geographical indication (gi) Archives - Blog | Trademarkmaldives

Kashmir Seeks Geographical Indication (GI) Tags for Five of its Crafts

The northernmost region of the Indian subcontinent, Kashmir, is seeking Geographical Indication (GI) tags under the Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) for five of its crafts, some of which also include its cultural makers.

The Government of Kashmir has stated that it is seeking GI Registration for Kashmir Gabba and Namda (02 types of Valley-specific woolen rugs), Kashmir Willow Bat, Shikara (pleasure boats on Dal Lake), and Wagguv (mat made of reed and paddy straw).

In a recent statement delivered, the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) said that Mr. Tariq Ahmad Zargar (the Directorate of Handicrafts & Handloom, Kashmir) held a detailed discussion with the authorities of Intellectual Property India (IPI) in Chennai to accelerate the GI registration process of the five crafts in question. The DIPR further said that the dossier for the GI registration of the five crafts has already been submitted to the IPI in Chennai, which is the apex-level organization dealing with the registration and better protection of GIs concerning goods in India.

GI, in the words of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), refers to a sign used on products having a particular geographical origin and possessing qualities or a reputation due to that origin. Remember that the product’s reputation, characteristics, or qualities should be specifically due to the place of origin.

Discussions regarding the GI submission of three more products of Valley, including willow wicker, copperware, and chain stitch crafts, were also held, which are already under consideration by the department for GI registration.

In this context, the Government mentioned that GI tagging has now acquired a greater significance and relevance since the focus has shifted towards Vocal for Local.

Seven handicrafts made in Kashmir, including Pashmina, Kani Shawl, Paper-Machie, Khatamband, Walnut Wood Carving, Sozni, and Hand Knotted Carpets crafts, have already been given the GI tag by the body. The Government has specified that it has even pushed the demand for the production and sale of the previously-mentioned products. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

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Three Tamil Nadu-based Products Apply for Geographical Indication (GI) Tag

A Geographical Indication (GI) is a label or tag given or applied to products having a specific geographical origin, along with certain characteristics related to that specific origin. The GI tag’s owner holds exclusive rights over such a product.

Three Tamil Nadu-based products, including Thooyamalli rice, Virudhunagar sambha vathal (Chilly), and Puliyankudi acid lime, have recently filed applications for GI tags in Chennai. On behalf of the applicants, details on all the three previously mentioned products were gathered and prepared by Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) attorney P. Sanjai Gandhi.

The GI Application for Puliyankudi acid lime has been made by the Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Marketing Board and Melapuliyankudi Farmers’ Association. The facilitator, in this case, is the NABARD Madurai Agri-Business Incubation Forum.

Puliyankudi is the name of a village in Tenkasi. It is widely recognized for its acid lime cultivation. The local people here refer to this place as the lemon city of Tamil Nadu. Kadayam lemon found in this place is famous for two aspects, taste and juiciness. Acid lime trees are small in size and bushy with pointed and sharp spines. The leaves are also small, along with narrowly winged petioles. Both the flowers and fruits are small. The lemons grown in this region weigh about 50 g each, and every tree bears around 950 fruits in totality. They are grown in Puliyankudi, Kadayam, Sankarankovil, Kuruvikulam, Kadayanallur, and other adjoining areas.

The GI application for Virudhunagar sambha vathal has been made by the Virudhunagar Chillies’ Merchants Association and the Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Marketing Board. Chillies are primarily grown in the districts of Virudhunagar, Sivagangai, Thoothukudi, and Ramanathapuram of Tamil Nadu, and the chief markets for them are also located here. The long, lean shape of chillies grown in Vilathikulam, Virudhunagar, and Sattur regions is known as Virudhunagar sambha chilli. These chillies are vibrant red in color, 6-6.5 cm in length, with bulged shoulders and sharp tips. As these chillies have good capsaicin content, they are preferred in the value addition industry, specifically for oleoresin extraction.

The GI application for Thooyamalli rice has been made by the Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Marketing Board and facilitated by NABARD Madurai Agri-Business Incubation Forum. Thooyamalli rice, which means pure jasmine, is cultivated for 135-140 days during the sambha season. The seeds are sown directly, and for growing this variety, a transplanting system is used. It grows between 115 and 125 cm in height and yields around 1,125 kg per acre, with a straw yield of 35 bundles, i.e., 1,050 kg per acre. Thooyamalli rice is protein-rich and has high-fat content. In terms of mineral content, it is high in zinc, magnesium, and iron.

The head office of GI in Chennai has also received applications in the past week from several products across the nation, such as West Bengal’s Begampur cotton handloom saree and Kolkatti jewelry. Furthermore, GI applications for Goa Hilario Mango (Manghilar or Mangilar/Mangilal) and Taleigao Vayingim (brinjal) from Goa have also been filed recently. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

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Federal Govt. Gives $100k Grant to Protect Australian Prosecco with GIs

Fighting to let Australian winemakers continue using the name Prosecco, the federal government has recently given a $100k grant to researchers at Monash University for exploring the legal basis to protect wines with Geographical Indications (GIs) in trade agreements.

Dan Tehan, the federal education minister, announced that with the grant for the Australian Research Council’s Linkage Projects, they want the university to provide recommendations on GI claims to the Australian government and industry bodies.

According to researchers at Monash University, Australia’s Prosecco exports, which worth $60 million annually, are prophesied to rise to around $500 million over the next decade. The research team includes Professor Moira Paterson, Professor Mark Davison, Dr. Caroline Henckels, and Dr. Lisa Spagnolo, from Monash University’s Faculty of Law.

A specialist in Intellectual Property Law (IP Law), Dr. Enrico Bonadio from the City University of London, has also participated as a member of the team. The legal specialists investigated the criteria, evidence, and procedure required to establish a GI of wine, as utilized in trade agreements and legal disputes.

However, the EU (European Union) wants wine producers to prohibit marketing wine labeled as Prosecco. It claimed that the term Prosecco is a GI for a sort of wine being locally made in northern Italy and isn’t considered as a grape variety.

Professor Davison said that if Prosecco is the name of a grape variety and isn’t a GI, the prohibition of its use in trademarks on Australian Prosecco would possibly contravene Article 2.1 of the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement and Article 20 of the TRIPS Agreement. He added that they’re grateful to the Federal Government for the financial support to develop a legal framework and associated guidelines to defend GIs for wines, and to aid the Australian wine manufacturing industry in dealing with Geographical Indication Infringement claims and Geographical Indication Registration issues.

Since the early 2000s, Prosecco has been produced in Australia and used worldwide as a grape variety until 2009. But then in the same year, it was recognized as a GI under Italian Geographical Indication Law through the creation of a Denominazione di Origine Controllata across the Veneto and Friuli regions.

Later in the year 2013, the European Commission attempted to register Prosecco as a Geographical Indication in Australia but failed after the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia successfully argued that it was the name of a grape variety. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com