Lao People’s Democratic Republic is First to Join the Geneva Act of WIPO's Lisbon Agreement following its Entry into Force on February 26, 2020
November 20, 2020
Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) deposited on November 20, 2020 its instrument of accession to the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications ("Geneva Act").
The instrument of accession was deposited with WIPO Director General Daren Tang by Ambassador Mr. Kham-Inh KHITCHADETH, Permanent Representative of the Lao PDR to the United Nations in Geneva.
The Geneva Act provides producers of quality products linked to origin, with faster and cheaper access to the international protection of their products' distinctive designations. It further develops the legal framework of the Lisbon System, which helps promote many globally marketed products such as, for example, Bananas of Costa Rica, Tuscan Oil, or Limoges porcelain.
About the Geneva Act
The Geneva Act is designed to help ensure that producers of quality products linked to origin are able to protect the distinctive designations of their products in multiple jurisdictions, either as appellations of origin or geographical indications, through a single application 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, wine, pottery, glass and cloth.
Examples of appellations of origin and geographical indications include Kampot Pepper (Cambodia), Comté (France), Tokaj (Hungary), Sarough Handmade Carpet (Iran), Tequila (Mexico), Porto (Portugal), Chulucanas (Peru) and Huile Téboursouk (Tunisia).