Sakpatenti, together with Representatives of Private and Public Sectors, Familiarized with Practice of Production and Protection of Unique Geographical Indications and Appellations of Origin Products in Switzerland and France

Within the Georgian-Swiss Intellectual Property Project (GESIP), a study tour on geographical indications was held to Switzerland and France. Ms. Darejan Mtchedlidze, Head of the Department of Trademarks, Geographical Indications and Design of the National Intellectual Property Center of Georgia – “Sakpatenti”, participated in the tour.

The successful practice of the Georgian-Swiss cooperation in the field of intellectual property protection allowed producers of Rachan ham (Rachuli Lori) and Cheese “Tenili” and representatives of various agencies, including the Rural Development Agency and the Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti Regional Service, the Georgian Business Development Center Caucasia (GBDC) Akhaltsikhe Office, to participate in the study tour. Along with this, the Georgian delegation was accompanied by a sectoral  expert. At the second stage of the visit, the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) staff also joined the study tour. 

The overall objective of the study visit was to share with producers and state agencies good Geographical Indications (GIs) practices. The main topics addressed during the visit were: control and certifications of GIs, food safety standards and in particular flexibility and derogation regulations, market surveillance and fight against fraud, marketing and promotion of GIs, relation between GIs and rural tourism, examination of application for PDO and PGI registration, as well as sensory analysis and sustainable farming.

It is noteworthy that within the tour the participants met with Swiss PDO and French PGI producers (Cancoillotte PGI (FRA), Tête-de-Moine PDO (SWI), Jambon de la Borne (PDO), as well as certification bodies and associations. 

The Georgian-Swiss Intellectual Property Project (GESIP) is implemented with the financial support of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), in close cooperation between the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) and Sakpatenti from August 1, 2022. The main objective of the project is to introduce additional services in the patent field, share experience related to patent searches and promote development of geographical indications protection system in Georgia.