Geographical Geographical Indications Indications

An Indian PerspectiveAn Indian Perspective

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An Indian PerspectiveAn Indian PerspectiveSanjeevSanjeev Kumar Kumar ChaswalChaswalAdvocate & IP Attorney Advocate & IP Attorney

LLM LLM (IPR Law and ARB law)(IPR Law and ARB law)M.S Cyber Law and SecurityM.S Cyber Law and Security

1010thth of June 2012of June 2012

Scope of PresentationScope of Presentation

uu GeographicalGeographical IndicationsIndications –– IntroductionIntroduction

uu CurrentCurrent InternationalInternational debatedebate ononGeographicalGeographical IndicationsIndications

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GeographicalGeographical IndicationsIndications

uu OverviewOverview ofof thethe IndianIndian GIGI registrationregistrationsystemsystem

uu GeographicalGeographical IndicationsIndications asas aa tooltool forfordevelopingdeveloping countriescountries

Intellectual PropertyIntellectual Property

uu Outcome of one’s intellectual effortsOutcome of one’s intellectual efforts

uu Different from other forms of propertyDifferent from other forms of property

uu Incentive to create Incentive to create –– rewardreward

uu Advantage in Competition Advantage in Competition -- creates Monopoly rightcreates Monopoly right

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uu Advantage in Competition Advantage in Competition -- creates Monopoly rightcreates Monopoly right

uu Sources of IP LawSources of IP Law

–– Article 38 Article 38 –– ICJICJ

–– Treaty LawTreaty Law

–– Customary International LawCustomary International Law

–– Precedents and DoctrinesPrecedents and Doctrines

–– General principles of lawGeneral principles of law

TRIPS Agreement TRIPS Agreement

vv Copyright and related rightsCopyright and related rightsvv Trade marksTrade marksvv Geographical Indications (GIs)Geographical Indications (GIs)vv Industrial designsIndustrial designs

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vv Industrial designsIndustrial designsvv PatentsPatentsvv Layout designs of integrated circuitsLayout designs of integrated circuitsvv Protection of undisclosed informationProtection of undisclosed informationvv Control of antiControl of anti--competitive practices in contractual competitive practices in contractual

licenceslicences

GIs GIs –– the conceptthe concept

uuGIsGIs areare essentiallyessentially thethe DNADNA ofof NatureNatureimpregnatedimpregnated intointo thethe MotherMother EarthEarth ––difficultdifficult toto cloneclone andand beyondbeyondscientificscientific calculationcalculation..

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scientificscientific calculationcalculation..

uuGIsGIs areare aboutabout culture,culture, geography,geography,traditions,traditions, heritageheritage andand traditionaltraditionalpracticespractices ofof peoplepeople andand countriescountries..

Geographical IndicationsGeographical Indications

AnyAny nounnoun oror adjectiveadjective (need(need notnotnecessarilynecessarily bebe aa geographicalgeographical name)name)thatthat designatesdesignates geographicalgeographical locationlocation

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thatthat designatesdesignates geographicalgeographical locationlocationandand wouldwould tendtend toto bebe regardedregarded bybybuyersbuyers asas descriptivedescriptive ofof thethegeographicalgeographical locationlocation ofof originorigin ofofgoodsgoods..

GIs and Developing Countries GIs and Developing Countries

u Instrument of Rural Development - promotion of productshaving certain characteristics could be of considerable benefitto the rural economy, in particular to less-favored or remoteareas, by improving the incomes of farmers and by retainingthe rural population in these areas (EC Regulation 2081/92) –e.g. Italian Tuscan Olive Oil sold at premium ever since itsregistration in 1998.

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registration in 1998.

u Differentiation of products can lead to:– Increase in prices of the protected products– Allows genuine producers to capture the rents, entry

barriers for “fakes”

u More Antiguan Coffee and Darjeeling Tea sold than produced -shows large market for genuine products.

u Issue is whether the framework is appropriate for developingcountries.

What is the GI extension issue?What is the GI extension issue?

oo ArticleArticle 2222 dealsdeals withwith GIsGIs atat aa generalgenerallevellevel..

oo ArticleArticle 2323 offersoffers anan additionaladditional levellevel ofofprotectionprotection toto winewine andand spiritspirit GIsGIs

oo AdditionalAdditional levellevel meansmeans thatthat membermember

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oo AdditionalAdditional levellevel meansmeans thatthat membermemberstatesstates areare toto protectprotect againstagainst incorrectincorrectusageusage ofof thethe relevantrelevant GIGI eveneven withoutwithoutthethe requirementrequirement ofof deceptiondeception andandconfusionconfusion

oo UnderUnder ArticleArticle 2222 theythey areare toto protectprotectagainstagainst misleadingmisleading andand incorrectincorrectusageusage..

To illustrate….To illustrate….

uu ArticleArticle 2222oo TheThe expressionexpression “Indian“Indian

GruyereGruyere cheese”cheese”actionableactionable onlyonly ononprovingproving thatthat::

GruyereGruyere asas aa cheesecheese

uu ArticleArticle 2323oo TheThe expressionexpression “Indian“Indian

Champagne”Champagne”actionableactionable::

uuMerelyMerely onon thethe

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uuGruyereGruyere asas aa cheesecheeseisis wellwell knownknown ininIndiaIndia

uu TheThe saidsaid expressionexpressionwouldwould bebe misleadingmisleadingasas toto geographicalgeographicaloriginorigin

uuMerelyMerely onon thethegroundground thatthat suchsuchusageusage isis incorrectincorrect(despite(despite thethe dede--localizinglocalizing factorfactor‘Indian’)‘Indian’)

uuNotNot necessarynecessary totoproveprove thatthat itit isis wellwell--knownknown inin IndiaIndia..

What is so unfair about Art. 23?What is so unfair about Art. 23?

uu InIn thethe samesame provisionprovision dealingdealing withwith oneone typetype ofof product,product,therethere areare twotwo levelslevels ofof protectionprotection..

uu BenefitsBenefits toto onlyonly winewine producingproducing countriescountries –– mostmost ofof themthemareare developeddeveloped countriescountries

uu MostMost developingdeveloping countriescountries dodo notnot havehave wineswines asas aa majormajor

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uu MostMost developingdeveloping countriescountries dodo notnot havehave wineswines asas aa majormajorrevenuerevenue earningearning productproduct –– mostlymostly theirtheir productsproducts arearehandicrafts,handicrafts, rice,rice, teatea coffee,coffee, spicesspices etcetc..

uu TheirTheir economieseconomies areare heavilyheavily dependantdependant onon suchsuch productsproducts

uu GivenGiven thethe disparities,disparities, thesethese productsproducts mightmight findfind itit difficultdifficulttoto competecompete inin internationalinternational marketsmarkets

uu TakeTake thethe casecase ofof IndiaIndia whichwhich hashas aa diversitydiversity inin everyevery areaarea ––bebe itit culture,culture, traditions,traditions, food,food, artart forms,forms, craftscrafts..

Ground realities of Article 23Ground realities of Article 23

uu ScopeScope ofof ArticleArticle 2323 protectionprotectionoo WineWine andand spiritspirit GIsGIs areare protectedprotected againstagainst qualifiersqualifiers suchsuch asas

‘kind’,‘kind’, ‘type’,‘type’, ‘style’,‘style’, ‘imitation’‘imitation’ etcetc..,, asas wellwell asas dede--localizinglocalizingelementselements.. ThereThere isis nono needneed toto proveprove deceptiondeception andand confusionconfusion

oo Hence,Hence, thesethese GIsGIs areare sparedspared fromfrom varyingvarying andand subjectivesubjectiveinterpretationsinterpretations ofof ‘unfair‘unfair competition’competition’ byby variousvarious nationalnational

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interpretationsinterpretations ofof ‘unfair‘unfair competition’competition’ byby variousvarious nationalnationalcourtscourts therebythereby leadingleading toto anan equalequal andand eveneven legallegal statusstatus ofof thetheGIGI..

oo Consequently,Consequently, thethe GIGI nevernever becomesbecomes genericgeneric

uu WhatWhat isis notnot underunder thethe purviewpurview ofof ArticleArticle 2323??oo ProtectsProtects onlyonly identicalidentical GIsGIs -- ChampagneChampagne vv.. ChampagneChampagne

oo DoesDoes notnot protectprotect expressionsexpressions deceptivelydeceptively similarsimilar toto aa GIGI --CognacCognac vv.. CalognacCalognac

Practical effects of protection under Article 23Practical effects of protection under Article 23

u Wine and spirit GIs get an additional level of protection andwill never become generic once protected

u Other GI owners have to invest huge resources to defendtheir GIs in foreign markets

u WTO members can also enter into negotiations for increasedlevel of protection of wine and spirit GIs with other memberswithout letting the exceptions in Article 24 affecting them

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without letting the exceptions in Article 24 affecting them

– For instance, if France wants to hold negotiations with USfor Champagne, US can’t use Art. 24.4 exception

– Whereas if India wants to hold negotiations with the USfor Darjeeling or Basmati misuse, US can use the 24.4 and24.5 exceptions

u The protection offered to GIs under TRIPS amounts to havingdouble standards

Indian GI Act FrameworkIndian GI Act Framework

uu GIsGIs cancan bebe grantedgranted toto anan individual,individual, aa family,family, aa partnership,partnership,aa corporation,corporation, aa voluntaryvoluntary associationassociation etcetc oror anyanyorganizationorganization oror authorityauthority establishedestablished byby oror underunder anyany lawlawforfor thethe timetime beingbeing inin forceforce representingrepresenting thethe interestinterest ofof thetheproducersproducers ofof thethe concernedconcerned goodsgoods..

uu GIsGIs protectprotect andand rewardreward traditionstraditions whilewhile allowingallowing forforproductsproducts toto evolveevolve overover timetime

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productsproducts toto evolveevolve overover timetime

uu GIsGIs cancan bebe protectedprotected overover longlong periodsperiods asas longlong asas thethecollectivecollective traditiontradition isis maintainedmaintained ––

–– IndianIndian ActAct protectsprotects GIsGIs forfor anan initialinitial periodperiod ofof 1010 years,years,whichwhich cancan bebe renewedrenewed afterafter thethe expiryexpiry ofof thethe initialinitialperiodperiod ofof protectionprotection forfor anotheranother 1010 yearsyears

–– GIsGIs wouldwould ceasecease toto bebe onon thethe registerregister ifif notnot renewedrenewed sixsixmonthsmonths afterafter thethe expirationexpiration ofof thethe lastlast registrationregistration

India’s famous GIsIndia’s famous GIs

uu BanarasiBanarasi silkssilksuu PaschminaPaschmina shawlsshawlsuu KashmirKashmir carpetscarpetsuu BasmatiBasmati ricericeuu DarjeelingDarjeeling teateauu AssamAssam teatea

uu Nilgiri Nilgiri teateauu CoorgCoorg coffeecoffeeuu MysoreMysore sandal productssandal productsuu MysoreMysore silksilkuu MalabarMalabar pepperpepperuu KancheepuramKancheepuram silkssilks

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uu AssamAssam teateauu BengalBengal CottonCottonuu AlphonsoAlphonso MangoesMangoesuu PochampalliPochampalli silksilkuu ChanderiChanderi silksilkuu Hyderabad pearlsHyderabad pearlsuu Kerala Nendran bananasKerala Nendran bananasuu Jaipur silver jewelleryJaipur silver jewellery

uu KancheepuramKancheepuram silkssilksuu Lonawala chikis Lonawala chikis (food stuff)(food stuff)uu NilgiriNilgiri teateauu Coir products from Coir products from KeralaKeralauu Cardamom from Cardamom from KeralaKeralauu AranmulaAranmula mirrorsmirrorsuu Nagpur orangesNagpur orangesuu Phulkari embroidery workPhulkari embroidery work

Geographical Indication Product State Dateof

Registration

Darjeeling Tea Tea West Bengal 29.10.04

Pochampally Ikat Textile Andhra Pradesh 31.12.04

Chanderi saree Textile Guna, 28.01.05

Madhya Pradesh

Kotpad Handloom fabric Textile Koraput, Orissa 02.06.05

Kota Doria Textiles Kota, Rajasthan 05.07.05

Kancheepuram silk Textiles Tamil Nadu 02.06.05

Bhavani Jamakkalam Textile, carpets Erode,Tamil Nadu 05.07.05

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Bhavani Jamakkalam Textile, carpets Erode,Tamil Nadu 05.07.05

Mysore Agarbathi Incense sticks Mysore, Karnataka 02.06.05

Aranmula Kannadi Metal Mirror Kerala 19.09.05

Salem Fabric Textiles Tamil Nadu 19.09.05

Solapur Chaddar Textiles Maharashtra 19.09.05

Solapur Terry Towel Textiles Maharashtra 19.09.05

Mysore Silk Textiles Karnataka 28.11.05

Kullu Shawl Textiles Himachal Pradesh 12.12.05

Madurai Sungudi Textiles Tamil Nadu 12.12.05

Kangra Tea Tea Himachal Pradesh 12.12.05

Geographical Indication Product State Dateof

Registration

Coorg Orange Horticulture Product

Karnataka 30.01.2006

Mysore Betel Leaf Horticulture Product

Karnataka 30.01.2006

Nanjanagud Banana Horticulture Product

Karnataka 30.01.2006

Mysore Sandalwood Oil Essential Oil Karnataka 30.01.2006

Mysore Sandal Soap Soap Karnataka 30.01.2006

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Mysore Sandal Soap Soap Karnataka 30.01.2006

Bidriware Handicrafts Karnataka 30.01.2006

Channapatna Toys and Dolls Handicrafts Karnataka 30.01.2006

Coimbatore Wet Grinder Wet Grinder Tamil Nadu 30.01.2006

Mysore Rosewood Inlay Handicrafts Karnataka 30.01.2006

Kasuti Embroidery Embroidery (Textiles)

Karnataka 30.01.2006

Mysore Traditional Paintings Paintings Karnataka 30.01.2006

Case of Basmati RiceCase of Basmati Rice

uu BasBas –– Aroma,Aroma, BasmatiBasmati –– AromaticAromatic RiceRiceuu ProductionProduction areaarea –– beltbelt onon NorthernNorthern IndiaIndia

andand adjacentadjacent partpart ofof PakistanPakistanUniqueUnique CharacteristicsCharacteristics –– longlong graingrain

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uu UniqueUnique CharacteristicsCharacteristics –– longlong graingrain(increases(increases substantiallysubstantially onon cooking),cooking),distinctivedistinctive aromaaroma andand tastetaste..

uu EffortsEfforts toto usurpusurp thethe GIGIuu CaseCase forfor jointjoint registrationregistration –– IndiaIndia andand

PakistanPakistan..

GI Registration in SAARCGI Registration in SAARC

uu EconomicEconomic potentialpotential untappeduntapped

uu ProductsProducts similaritysimilarity -- distinctivedistinctive signssigns forfor distinctdistinctproductsproducts

uu NeedNeed toto addressaddress territorialityterritoriality -- SAARCSAARC cooperationcooperation

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uu NeedNeed toto addressaddress territorialityterritoriality -- SAARCSAARC cooperationcooperationneededneeded

uu NeedNeed toto protectprotect atat homehome –– essentialessential clauseclause ofofTRIPSTRIPS AgreementAgreement -- GIGI registrationregistration notnot inin itselfitself cancanprotectprotect valuablevaluable reputationreputation..

uu NeedNeed toto taketake thisthis asas aa developmentdevelopment issueissue

uu RoleRole ofof thethe GovernmentsGovernments

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Thank You !!!Thank You !!!