Know About GIs and Promote the Best Interests of the Craftsmen

Do you know as to how would they safeguard & promote the best interests of the craftsmen?

A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g. a town, region, or country). India, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 has come into force with effect from 15 September 2003. They have been defined under Article 22(1) of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement as: "Indications which identify a good as originating in the territory of a member, or a region or a locality in that territory, where a given quality, reputation or characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographic origin."


GI of Goods are defined as that aspect of industrial property which refer to a country or to a place situated therein as being the country or place of origin of that product. Typically, such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality, region or country. Under Articles 1 (2) and 10 of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, geographical indications are covered as an element of IPRs. They are also covered under Articles 22 to 24 of the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement, which was part of the Agreements concluding the Uruguay Round of GATT negotiations.

"Tequila" is selected for liquor originating from the town of Tequila in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, where the liquor has been produced for over 200 years. Other examples include:

"Champagne"

"Darjeeling Tea"

"Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee"

It can be a geographical place name (e.g., "Champagne"), a symbol (e.g., a picture of the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, an orange tree), the outline of a geographical area (e.g., the outline of the state of Florida or a map of the Dominican Republic) or anything else capable of identifying the source of a product.

They are offshoots of indications of source and appellations of origin, which were first accorded international recognition in the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (1883).India, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999 has come into force with effect from 15th September 2003.

Also, it ensures that none other than those registered as authorised users (or at least those residing inside the geographic territory) are allowed to use the popular product name.

In India, DARJEELING is protected as a certification mark as well as through a system established by the Tea Act of 1953, which mandates the licensing of all tea dealers and the issuance of certificates of origin in respect of all legitimate exports of the tea. "Darjeeling Tea" is also protected.