Working Group on the Development of the Lisbon System — Second Session (May 27 and 28, 2019)
June 14, 2019
At its second session, held in May 2019, the Lisbon Working Group on the Development of the Lisbon System further considered the financial sustainability of the Lisbon Union as requested by the Lisbon Assembly in 2017 (document LI/A/34/4).
The Working Group:
- emphasized the importance of promotional activities to increase membership of the Lisbon System, including the Geneva Act, and the need to increase coordination amongst Lisbon members in this respect; and
- decided to further discuss appropriate measures to ensure the future financial sustainability of the Lisbon Union – including regular review of the Schedule of Fees – while recognizing the need to assess the impact of the entry into force of the Geneva Act on the financial situation of the Union.
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)