Minutes - TRIPS Council - View details of the intervention/statement

Ambassador Carmen Luz Guarda (Chile)
G.i Review of the application of the provisions of the section on geographical indications under Article 24.2
54. The representative of Switzerland introduced his delegation's non-paper and said that it dealt with the growing importance of geographical indications in a globalized trading system. It demonstrated that geographical indications were essential for both consumers and producers in all WTO Members. Geographical indications allowed consumers to distinguish between various nuances within a category of products and to choose the genuine products coming from an area of repute. For producers, geographical indications played an important role as a marketing tool since they were linked to the characteristics and qualities of the products. This reality should be reflected by an adequate recognition and protection of geographical indications. Switzerland considered the scope of protection in Section 3 of Part II of the TRIPS Agreement not fully satisfactory, as did a few other Members, since relevant sectors other than wines and spirits were not given the necessary high level of protection. Protection against the misleading use of geographical indications as mentioned in Article 22 was not a sufficient criterion for protection. His delegation supported the suggestion made by the representative of the European Communities that the Secretariat prepare a synoptic table of national laws and regulations relating to the protection of geographical indications and identify the measures taken to ensure effective enforcement. He said that his delegation was available for bilateral and plurilateral contacts in order to exchange views and to find a common way to proceed.
IP/C/M/14