Basics of legal instrument for protection of geographical indication (GI) in India

1. ©S.K. Soam, NAARM, Hyderabad
Geographical Indications a Community IP
S.K. Soam
Head, ICM Division
National Academy of Agricultural Research
Management, Hyderabad-500030
soamjee@gmail.com

2. ©S.K. Soam, NAARM, Hyderabad
Geographical location
Geo-climatic features Specially attained skills
Special characteristics
Reputation
Product (goods) Services

3. ©S.K. Soam, NAARM, Hyderabad
Some Examples of GI
• Textiles and Handicrafts
– Kalamkari, pochampally, nirmal toys; bukhara carpets, hereke
carpets
• Fruits and nuts
– Kesari, Alphonso, Dashari, Chounsa, Makhana, Nagpur orange;
seville oranges, jaffa oranges
• Ayurvedic products medicinal plants
– Triphala,Chayavanprash, Njavara rice, Kalimoonch rice,
Ashvagandha
• Alcoholic & non alcoholic beverages
– Feni, Zumai, zutuilling,yuu; ruou, sake, mezcal, tequila, sherry
wine, rioja wine, bordeaux, champagne, chablis
– Darjeeling tea, nilgiri tea; Rooibos tea

4. ©S.K. Soam, NAARM, Hyderabad
Some Examples of GI
• Food grains
– Pokkali rice/ Jeerakshala, Gandhakshala /Basmati rice (pusa
basmati, shaheen basmati, basmati pak, tarawadi basmati, Dehrdun
basmati), tandur dal; Arroz de valencia rice
• Animal and meat products
– Kadaknath, chegu goat,Jamunapari goat (paneer) ongole bull;
carora, malbuner sausages (Liechtenstein)
• Miscellaneous products
– Masticatory (paan); food recipes (chicken tikka, hyderabadi
biryani; swiss fondue); timbers; bhedaghat marbel; gangajal-
korytnicka minerala voda; special skills required (khurja ceramics-
delft ceramics, Ferozabad glass-belgian glass, toledo steel-
Munger country made pistols, gur
• Rural niche products
– Desi ghee, sirka; feta cheese, sherry vinegar

5. ©S.K. Soam, NAARM, Hyderabad
Factors determining quality of GI
Strong GI
Weak GI
Geographical contribution
Geographical association
Geographical location
HumanNature

6. ©S.K. Soam, NAARM, Hyderabad
Legal instruments
• Section 3: TRIPS
• The Geographical Indications of Goods
(registration & protection)Act 1999
• 22.1TRIPS/ 2.1.e, 2.1.f GI ACT

7. ©S.K. Soam, NAARM, Hyderabad
TRIPS plus provisions
• 23 TRIPS additional protection to wines/spirits
– Refusal for GI &TM/homonymous indications/ multilateral
protection
• 22.2, 22.3/ Rule 79
– Champagne Type Whisky
– Champagne fruit juice
– Darjeeling type tea
– American kind Basmati
– Kerala Basmati
– Saree in Pochampally style
– Pochampally saree made at Benaras
• Additional protections does not confer automatically (rule77) on the basis of measurable attributes
(rule79) decision of registrar (rule 81.1)/ pay fees

8. ©S.K. Soam, NAARM, Hyderabad
TRIPS Plus provisions: Homonymous
Indications
• 23.3 & 24.4 TRIPS/ Section 10

9. ©S.K. Soam, NAARM, Hyderabad
TRIPS Plus provisions: 24.4 TRIPS/ 84.2
Black label Scotch : Champagne Transportation Service
• Nothing in this Section shall require a
Member to prevent continued and
similar use of a particular geographical
indication of another Member
identifying wines or spirits in
connection with goods or services by
any of its nationals or domiciliaries who
have used that geographical indication
in a continuous manner with regard to
the same or related goods or services in
the territory of that Member either
(a) for at least 10 years preceding 15
April 1994 or (b) in good faith
preceding that date.

10. ©S.K. Soam, NAARM, Hyderabad
Owners of a GI
• Producer
2.1.k GI Act
• Proprietor (Part-A) 2.1n, 7.2GIAct,
• Authorised user (Part-B)2.1b, 17,7.3GIAct

11. ©S.K. Soam, NAARM, Hyderabad

12. ©S.K. Soam, NAARM, Hyderabad
Negative protection
• Nullifying provisions
– 22.4TRIPS/ 9.g/22.1c

13. ©S.K. Soam, NAARM, Hyderabad

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15. ©S.K. Soam, NAARM, Hyderabad
Negative protection
Infringement of registered GI
– 22.1a/22.2a TRIPS
– 22.4TRIPS/9.g/22.c
– act of unfair competition Art 10 bis of paris convention- 22.1.b/ 22.2b
TRIPS
• Chapter VIII –offences/penalty/provisions of falsifying/falsely
applying/ 38.4 burden of proof on accused-Kadaknath chicken

16. ©S.K. Soam, NAARM, Hyderabad

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21. ©S.K. Soam, NAARM, Hyderabad
Procedures
• TRIPS provide no procedural guidelines
• Who can register 11.1
• What are requirements 11.2
• What can not be registered sec 9/ 9.f, 26.2 & 24.9
TRIPS
• No distinction with foreigners except
– GI protected in their own country
– Certificate from competent authority
– If not a citizens from convention countries (84.1)

22. ©S.K. Soam, NAARM, Hyderabad
Claw back provisions- Parma ham case
• Proscuitto di Parma
–GI of Italy- Parma
Ham
• Consorzio del
Prosciutto di Parma-
TM in canada

23. ©S.K. Soam, NAARM, Hyderabad
Inventory of GI:priorities and goals
Endogenic
A
Njavara rice
Kalimoonch
rice
Kadakntah
chicken
B
Alphonso
mango
Basmati rice
Darjeeling tea
C
Sirka
Desi ghee
Chettinad
chicken
D
Nirmal toys
Kalmkari
Triphala
Technical Trade
Naturalfactors
Exogenic
Anthropogenic skills
Strategic policy issues
A- Protection concerns-
IPR, variety, genetic
resources
B- International trade
concerns- agric. goods
C- Protection concerns-
measures to check niche
products becoming
generic
D- International trade
concerns- manufacturing
goods

24. ©S.K. Soam, NAARM, Hyderabad
Why?
Who?
How?
What?
© S.K.Soam, NAARM