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Geography holds key to China’s IP
- Posted in: Ip Strategy
on 05th July 2007 Link to this page
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On 2 July, the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) reported that a conference held in Beijing from 26 to 28 June highlighted the importance of country-of-origin signs to the development of the Chinese economy. The annual Symposium on Geographical Indications – held by WIPO in association with China’s State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) – hinted that these signs would be of particular benefit to the country’s agricultural sector, strengthening IP ties between goods and their regional producers.
Geographical Indications (GIs) are marks and signs that link products exclusively to their areas of provenance, whether local or national. For example, in a recent lawsuit, the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) challenged Canada’s trademarks authority for refusing to protect the word ‘Glen’ as a unique feature of scotch whiskies, after a Canadian firm used the word in the name of its own beverage.
Acting as special envoy for WIPO chief, Dr Kamil Idris, Ernesto Rubio said: ‘The holding of this Symposium is very timely, particularly in view of the growing importance of the protection of geographical indications at the international level and in the context of national policies aimed at promoting economic and social development. In an increasingly global and competitive market, product differentiation is of growing importance as a means to attract customers.
‘In this connection, along with trademarks, geographical indications have a vital role to play in conveying to the consumer the specific value of a product. They highlight the special features or characteristics that make a given product more attractive among competing products on the market.
‘We have seen a clear agreement that GIs are becoming increasingly important; and that they can offer a very effective intellectual property tool for promoting wealth creation and social advancement.’
Rubio’s comments were backed by China’s deputy Prime Minister, Wu Yi, who said that she welcomed the efforts of WIPO and associated Chinese rights-protection bodies to act in the interest of rural economies.
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