Sakpatenti Participated in the Second Session of the Joint Commission on Free Trade Agreement between the Governments of Georgia and China

The Second Session of the Joint Commission on Free Trade Agreement between the Government of Georgia and  the Government of the People’s Republic of China was held in Beijing. Ms. Darejan Mtchedlidze, Head of the Department of Trademarks, Geographical Indications and Design of Sakpatenti, participated in the Commission session.

The Georgian delegation was headed by Mr. Genadi Arveladze, Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, and the Chinese side was led by Mr. Yan Dong, Vice Minister of Commerce. The session was also attended by high-ranking officials of the governments, ministries and various offices of the People’s Republic of China and Georgia. During the session, Ms. Darejan Mtchedlidze delivered a presentation and spoke in detail about the Latest Amendments of the Trademark Law of Georgia and the new system of geographical indications protection.

The second session of the Commission was mainly focused on the upgrading possibilities of the Free Trade Agreement and deepening relations. In this regard, the Report on the first round of FTA upgrading negotiations/ consultations was interesting, which was presented by Mr. Han Yong, DG of the Department of WTO Affairs, Ministry of Commerce of China. The parties focused attention on the achievements of bilateral trade and economic cooperation and highlighted the progress made within the Free Trade Agreement. They also discussed Georgian SPS (Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary Measures) management systems and institutional arrangements, updates  on  import/export procedures of animal origin products, as well as customs procedures and trade facilitation. 

It is noteworthy that activation of Georgian-Chinese cooperation in the field of intellectual property protection contributes to the deepening of relations between the two countries as well as in the region, which, in itself, ensures development of the national economy. In this regard, the Letter of Intent on cooperation in the field of protection of geographical indications between Sakpatenti and the National Intellectual Property Administration of the People's Republic of China, signed last September, is important, which provides for promotion of mutual understanding of the geographical indications protection systems of both sides, and sharing development opportunities, as well as carrying out exchanges and sharing of practices in areas of common concern.