2021 EU-China training course on the Co-existence of geographical indications and trade marks
On 8 September 2021, IP Key China, together with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) and with the support of the European Commission and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), organised a training course on the Coexistence of geographical indications and trade marks.
This activity is part of a series of exchanges and knowledge-sharing activities supported by IP Key China, which aim at strengthening cooperation between the EU and China on geographical indications (GIs) in the framework of the EU-China GI Agreement that entered into force on 1 March 2021.
The first part of the training course, provided by the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission, focused on the registration of GIs in the EU. Then, EUIPO IP legal experts shared the Office’s experience in the examination of trade marks in conflict with GIs. This session, which also included a detailed explanation of the GIview database, was followed by a workshop with case studies in which participants actively participated.
More than 270 Chinese participants registered for the training course, that targeted CNIPA examiners, which shows the shared interest that the EU and China have in knowledge-exchange cooperation as an essential tool for the effective implementation of the Agreement.
Downloads:
- EUIPO experience in the examination of trade marks in conflict with geographical indications. European Union Intellectual Property Office. | 欧盟知识产权局在审查与地理标志冲突的商标方面的经验 EUIPO [PDF - 1.8MB] [EN,CN]
- Workshop: Conflicts between GIs and trade marks. European Union Intellectual Property Office. | 研讨会：地理标志与商标之间的冲突 EUIPO [PDF - 0.50MB] [EN,CN]
- Registration of GIs in the EU. European Commission, Agriculture and Rural Development Directorate General. 欧盟地理标志注册 欧盟委员会农业与农村发展总司 [PDF - 1.54MB] [EN,CN]
Training Course Background:
The Agreement between the European Union and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on cooperation on, and protection of, geographical indications (GIs) entered into force on 1 March 2021, which demonstrates the EU and China’s strong determination to protect the interests of GI rights holders.
GIview is a useful asset for consumers, producers and intellectual property professionals as it provides a single entry point for data on GIs registered in the EU and also contains detailed information on non-EU GIs protected at EU level through bilateral and multilateral agreements, and on EU GIs protected in non-EU countries.
The database, officially launched at the ‘Strengthening Geographical Indications’ online conference in November 2020, is continually updated with official registered data from the European Commission (Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development) and is developed and maintained by the EUIPO.
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