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Geographical Indications
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The Geographical Indications (GIs) Conference for the ARIPO Member States held from 10 to 12 November 2021 concluded with a promise that GIs from Africa will have a better chance of protection and economic gain.

The Conference defined a strategy amongst the ARIPO Member States to set up a GI legal framework on a regional or national level that would demonstrate the importance of GIs for the national and regional markets.

En affirmant l’identité de produits agricoles traditionnels, l’appellation d’origine permet de structurer une organisation économique et d’encourager les efforts de qualité des producteurs et transformateurs dans la perspective de leur ouvrir des débouchés d’exportation.

Read more: SOUTIEN À LA MISE EN PLACE D’INDICATIONS GÉOGRAPHIQUES AFRICAINES

A roundtable on the role of geographical indications (GIs) in sustainable development was organised on 7 February 2023 by the French Development Agency (AFD) and the French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM). The topic ‘what lessons can be learned to improve the contribution of projects to sustainable development?’ was addressed.

Following the success of the joint EUIPO and European Commission (DG AGRI) Conference “Trade Marks and Geographical Indications: future perspectives” held in Alicante in October 2018, EUIPO and the Commission joined forces again. On 25-26 November, the ‘Strengthening Geographical Indications (GIs) – online Conference 2020’ took place. 

The European Commission and EUIPO, launched GIView on the 25th November 2020, during the online conference “Strengthening Geographical Indications”. GIview provides a single entry point for data on GIs registered in the EU, as well as on GIs in non-EU GIs protected at EU level through bilateral and multilateral agreements, and on EU GIs protected in non-EU countries.

Benin has registered its first Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) at the African Intellectual Property Organisation (OAPI). It is the pineapple sugar loaf from the Allada Plateau PGI.

EUIPO, as the implementing agency for the “Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Action for Africa” (AfrIPI) project, funded by the European Union, has provided legal support to the filing of Penja Pepper (Cameroon) Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) application in Europe.

This activity enhanced the capacity of the productive sector in African countries to compete in external markets through the use of protected GIs to identify the origin of their products.