geographical indications act in india

©S.K. Soam, NAARM, Hyderabad

Geographical Indications a Community IP

S.K. Soam

Head, ICM Division

National Academy of Agricultural Research Management, Hyderabad-500030

[email protected]


Geographical location

Geo-climatic features Specially attained skills

Special characteristics

Reputation

Product (goods) Services


Some Examples of GI

• Textiles and Handicrafts– Kalamkari, pochampally, nirmal toys; bukhara carpets, hereke

carpets

• Fruits and nuts– Kesari, Alphonso, Dashari, Chounsa, Makhana, Nagpur orange;

seville oranges, jaffa oranges

• Ayurvedic products medicinal plants– Triphala,Chayavanprash, Njavara rice, Kalimoonch rice,

Ashvagandha

• Alcoholic & non alcoholic beverages– Feni, Zumai, zutuilling,yuu; ruou, sake, mezcal, tequila, sherry

wine, rioja wine, bordeaux, champagne, chablis

– Darjeeling tea, nilgiri tea; Rooibos tea


Some Examples of GI

• Food grains– Pokkali rice/ Jeerakshala, Gandhakshala /Basmati rice (pusa

basmati, shaheen basmati, basmati pak, tarawadi basmati, Dehrdun basmati), tandur dal; Arroz de valencia rice

• Animal and meat products– Kadaknath, chegu goat,Jamunapari goat (paneer) ongole bull;

carora, malbuner sausages (Liechtenstein)

• Miscellaneous products– Masticatory (paan); food recipes (chicken tikka, hyderabadi

biryani; swiss fondue); timbers; bhedaghat marbel; gangajal-korytnicka minerala voda; special skills required (khurja ceramics-delft ceramics, Ferozabad glass-belgian glass, toledo steel- Munger country made pistols, gur

• Rural niche products– Desi ghee, sirka; feta cheese, sherry vinegar


Factors determining quality of GI Strong GI Weak GI

Geographical contribution

Geographical association

Geographical location H

um

an

N

atu

re


Legal instruments

• Section 3: TRIPS• The Geographical Indications of Goods

(registration & protection)Act 1999• 22.1TRIPS/ 2.1.e, 2.1.f GI ACT


TRIPS plus provisions

• 23 TRIPS additional protection to wines/spirits– Refusal for GI &TM/homonymous indications/ multilateral

protection

• 22.2, 22.3/ Rule 79– Champagne Type Whisky– Champagne fruit juice– Darjeeling type tea– American kind Basmati– Kerala Basmati– Saree in Pochampally style– Pochampally saree made at Benaras

• Additional protections does not confer automatically (rule77) on the basis of measurable attributes (rule79) decision of registrar (rule 81.1)/ pay fees


TRIPS Plus provisions: Homonymous Indications

• 23.3 & 24.4 TRIPS/ Section 10


TRIPS Plus provisions: 24.4 TRIPS/ 84.2Black label Scotch : Champagne Transportation Service

• Nothing in this Section shall require a Member to prevent continued and similar use of a particular geographical indication of another Member identifying wines or spirits in connection with goods or services by any of its nationals or domiciliaries who have used that geographical indication in a continuous manner with regard to the same or related goods or services in the territory of that Member either (a) for at least 10 years preceding 15 April 1994 or (b) in good faith preceding that date.


Owners of a GI

• Producer

2.1.k GI Act

• Proprietor (Part-A) 2.1n, 7.2GIAct,

• Authorised user (Part-B)2.1b, 17,7.3GIAct


Negative protection

• Nullifying provisions– 22.4TRIPS/ 9.g/22.1c


Negative protection

Infringement of registered GI– 22.1a/22.2a TRIPS

– 22.4TRIPS/9.g/22.c

– act of unfair competition Art 10 bis of paris convention- 22.1.b/ 22.2b TRIPS

• Chapter VIII –offences/penalty/provisions of falsifying/falsely applying/ 38.4 burden of proof on accused-Kadaknath chicken


Procedures

• TRIPS provide no procedural guidelines• Who can register 11.1• What are requirements 11.2• What can not be registered sec 9/ 9.f, 26.2 & 24.9

TRIPS• No distinction with foreigners except

– GI protected in their own country– Certificate from competent authority– If not a citizens from convention countries (84.1)


Claw back provisions- Parma ham case

• Proscuitto di Parma –GI of Italy- Parma Ham

• Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma- TM in canada


Inventory of GI:priorities and goals

En

do

gen

ic

A Njavara rice Kalimoonch rice Kadakntah chicken

B Alphonso mango Basmati rice Darjeeling tea

C Sirka Desi ghee Chettinad chicken

D Nirmal toys Kalmkari Triphala

Technical Trade

Nat

ura

l fac

tors

Exo

gen

ic

Anthropogenic skills

Strategic policy issues A- Protection concerns- IPR, variety, genetic resources B- International trade concerns- agric. goods C- Protection concerns- measures to check niche products becoming generic D- International trade concerns- manufacturing goods