GIs AND PARALLEL IMPORTS

EU alters GI rules (but just a little bit)

Businessweek reports that EU agricultural ministers have OK’d changes to the geographical indications rules. The changes are in response to last year’s WTO ruling that the EU was not in compliance with international law in this area by discriminating against non-EU producers. The EU has now removed the requirement that non-EU countries must operate a similar system in order to benefit from European GI protection.

GIs from other countries (left) - now welcome in the EU

The IPKat can see the sense in this. If GIs deserve protection, they deserve protection wherever they originate.


Judge Fysh at QMIPRI

Next Monday at 5.30pm, Judge Fysh is speaking at QMIPRI (the Queen Mary Intellectual Property Research Institute, London) on ‘Consenting to Parallel Imports – is Economic Linkage the Correct Test?’

As ever, all are welcome and it’s free, but please RSVP to Ilanah