Outcome Fourth Session Lisbon Working Group (Dec 12-16, 2011)
January 12, 2012
Highlights
The Working Group took up the Draft New Instrument (“DNI”) and the Draft Regulations (“DR”), as contained in documents LI/WG/DEV/4/2 and LI/WG/DEV/4/3, respectively, and discussed the provisions concerning the following topics:
• Basis for protection and definitions (Articles 2 and 3 of the DNI);
• Scope of protection (Articles 4 and 9 of the DNI);
• Prior use (Articles 12, 13, 14 and 18 of the DNI);
• Other substantive provisions (Articles 10, 11 and 15 of the DNI);
• Filing international applications (Articles 5 and 7 of the DNI and Rules 5, 6 and 8 of the DR).
As a result of these discussions, the Chair of the Working Group concluded that the Working Group would continue its examination and discussion of the DNI and the DR, at its next session, on the basis of revised versions to be prepared by the Secretariat. The revised texts should take into account the comments made and should reflect, where appropriate, alternative provisions and different options between brackets. In this regard, the Secretariat will work on the basis of the Summary by the Chair referred to below and also on the basis of the Draft Report of the fourth session of the Working Group.
For more detailed information, please refer to the Summary by the Chair that was adopted by the Working Group at the end of the fourth session.
The fifth session of the Working Group is tentatively scheduled for the week of June 11 to 15, 2012.
About the Geneva Act
The Geneva Act helps producers of quality products, linked to origin, to protect the distinctive designations of their products in multiple jurisdictions, either as appellations of origin or geographical indications, through a single application filed with WIPO, and the payment of one set of fees.
About the Lisbon System
The Lisbon System provides protection for names that identify the geographic origin of products such as coffee, tea, fruits, cheese, wine, pottery, glass and cloth.
Examples of appellations of origin and geographical indications
- Kampot Pepper (Cambodia)
- Comté (France)
- Tokaj (Hungary)
- Sarough Handmade Carpet (Iran)
- Tequila (Mexico)
- Porto (Portugal)
- Chulucanas (Peru)
- Banano de Costa Rica (Costa Rica)
- Grana Padano (Italy)
- Bohemia Crystal (Czech Republic)
- Figue de Djebba (Tunisia)