Geneva Act of The Lisbon Agreement Comes Into Force Upon The Accession of The European Union

November 27, 2019

The European Union (EU) joined the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications becoming its key fifth member. With the EU’s accession, the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement will enter into force for all of its contracting parties on February 26, 2020.

Mr. F. Gurry, WIPO Director General, accepted the deposited instrument of accession from the Ambassador Terhi Hakala, Permanent Representative of Finland to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva.

“The EU’s accession enables entry into force of the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement, while greatly expanding the geographical coverage of this important registration system,” said Mr. Gurry. “As interest in the provenance of products grows, protection of appellations of origin and geographical indications benefits consumers demanding authenticity as well as producers seeking new ways to add value and distinguish their products in an increasingly global and competitive marketplace,” he added.

The Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement, adopted May 20, 2015, allows the international registration of geographical indications and appellations of origin through a single registration procedure with WIPO, and permits the accession to the Act by certain intergovernmental organizations.

The foundational Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration was originally concluded in 1958. Together, the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement and the Lisbon Agreement form what is commonly referred to as the “Lisbon System.”