The European Commission wants industries to have their own role and powers in detecting and prosecuting counterfeiting and misuse of geographical indications in product names and on packaging.
It is also proposed to simplify the registration of ‘protected’ geographical names, and to give the European Patent Office a role in this.
The scheme for geographical indications for agricultural products also applies to wines and distilled spirits. Specifically, the European Commission proposes to simplify the registration procedure and to strengthen the protection of geographical indications on the internet.
Misuse of geographical names (Parma ham, Spa water, Indian rice, etc.) occurs not only on packaging but increasingly in 'descriptions' on the internet.
In line with the farm-to-fork food strategy, the European Commission also wants newly formed product groups to agree on new terms about ecological or economic sustainability in their product descriptions.
EU member states remain responsible for enforcement at the national level, while the European Commission will continue to handle all registrations. The European Union Intellectual Property Office will provide technical support in this regard.
The latter point is considered "extremely worrying" by the European agricultural umbrella organization Copa-Cogeca. It was stated that this would shift the powers of the Agriculture Department to a legal agency without the necessary knowledge of the specific characteristics of the agricultural sector.
The Commission’s proposal is now being submitted to the EU member states and the European Parliament, which, together with the Commissioners, must reach a common position.