GI TAG

Question 1

WHY IN NEWS?

Answer 1

Recently, the government of India organized a Virtual Networking Meet for Agri and Food Geographical Indication (GI) products in association with the Embassy of India, Doha and Indian Business and Professionals Council (IBPC) Qatar.

GI tag for 7 indigenous products of Uttarakhand.

Question 2

GI - BACKGROUND

Answer 2

A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g., a town, region, or country). India, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 has come into force with effect from 15 September 2003.

GIs have been defined under Article 22 (1) of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement as: “Indications which identify a good as originating in the territory of a member, or a region or a locality in that territory, where a given quality, reputation or characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographic origin.”

The GI tag ensures that none other than those registered as authorised users (or at least those residing inside the geographic territory) are allowed to use the popular product name. Darjeeling tea became the first GI tagged product in India, in 2004–2005.

This tag is valid for a period of 10 years following which it can be renewed.

Question 3

TRIPS

Answer 3

The Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) is an international legal agreement between all the member nations of the World Trade Organization (WTO). It establishes minimum standards for the regulation by national governments of different forms of intellectual property (IP) as applied to nationals of other WTO member nations.

Signed -15 April 1994
Location -Marrakesh, Morocco
Effective -1 January 1995

Question 4

APEDA

Answer 4

APEDA was established by the Government of India under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act passed by the Parliament in December, 1985.