Brussels, 27/05/2014 (Agence Europe) - Together with the European Winegrowers Confederation CEVI, Copa-Cogeca (representing farmers and agricultural cooperatives in the EU) sent a letter to the EU Commission on 27 May, calling once again for European speciality products whose names are protected from imitation by the European system of geographical indications (GIs) to also be protected on the internet. “That is why we ask that a system be established which ensures the protection of European geographical indications (GIs) when selling wine on the internet”, Copa-Cogeca Secretary General Pekka Pesonen said. He warned: “An inadequate solution to this problem may set a precedent for other products covered by geographical indications (GIs) and could weaken the Commissions' policy to protect GIs, as well as upcoming bilateral free trade negotiations”.
This letter comes as ICANN, the US company in charge of allocating new domain names, decided on 4 April last to grant an extra 60 days deadline to find an agreement on the “. vin” and “.wine” domain names in the dispute between the European wine producing sector and the parties requesting “.vin” and “.wine” domain names. This extension followed the intervention by the European authorities and governments to ICANN, in an effort to find a solution that is acceptable to all parties (see EUROPE 11055). The value of European wine bearing geographical indications increased in 2010 to € 30.376 million. Some of these sales already take place on the internet and this trend is expected to increase. The creation of new domain names could help the European wine producing sector, on the condition that their future owners secure their use and protect wines known for their specific qualities and which are covered by European legislation on GIs, said Copa-Cogeca. Pesonen asserted that “the free use of these domain names could lead to the misuse of the EU system on GIs and could also mislead consumers about the product”. He is therefore calling on the Commission take action and protect regional specialities and quality products covered by GIs in the negotiations continuing with ICANN. (IL)