Mr. Soso Giorgadze Delivered a Speech at the Event Marking the 10th Anniversary of the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement
July 11, 2025
Mr. Soso Giorgadze, Chairman of the National Intellectual
Property Center of Georgia – “Sakpatenti” delivered a speech at the event
marking the 10th Anniversary of the Geneva Act of the
Lisbon Agreement.
The anniversary event was held within the 66th
Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of Member States of the World Intellectual
Property Organization (WIPO). It was attended by current
and prospective members of the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement. In his speech, Mr. Soso Giorgadze highlighted the importance of
accession to the Geneva Act as a strong mechanism for legal protection of
Georgian appellations of origin in the contracting parties and as an additional
means for international visibility and recognition of authentic, high-quality
Georgian products. He noted that each such product is an integral part of the culture and history of our
country, reflecting in its own way the traditions of Georgia, as well as the
knowledge and experience accumulated by generations. In conclusion, Mr. Soso Giorgadze thanked the Director General of WIPO
and the entire team for organizing the event and noted that next week, within
the General Assembly, he will present to the Director General of WIPO the
instrument of accession of Georgia to the Geneva Act.
The
high-level panel discussion, held within the event featured,
together with representatives of various countries, the
speeches by Mr. Daren Tang, Director General of the World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO), Ms. Wang Binying, Deputy Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Mr. Denis Luku Bohusu, Director General of the African
Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI), and Mr. Diego Canga Fano, Special Representative of the European Commission. They spoke about the socio-economic role
of appellations of origin and geographical indications for preservation of
local products and traditions, as well as for promoting sustainable economic
development of countries.
It is noteworthy that accession to the Geneva Act was preceded by the reform implemented by
Sakpatenti. In particular, a new Law “On Appellations of Origin and
Geographical Indications” was prepared and adopted, which has regulated the
registration procedure in a new way, increased the functions of business
associations and, in accordance with the international practice, established a control
system for products marked with appellations of origin and geographical
indications. On March 18, 2025, the Parliament of Georgia ratified the
“Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical
Indications”. As a result, the scope of protection of unique Georgian
products has significantly expanded to include 23 states party to the Geneva
Act and 2 intergovernmental organizations – the European Union and the African
Intellectual Property Organization.



