Latest news with #GIs
Euractiv
25-07-2025
- Business
- Euractiv
Turkey races to beat China in EU food status war amid kebab scrap with Germany
Ankara is ramping up its push to secure EU recognition for its iconic foods, edging closer to dethroning China – but the fate of its beloved döner kebab is still in limbo. When Brussels launched the EU's system to register names for high-quality foods in the 1990s – a sort of 'passport' for traditional recipes – it was intended mainly as a way to protect local producers' savoir faire in an era of growing globalisation. But the geographical indications (GIs) system has become increasingly globalised itself. Besides featuring in every trade deal negotiated by the Commission, it is now attracting a growing number of applications from third countries. Today, it's not just Italy's Parmigiano or France's Roquefort that enjoy protection. China's Anji white tea and Panjin rice are also shielded from imitations within the EU. The same goes for Turkey's pistachio-filled pastry, Antep Baklavası, and its Malatya dried apricots. These countries currently rank first and second on the list of non-EU designations of origin – with the EU's eastern neighbour now eyeing China's top spot. 'It's clear that Turkey is seeking to move closer to Europe by establishing a strong position in the quality products market, leveraging its geographic proximity and tourism potential,' Mauro Rosati, director of the Siena-based Qualivita Foundation, told Italy's newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore . According to Qualivita, which tracks the GI economy and legislation, Ankara is behind three out of four applications currently under review in Brussels. Turkey is clearly stepping up its game, but it still has ground to cover. While the country has 36 EU-registered food products, China holds a commanding lead with 99 foods, seven wines, and four spirits protected. Yet Ankara's quest for EU recognition is not without roadblocks. It is now eagerly awaiting Brussels's decision on whether to grant protection to the iconic meat dish "döner kebab " , with Berlin leading efforts to block the bid. Who owns the Döner? In 2022, Turkey applied for "döner " to be granted Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) status — a scheme that, unlike GIs, protects a food's recipe rather than its geographic origin. Ankara wants to set rules on how "döner" is made to preserve its authenticity – from the thickness of the meat slices to the hours of marination. Germany says: hands off the rotating meat. 'For the sake of the many fans in Germany, the döner kebab should remain the way it's enjoyed here,' said the German Agriculture Ministry earlier this year. A cultural symbol of Turkish immigration, the döner kebab has become a German street staple – sometimes even outshining currywurst in popularity. Former German farm minister Cem Özdemir, himself of Turkish descent, weighed in after the EU published Ankara's application in 2024. 'The doner kebab is a German tradition. Everyone should be able to decide for themselves how it is prepared and eaten here. There's no need for regulations from Ankara,' he said in a social media post. Smiling in the photo, a banner beside him read: 'Döner makes you beautiful'. Turkey and the opponents to its bid – including Germany and Austria – recently ended months of bilateral talks without an agreement. The fate of the döner now rests with the European Commission, with no timeline yet announced. A Commission spokesperson told Euractiv that the decision will be taken 'in due time'. Jeremias Lin contributed to this reporting. (adm, aw)
Mint
15-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
India-EU trade talks: Optimism in the air as next round scheduled for September — what is on the table?
India and the European Union (EU) are preparing to hold the next round of negotiations on their proposed free trade agreement (FTA) in September. This development comes as both sides exchanged offers related to the services sector last week, an official confirmed on Tuesday. L Satya Srinivas, Special Secretary in the Department of Commerce, said that the 12th round of talks recently concluded in Brussels, reported PTI. "We have exchanged our offers on services and non-services,' he said, adding, 'We also discussed key interests in market access related to goods as well.' The upcoming 13th round of talks will be held in the first week of September, Srinivas confirmed. In June 2022, India and the 27-nation EU bloc resumed negotiations for a free trade agreement, an investment protection agreement and a pact on geographical indications (GIs) after an eight-year hiatus. The talks had stalled in 2013 due to differences on the level of opening up of the markets, the news agency reported. Both sides are optimistic, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the European Commission president agreeing on February 28 to seal a much-awaited free trade deal by the end of this year. The EU has already pushed for significant duty cuts on items such as automobiles and medical devices. Other than that, the bloc has also demanded tax reduction on products such as wine, spirits, meat, poultry, and a strong intellectual property regime. If the pact is concluded successfully, Indian goods exports to the EU, such as ready-made garments, pharmaceuticals, steel, petroleum products, and electrical machinery, can become more competitive. The India-EU trade pact negotiations are comprehensive, covering over 23 policy areas. These include Trade in Goods and Services Investment Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Technical Barriers to Trade Trade Remedies Rules of Origin Customs and Trade Facilitation Competition Trade Defence Government Procurement Dispute Settlement Intellectual Property Rights Geographical Indications (GIs) Sustainable Development The EU stands as India's largest trading partner for goods, with bilateral trade reaching $137.41 billion in 2023-24. The figure includes exports worth $75.92 billion and imports worth $61.48 billion. The EU market accounts for about 17 per cent of India's total exports, while the EU's exports to India make up 9 per cent of its total overseas shipments. Additionally, the bilateral trade in services between India and the EU was estimated at $51.45 billion in 2023, the news agency reported.
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Next round of India-EU talks on proposed trade pact in September
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel India and the European Union (EU) will hold the next round of negotiations on the proposed free trade agreement FTA ) in September here as both sides have exchanged offers related to the services sectors last week, an official said on Tuesday.L Satya Srinivas, Special Secretary in the Department of Commerce, said the last (12th) round of talks concluded last week in Brussels."We have exchanged our offers on services and non-services... there were discussions on that. We also discussed key interests in market access related to goods as well... The next round of talks (will be held) in the first week of September," Srinivas told reporters June 2022, India and the 27-nation EU bloc resumed negotiations for a comprehensive free trade agreement, an investment protection agreement and a pact on geographical indications (GIs) after a gap of over eight stalled in 2013 due to differences on the level of opening up of the February 28, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the European Commission President agreed to seal a much-awaited free trade deal by the end of this demanding significant duty cuts in automobiles and medical devices, the EU wants tax reduction in products like wine, spirits, meat, poultry, and a strong intellectual property goods' exports to the EU, such as ready-made garments, pharmaceuticals, steel, petroleum products, and electrical machinery, can become more competitive if the pact gets concluded India-EU trade pact negotiations cover 23 policy areas or chapters, including Trade in Goods, Trade in Services, Investment, Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, Technical Barriers to Trade, Trade Remedies, Rules of Origin, Customs and Trade Facilitation, Competition, Trade Defence, Government Procurement, Dispute Settlement, Intellectual Property Rights, Geographical Indications, and Sustainable bilateral trade in goods with the EU was USD 137.41 billion in 2023-24 (exports worth USD 75.92 billion and imports worth USD 61.48 billion), making it the largest trading partner for EU market accounts for about 17 per cent of India's total exports, while the EU's exports to India make up 9 per cent of its total overseas addition, the bilateral trade in services, in 2023, between India and the EU was estimated at USD 51.45 billion.
Indian Express
04-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
When heritage travels from Kolhapur to Milan, how do we protect it?
More than 10,000 artisan families in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, along with the craftsmen in Karnataka, have been handcrafting Kolhapuri chappals for generations, using vegetable-tanned leather, intricate toe-loop braiding, and indigenous designs, earning a GI tag in 2019. Despite this rich heritage and legal recognition, Prada initially failed to credit their craftsmanship, when it unveiled strikingly similar sandals in its Spring/Summer 2026 showcase. However, this isn't the first such instance of an Indian product going global without due credit. Indian traditional heritage products have repeatedly been appropriated by global corporations, turning centuries of indigenous wisdom into battlegrounds for 'intellectual property rights'. Not the first instance A GI tag identifies goods as originating from a specific country, region or locality, where their distinctive qualities, characteristics, or reputation are essentially linked to that 'place of origin'. These attributes may arise from natural factors, such as soil, climate, temperature or raw materials, or from human elements like traditional methods of production or adherence to certain quality standards. The association between a product and its place becomes so well-known that the mention of one reminds of the other — a reference to Kolhapur in Maharashtra, for example, instantly brings to mind the humble yet durable Kolhapuri chappals. Similarly, 'Champagne' refers not just to a French district but also to its iconic sparkling wine. In India, currently, Uttar Pradesh leads with the highest number of registered GIs (79), followed by Tamil Nadu (71) and Maharashtra (55). Among categories, handicrafts dominate with 366 registrations, ahead of agricultural goods (215) and foodstuffs (52), illustrating how India's diverse geography is deeply entwined with its cultural identity. In 2021, a renowned Indian fashion designer faced similar allegations for appropriating Rajasthan's GI-tagged Sanganeri hand block printing in a collection made with a multinational fast fashion retailer. Such branding exercises, under the guise of 'globalising Indian designs', coupled with poor legal enforcement, threaten the livelihoods of handmade goods producers and risk erasing the communities preserving these invaluable traditions. In such cases, companies may argue there's no infringement since they don't explicitly claim origin from Kolhapur or Sanganer. However, under the principles of passing off or unfair trade or colourable imitation, even implied or suggested associations can constitute infringement. In Scotch Whisky Association vs Pravara Sahakari Karkhana (1992), the court restrained the defendants from passing off their whisky under the description 'Blended with Scotch' along with a symbol featuring a Scottish drummer wearing a kilt, by misappropriating the plaintiff's goodwill. The legal recourse For registrability, an indication must fall within the definition of a 'geographical indication' under Section 2(1)(e) of the 1999 Act, which identifies goods as agricultural, natural or manufactured with certain quality or characteristic attributable to their 'geographical origin'. While GI registration is not mandatory in India, it offers stronger legal protection under Section 21, enabling infringement actions by registered proprietors and authorised users. If an unauthorised party misleads the public about the product's origin, engages in unfair competition, or falsely claims that the goods come from a registered GI region, legal action may be pursued. The burden of proving the proprietor's assent lies on the accused. Chapter VIII of the GI Act, 1999, outlines penalties and offences in detail. Under this, any police officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police may, upon reasonable satisfaction that an offence has been or is likely to be committed, search and seize — without a warrant — the goods, dies, blocks, machines, or other instruments involved. In case of offences committed by a company, Section 49 holds both the company and persons responsible for its conduct liable. Alternatively, civil remedies such as injunctions, damages, account of profits, and even an Anton Piller order may be sought. However, the scope of GI protection remains limited. GI rights are 'territorial', meaning they only apply in the country or region where protection is granted. There is no automatic international GI protection. Nevertheless, mechanisms do exist for global enforcement. First, recognition must be obtained in the country of origin — often a prerequisite — before applying for protection abroad. Other avenues include bilateral agreements (especially in sectors like wines and spirits), the WIPO Lisbon System, which allows protection across member states through a single registration, and the Madrid System, which enables GI-like protection as a collective or certification mark. What can be done? To truly safeguard traditional knowledge and support the communities behind these products, systemic reforms are essential. One promising initiative is the expansion of the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) to cover grassroots cultural expressions, including weaving, stitching, and dyeing traditions. Creating a publicly accessible, searchable database would help brands conduct due diligence, identify rights-holder communities, and initiate equitable collaborations. This can also lay the foundation for Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS). Inspired by Section 21 of India's Biological Diversity Act, 2002, a similar legal framework should be developed to ensure fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the use of 'traditional knowledge', either directly with rightful communities or through a general-purpose fund. Together, a widened TKDL and ABS legal framework tailored to cultural expressions can help prevent one-sided exploitation and promote fair partnerships between global brands and traditional artisans, benefiting both. Moreover, to boost visibility and sales of such products, a dedicated GI e-commerce marketplace can connect artisans directly with domestic and global buyers. Credibility in wider markets can be strengthened through attractive branding and eco-friendly packaging, supported by GI tags and QR-coded origin stories. Tourism-based promotion also holds promise. Craft trails, homestays, and live workshops in regions like Kolhapur and Madhubani can draw tourists while generating income for artisans. Public procurement by government departments for gifting and decor can ensure steady demand. Finally, simplifying GST norms and extending export incentives to artisan-led GI exports would further enhance profitability and encourage more participation in international trade. Safeguarding our traditional knowledge must go hand in hand with creating sustainable livelihoods for those who inherit, protect and pass it on. The writer is a lawyer based in New Delhi
Boston Globe
29-06-2025
- General
- Boston Globe
Horror and forgiveness: getting over Vietnam
I always assumed that napalm strikes, some of which I called in myself from American warplanes, burned the enemy, leaving what GIs called 'crispy critters.' That's what war does. It desensitizes. Then came the photo after I'd returned to 'the world,' as we called civilian life. No words can convey that impact. Seven years ago, I took my wife on a visit to Vietnam. To judge from what we saw of a bustling economy and the welcoming attitude shown to us, all is forgiven. Dave Griffiths Mechanic Falls, Maine
