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oriGIn: our global network keeps growing
We are pleased to announce that two new members have recently joined oriGIn: the “Association pour la Défense du café Ziama Macenta” (ADECAM) from Guinea (which joined as a member), and the Department of Intellectual Property Rights of Cambodia (which joined as an associate member).
The “Association pour la Défense du café Ziama Macenta” (ADECAM) is the group representing the GI “Café Ziama-Macenta”. In 2013, “Café Ziama Macenta” obtained the GI recognition within the “Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle” (OAPI – which covers 16 countries in Western and Central Africa), the first GI to do so together with “Poivre blanc de Penja” (white pepper, Cameroon) and “Miel d’Oku” (honey, Cameroon). Such robusta coffee – cultivated by the Mont Ziama in the provinces of Orémaï, Sengbédou, Sérédou, Fassankoni, Kouankan and Zébéla – has a unique no bitter taste.
The Department of Intellectual Property Rights (D/IPRs) of Cambodia is responsible for the administration and protection of trademarks, collective marks and GIs in the Kingdom of Cambodia. The D/IPRs also encourages the development of potential GIs and promote them as a tool to boost economic growth in rural communities and reduce poverty. On top of existing GIs (Kampot Pepper and Kampong Speu Palm Sugar), Cambodia has many potential ones, among them Siem Reap Prahoc (fermented fish paste), Phnom Srok Silk, Battambang Oranges and Rice, Kampot Durian (fruit) and Kratie Pomelo.
Together with GI groups, also IP Offices in charge of GIs and other public and private institutions, increasingly join oriGIn to benefit from and enrich the knowledge and experience of our international network.
“Bilaterals”: T-TIP negotiation mandate made public
The Council of the European Union has made public the negotiation mandate for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The negotiation mandate is a document which sets out the objectives to be achieved in a given negotiation.
On Intellectual Property righs and Geographical Indications (GIs) – see page 14 of negotiation mandate – the Council has mandated the European Commission to conduct negotiations in order to achieve a higher degree of protection of European GIs in the resulting agreement (“The negotiations shall aim to provide for enhanced protection and recognition of EU Geographical Indications through the Agreement, in a manner that complements and builds upon the TRIPS, also addressing the relationship with their prior use on the US market with the aim of solving existing conflicts in a satisfactory manner”).
oriGIn has closely followed the T-TIP negotiations in 2014, participating with several members from both sides of the Atlantic in 3 stakeholders meetings held this during the 2014 T-TTP negotiations rounds in Washington DC and Brussels, and consistently conveying to negotiators strong messages in favor of GIs, to the benefits of both producers and consumers in the USA and in the EU. oriGIn will continue and strengthen such strategy in 2015.
EU: Adoption of the New Regulation on information and promotion of agricultural products
On 13 October, in the Agriculture Council which met in Luxembourg, the EU Ministers of Agriculture have adopted the regulation on information provision and promotion measures for agricultural products on the internal market and in third countries .Three delegations have voted against the adoption of the regulation: the United Kingdom, Sweden and the Netherlands. The new regulation will apply from the 1st of January 2015.
The next steps will be as follow:
• November 2014: adoption by the European Commission of the work program for 2015;
• December 2014: publication of calls for proposals;
• March 2015: deadline for the submission of projects;
• October 2015: selection of projects after consultation of the committee of Member States;
• December 2015: conclusion of contracts.
Protected Designations of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indications (PGI) are given a crucial role in the new regulation. oriGIn, given its privileged position of global network of GI groups and leveraging on the experience gained by some of its members that have already benefited from funds for promotion, will work to become a truly “match-making” platform for GI groups from different EU countries interested in launching joint promotional campaigns, in particular in third countries (the new Regulation will provide up to 80% of EU co-financing for multi programmes targeting third countries). In this respect, a preparatory meeting will be organised in Brussels in the first part of 2015.
GI events: Seminar on “Differentiation strategies”
On 21 November 2014, REDD and the “Organisme intercantonal de certification” (OIC) will organize a one-day seminar on “Differentiation strategies”. It will take place in the new conference center “Espace Dickens” in Lausanne (Switzerland). The debate will focus on the existing brands related with GIs and their compatibility, the proliferation of labels and the interest/risks for GI supply chains to have multiple labels.
The Program is available @ http://www.redd.pro/content/seminar-gis-different-differentiation-strategies
For Registration please contact anna.perret@redd.pro
