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U.S.-China agreement on Geographic Indicators

Looks like the U.S. has won one in the on-going battle over Geographic Indicators for cheese and wine and such. The European Union has been using bilateral trade agreements to get countries to agree to not allow products using certain names to enter their country.  Europe claims a number of common cheese names like parmesan and feta and others should be specific to the region of Europe where they originated.

In trade talks in Chicago last week, China made commitments that will ensure its market will remain open to U.S. products with those names. Cheese Market News reports the two countries discussed GIs and acknowledged the importance of strong intellectual property protections and understanding on key issues.

Among them:

• That a term or its translation is not eligible for protection in a territory where it is a generic term.
• That trademarks and GIs are to be handled according to the World Trade Organization Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement.
• That legal means are available for a third party to object to and cancel any registration or recognition granted a GI
• That where a component of a compound GI is generic in a territory, the GI protection is not extended to the generic component.

The U.S. Dairy Export Council, the National Milk Producers Federation and the International Dairy Foods Association applauded the commitment. U.S. cheese exports to China have increased 600 percent between 2009 and 2013.

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