China approves geographical indication protection for EU products

Bottles of wine from Italy are exhibited at the Food and Agricultural Products exhibition area during the third China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe)

BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- China's National Intellectual Property Administration on Tuesday approved geographical indications (GIs) protection for nearly 100 products from the European Union (EU), increasing the total protected EU GIs in the country to 134.

According to the China-EU GI agreement that took effect on Monday, 100 GIs from each side, involving liquor, tea, food and farm produce, came under protection.

The agreement also increases the total number of Chinese GIs that are officially protected in the EU to 110, the administration said in a statement.

Within four years after its entry into force, the scope of the agreement will expand to cover an additional 175 GIs from each side.

GI sign is used to show the specific geographical origin of a product and identify its qualities or reputation due to that origin. The sign is an important type of intellectual property right (IPR) and a quality guarantee.

The administration vowed that China will strengthen the overseas protection of Chinese GIs, provide high-quality IPR services for foreign enterprises and severely crack down on infringement and counterfeiting of GIs.