In order to improve the system of effective protection and control of geographical indications in Georgia, the National Intellectual Property Centre is working together with the European partners, including on capacity building of the staff members of the entity. For this purpose, within the EU funded Twinning Project, working meeting took place between the examiners of the entity and their European, namely, Italian and French counterparts.

Staff members of the National Intellectual Property Centre got familiarized with the role of public agencies in promotion, development and protection of geographical indications based on the examples of the Ministry of Agriculture of Italy and the National Institute for Origin and Quality of France (INAO), which is carried out through functioning of a special entity - the National Commission on Geographical Indications. Similar commissions are functioning in the countries with highly developed systems.

During the meeting, the characteristics of GI registration procedures in European Union was practically discussed, which is represented with the so-called two-step system. The system envisages the involvement of the commission in the examination process, which ensures full-fledged study of the object to be protected with a geographical indication. 

Sharing the experience of Italy will be significant for Georgia as for harmonization of the legislation and improvement of the registration process, as well as for proper organization of the procedure of protection of Georgian appellations of origin and geographical indications on the territory of the European Union in future.

Working meeting was organized within the EU funded Twinning Project on “Establishing Efficient Protection and Control System of Geographical Indications (GIs) in Georgia” (GE/16 ENI EC 0318), the main objective of which is facilitation of the development of the system and its harmonization with the European Union GI protection system.

Geographical indication is the name of a geographical place, in exceptional cases, a sign which indicates a certain geographical area and is used to designate the goods the specific quality or reputation of which are attributable to that geographical area, which in its turn is due to the particular geographical environment and human factors.