Brussels, 17/02/2015 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is currently examining the possibility of extending European protection to geographical indications (GI) for non-agricultural products. The European Chamber of Commerce (EUROCHAMBRES) believes a unitary system would be welcome, as long as it remained voluntary.
In a position paper published on Tuesday 12 February, EUROCHAMBRES said that this kind of European protection could help reduce the risk of a misleading use of GIs, counterfeiting and unfair competition and increase the guarantee of correct information to consumers, as well as providing a new impetus to the preservation of traditional crafts and cultural heritage. EUROCHAMBRES believes that the system for protecting geographical indications for agricultural products has been successful and could therefore serve as a model for the non-food sector. A voluntary protection model basis appears the most appropriate to EUROCHAMBRES, which is also recommending that registration fees remain within the control of member states. Protection should not be limited in time but the European Commission or member states should also be allowed to withdraw protection for geographical indications. Finally, EUROCHAMBRES, thanks to its local roots, believes that it is in a position to provide assistance when examining product criteria. The European Commission proceeded to a public consultation on geographical indications for non-agricultural products last year. The preliminary results were compiled by the Commission as early as last January and the latter is promising to publish a detailed report at a later date. (Marie-Pauline Desset)