The Sector Economy and Economic Policy Committee of the Parliament Discussed the Draft Law on Appellations of Origin of Goods and Geographical Indications

Today, the Sector Economy and Economic Policy Committee of the Parliament of Georgia discussed the Draft Law on Appellations of Origin of Goods and Geographical Indications, initiated by the Agrarian Issues Committee. The draft amendments are aimed to support development of the system of appellations of origin and geographical indications in Georgia. 

The effective functioning of the geographical indications system is one of the strategic directions for the development of Georgian agriculture. Its proper operation will facilitate growth of export potential, entry into new markets and creation of competitive environment. The role of the geographical indications system is also significant for the regional development of country, which creates of new jobs and increases incomes, reduces work force drain and facilitates development of rural tourism, and also increases the awareness of the region.

It is noteworthy that the development of the geographical indications system is one of the key issues under the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) Agreement with the European Union. Thus, establishment of the administrative and institutional mechanism according to the draft Law will facilitate the effective functioning of the system and enforcement. The draft will re-regulate the issues related to the examination and registration procedures. A new mechanism for carrying out certification and state control will be introduced, on the basis of which, correspondence of characteristics of goods with the defined specifications will be checked. The specifications are the main component of an application, which are developed by the applicant for the specific goods, according to the voluntary standard. The specifications are approved by the competent authority and are compulsory for fulfillment. According to the draft Law, the formal and substantive issues of adoption and approval of specifications will be elaborated and brought in full compliance with the European Union legislation.  

The draft, which has been prepared by Sakpatenti, also provides for increasing the role of producers and/or other associations, which will ensure maintaining the quality of goods and their popularization. In the process of developing the draft, the best practices and experience of the European Union, Italy and France in the direction of formation and development of geographical indications, as well as their use and control were taken into consideration.

At present, appellations of 64 goods produced in Georgia (e.g. wine, mineral water, cheese, etc.) are registered. Of these, there are 38 Georgian appellations of origin and 26 geographical indications. Their majority are exported.