The China-EU Geographical Indications Agreement officially entered into force today (March 1). The agreement is the first comprehensive and high-level geographical indication agreement signed by China with foreign companies. The entry into force of the agreement will further strengthen China-EU economic and trade cooperation and benefit consumers and businesses on both sides.
Geographical indications are signs that identify the origin of a product in a certain region, and the quality and reputation of the product depend on the natural and human factors of this specific region, such as my country’s “Pu'er tea” or EU “champagne”. Both China and the European Unio have rich resources of geographical indications. In order to strengthen the protection and cooperation of geographical indications and promote the trade of geographical indication products, the two parties initiated the negotiation of the China-EU Geographical Indications Agreement in 2011. The negotiations have gone through 8 years and 22 rounds of formal negotiations and hundreds of informal consultations. On September 14, 2020, the two parties formally signed the agreement. On January 29, 2021, the two parties completed the internal approval procedures and notified each other. Today, the agreement officially entered into force.
Li Yongjie, deputy director of the Department of Treaty and Law of the Ministry of Commerce, said that we believe that the entry into force of the China-EU Geographical Indications Agreement will inject new impetus into China-EU economic and trade cooperation. For us, the agreement not only provides for high-level protection obligations, but also lists Knowing the list of geographical indications protected by both sides, the agreement will inject new impetus into China-EU economic and trade relations and benefit both companies and consumers.
At the same time, China also promised in the agreement to provide legal protection for relevant geographical indications in the European Unio. This commitment is conducive to eliminating the worries of EU GI holders, allowing them to export related products to our country with confidence, so that our consumers can eat and use more high-quality EU products, improve the quality of life, and meet the increasing demands. The growth of a better life needs.
What are the 500 Central European Geographical Indication Products?
The China-EU Geographical Indications Agreement is the first large-scale mutual recognition of each other's geographical indications between China and Europe, with a total of more than 500. So what products are there? Get to know it together.
It is understood that the appendix to the agreement includes a total of more than 500 geographical indication products of both parties, which are both well-known geographical indications for a long time. For example, our country's Shaoxing wine, Lu'an melon slices, Anxi Tieguanyin, Turpan raisins; European champagne, Bavarian beer, Parma ham, Magina olive oil and so on.
The geographical indications included in the list of the agreement not only involve alcohol, tea, agricultural products, food, etc., but also geographical indications with Chinese characteristics, such as rice paper and Shu brocade, which represent traditional Chinese culture. Previously, the European Unio's agreements on geographical indications signed with foreign countries only involved agricultural products, food and alcohol. This is the first time that the European Unio has included such geographical indications in its agreement.
The geographical indications that the two parties have included in the agreement can not only obtain a high level of protection in the other side, but also use the other side’s official geographical indication, which is conducive to effective market development for related products.
The protection is carried out in two batches: the first batch of approximately 100 geographical indications mutually recognized by both parties will be protected from the date of entry into force of the agreement.
Li Yongjie, deputy director of the Department of Treaty and Law of the Ministry of Commerce, said that in the future agreement, there will be a second batch of our 175 geographical indication products that will be guaranteed within 4 years, so for the Chinese market and consumers, we will also give the EU geographical indication products. With official protection, consumers can consume high-quality GI products in the EU.
What are the benefits of the agreement coming into effect?
The Geographical Indication Agreement between China and the EU has come into effect. What are the benefits for enterprises and the people?
With the entry into force of the agreement, my country's first batch of 100 geographical indications formally received EU protection. Among these 100 geographical indications, there are not only products that have been exported to Europe, such as Wuyuan green tea, Turpan raisins, Pu'er coffee, etc., but also products that may have export potential to Europe, such as Yantai apples, Anyue lemons, and Shaoxing wine.
Li Yongjie, deputy director of the Department of Treaty and Law of the Ministry of Commerce, said that it will also receive its official logo, which means that it can enhance the visibility of our products in the EU market. Therefore, we also hope that companies have places to take full advantage of the opportunities brought about by the agreement. Expand exports.
In addition, the agreement has included my country's second batch of 175 geographical indications, which will be protected within four years after the agreement enters into force. The agreement provides sufficient protection for EU high-quality and characteristic products to enter the Chinese market, eliminates the worries of EU producers, enables them to export to my country with confidence, enables Chinese consumers to eat and use more EU high-quality products, improves people’s quality of life, and satisfies The people's growing needs for a better life.
(Source: CCTV News)
