solution in sight? by Niklas Fels, LL.M. (Wellington) Counsel at Bird & Bird LLP
• 15/03/2023-Member’s Voice: Delhi High Court Rules in Armasuisse v. the Trade Mark Registry and another – How a Trade Mark Dispute can have implications for GI rights in India, by Rajendra Kumar, K&S Partners
• 08/03/2023-The Court of Cordoba imposes criminal penalties for the use of the name “Los Pedroches” with respect to products not covered by the PDO
• 23/01/2023-Member’s Voice: GI protection in the EU covers the shape or appearance of the product if that reproduction is liable to mislead the consumer, by Ms. Silvia Francazi, Lawyer
• 25/10/2022-Operation OPSON is an opportunity for the enforcement of GI rights and the protection of consumers
• 31/08/2022- Members’Voice: Internal EU GI rules apply to exports of GIs, by Bernard O’Connor and Irina Kireeva, O’Connor & Company European Lawyers
• 27/07/2022-Recent rulings and decisions further consolidate GI protection in the EU (Grana Padano, Prosecco, Feta)
• 25/05/2022- Member’s Voice: Current Law Change in Germany may prevent, under certain circumstances, the enforcement of GIs, by Niklas Fels, LL.M. (Wellington) Counsel at Bird & Bird LLP 
• 11/04/2022-The Barcelona Court of Appeal confirms the depth of GIs protection following the consolidation of the evocation concept by the CJEU
• 26/01/2022-Recent interesting decisions for groups concerning evocation
• 26/10/2021-Members’ Voice: Important administrative and judicial decisions obtained by the BNIC in China, by Amandine Duthilleul, Responsible for the GI Cognac Protection Department at BNIC
• 14/09/2021 – Clarification of the evocation concept with respect to contested signs used on goods and services which are not comparable to the ones of the protected name
• 14/09/2021 – oriGIn paper on the protection of PDO, PGI and GIs against “evocation”
• 16/07/2021- An EUIPO decision further consolidates the concept of evocation in the context of GIs
• 29/03/2021 – Webinar, Global Agenda: Outcome of the online event on TMs applications in conflict with GIs
• 17/02/2021 – Tequila EU-Examination Procedure: oriGIn and its members support the CRT in its fight to ensure the protection of the GI Tequila
• 15/02/2021 – Outcome of the oriGIn online event on the latest developments concerning GIs protection in China
• 05/02/2021 – IPKey China – Protection of GIs on the online market from the producer’s perspective
• 23/12/2020 – CJEU-Morbier: Clarification of a fundamental aspect of GIs protection in the EU
• 30/09/2020 – CJEU: Recent opinion on Case C 490/19, opposing the “Syndicat interprofessionnel de défense du fromage Morbier” and the French company “Fromagère du Livradois”
• 30/09/2020 – Strengthening Protection of Scotch Whisky in Spain, by Alan Park, Director of Legal Affairs, SWA
• 18/09/2020 – oriGIn monitors carefully the European Commission examination procedure on the import of Tequila in the EU
• 16/07/2020 – Outcomes of the webinar on Evocation: a powerful tool to protect GIs
• 01/07/2020 – oriGIn paper on the protection of PDO, PGI and GIs against “evocation”
• 12/05/2020 – GI protection and enforcement in India, by Rajendra Kumar, Counsel & Senior Advisor, K&S Partners, Intellectual Property Attorneys
• 05/05/2020 – Champagnola: another important decision clarifying the extent of evocation
• 09/03/2020 – CJEU, Evocation, Champanillo: Another case pending at the CJEU will further consolidate the concept of evocation
• 22/10/2019 – Records of a webinar and other material on GIs protection in China 
• 30/08/2019 – The Supreme Court of Spain ruling on the Manchego case is another good precedent for GIs
• 01/07/2019 – EUIPO: Launch of the new Intellectual Property (IP) Enforcement portal
• 02/05/2019 – The CJEU published the Judgment in Case C-614/17 : Figurative elements in the packaging may represent an evocation of PDO, PGI and GIs
• 15/01/2019 – oriGIn/EFOW joint Letter for Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska, Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs
  and Commissioner Phil Hogan, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development on Geographical Indications and the EU’s Counterfeit and Piracy Watch List
• 09/10/2018 – The “Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux” (CIVB) won two cases in China concerning the appellation Bordeaux
• 14/06/2018 – The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) published a judgment in Case C-44/17, Scotch Whisky Association v Michael Klotz
• 07/06/2018 – EUIPO research on counterfeiting
• 08/03/2018 – Opinion of the Advocate General on the potential evocation of GIs
• 18/01/2018 – European Court of Justice (ECJ) published its ruling in the ‘Champagner Sorbet’ case
• 19/12/2017 – Study on “Protection and Control of Geographical Indications for Agricultural Products in the EU Member States”
• 02/12/2016 – oriGIn at the Legal and International Working Group of the EUIPO Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights, Milan
• 21/11/2016 – Asiago: The Consorzio is proactive in protecting the GI in key export markets
• 24/10/2016 – SIAL Paris: Asiago, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano block counterfait products
• 12/09/2016 – The Government of Italy signed an agreement with Alibaba to stop GI Infringements
• 05/08/2016 – The Consorzio di tutela del formaggio Asiago stops the marketing of fake “Asiago” in Ukraine
• 26/07/2016 – EUIPO Report on the economic cost of IPR infringement in the spirits and wine sectors
• 06/07/2016 – EU Commission guidelines for customs on in-transit goods suspected of infringing IPRs
• 29/06/2016 – Launching of an Anti-Counterfeiting Rapid Intelligence System on third markets
• 21/06/2016 – The EU Memorandum of Understanding on the online sale of counterfeit goods (“MoU”) – signed by important Internet Platforms (such as Amazon, Alibaba and PriceMinister) and several IPRs owners – aims to facilitate the fight against alleged counterfeit goods over the internet, in particular through Notice and Take-Down Procedures (see part 2 on page 3). The MoU is exclusively open to trademarks owners
• 23/05/2016 – Interesting domain name decision concerning “lambrusco.wine” under the UDRP
• 10/05/2016 – The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) enforcement database (EDB)
• 25/04/2016 – Report on Infringement of PGI for Wine, Spirits, Agricultural Products and Foodstuffs in the EU (European Union Intellectual Property Office – EUIPO – Observatory)
• 29/03/2016 – Scotch Whisky enforcement in India
• 08/02/2016 – Calvados vs. Verlados: the CJEU clarifies the concept of GI evocation
• 10/12/2015 – 24,700 litres of fake Tequila product destroyed
• 09/12/2015 – Public consultation on the evaluation and modernisation of the legal framework for the enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPR)
• 26/11/2015 – Letter to Mr. John Lom, Director, International Division, The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) on “Commercialization in the United States of a product denominated “Prosecco Doc” Annex1 – Annex2
• 28/10/2015 – Ex-officio: a powerful tool for GIs (“Aceto Balzamico/”Reggianito”)
• 23/03/2015 – oriGIn Position Paper on Draft Report “Towards a renewed consensus on the enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights: An EU Action Plan”: An opportunity to tackle the issues of fake Geographical Indications (GIs) goods in transit in the EU
• 28/11/2014 – E-commerce: The protection of GIs on the web
• 20/10/2014 – FAKE PARMESAN SEIZED AT SIAL IN PARIS
• 08/05/2014 – Associazione fra produttori per la tutela del SALAME FELINO v. Kraft
• 10/03/2014 – The ex officio protection of PDO/PGI successfully implemented in the UK
• 01/01/2014 – Regulation (EU) No 608/2013 concerning customs enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPR)
• 31/10/2013 – Spain, an important ruling on PDO/PGI “evocation”
• 08/10/2013 – FAKES PARMIGIANO REGGIANO, ASIAGO AND PECORINO ROMANO SEIZED AT ANUGA IN COLOGNE
• 06/02/2013 –  Colombia: Enforcement measures of the defense of its traditional products
• 2013-2015 – Training program on EU administrative (ex officio) enforcement
• 06/12/2012 – Lettre d’oriGIn à M Jacques CHAVAZ, Directeur suppléant, Département fédéral de l’économie DFE, Office fédéral de l’agriculture OFAG, sur Commercialisation dans la Confédération Helvétique d’un produit à base de bière aromatisée au Tequila sous la marque « Desperados »
• 30/10/2010 – The Mexican Supreme Court reaffirmed the protection in Mexico of the Appellation of Origin “Parmigiano Reggiano”
• 28/10/2010 – Letter to Mr. Dacian Cioloş Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development European Commission, concerning the request of authorization from the Greek Government to produce and commercialize “Aceto Balsamico”
• 03/07/2008 – Answer of Mr. Jean-Luc Demarty, Director General, DG Agriculture (European Commission) to oriGIn’s letter to the Commission on the European Court of Justice February 26th ruling on the use of the name Parmesan in the EU
• 04/03/2008 – Letter to EU Commissioner Mrs M.Fisher Boel on the Court of Justice February 26th ruling on the use of the name Parmesan in the EU