GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS
WHY PRODUCTS ARE PREFIXED WITH A COUNTRY OR A TOWN ?
Have you ever wondered, why Malabar Pepper, Darjeeling Tea, Nagpur Orange, Kanchipuram Sarees, Swiss Watches,Irish Whiskey are prefixed with the name of a Country, City or a Town?
THE UNIQUENESS OF GEOGRAPHICAL REGION’S
Every Region in the world boasts of something special which no other Region is capable of producing the same with such Taste, Quality and Uniqueness. The Reason being Topography, Vegetation, Soil and the Traditional Practices that goes into producing the final Product.
THE RATIONALE BEHIND GI TAG
Geographical Origin products being high in demand both at Domestic & International markets, eventually paved way for false Trade Practices. These products were described of having specific origin but were made elsewhere and of having certain unique qualities even when they did not.
It was in this background that the World Economies at WTO developed the Idea of the Geographical Indications (GI) Tag under Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) to certain Unique products which are the outcome of a Specific Geographical Area.
GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS
Geographical Indications (GI) is a Tag given under GI Act of a country to certain specific products which possesses special features corresponding to a particular geographical location.
The Tag is used for Agricultural, Natural and Manufactured goods. At present 344 products from India and around 60,000 products in the world have been registered under GI Act.
The GI act has been enacted as per the resolutions of World Trade Organization (WTO), falling under Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
GI TAG- INDIA’S PERSPECTIVE
India has been historically bestowed with vibrant craft traditions and climatic diversities, paving the way for hundreds of Products that are unique, distinct and reputed.
India, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), in order to protect such Unique products from false trade practices enacted “Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999” and it came into force with effect from 2003.
The Act is administered by the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, Registrar of Geographical Indications.