China, EU recognize geographical specialities

"Roquefort", "Parma", "Stilton" and "Sierra Mgina" are a few of the many European place names associated with internationally known products - cheeses, hams and olive oils.

But in China, products sold under these names do not always come from the geographical regions invoked. Producers from other parts of the world may also refer to these places in their brand names in what original producers say is a deliberate attempt to deceive customers.

However, such misleading marketing will be more difficult to pull off in this country since China and the European Union (EU) reached an initial agreement yesterday in Beijing to grant geographic indication status to 10 products from each side.

It was the first time the two sides had pursued the "bilateral registration" of geographic indications (GIs), but both of them emphasized that the official registration would be subject to an examination period from 12 to 18 months.

GIs, as they are usually known, are forms of identification indicating that a product originates from a particular region. For a GI product, reputations for quality or other characteristics are intimately linked to its geographical origin.

Of the 10 GIs from China, at least seven are agricultural products. The other three are a vinegar, vermicelli and crayfish from designated places.

Among the European GIs, five are cheeses, while the others include olive oil, salmon and ham.

After registration, the 10 Chinese GIs will receive full protection in all 27 EU member States, said Aldo Longo, director-general of agriculture and rural development of the European Commission.

He said the recognition would grant Chinese producers from designated places the exclusive right to use the name.

Enforcement measures for violations vary within the EU: Infringement may be treated as a counterfeit, misleading advertising or even as a question of public health. Infringing goods could also be seized by customs on import.

Meanwhile, the 10 registered European GIs shall receive the same level of protection in China, according to Chinese delegation head Tian Zhuang, a senior official with the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

It is also believed the use of GIs will help raise the price of such specialized goods. For example, Toscano olive oil has increased its price by at least 10 percent since its recognition as a GI in the EU.

Chinese enterprises authorized to use the 10 to-be-recognized GIs hailed the cooperation, saying it might help increase their exports.

However, a senior manager who declined to reveal his name from the Hengshun Group in Zhenjiang, a leading vinegar producer in China, said he was worried that having GIs might not be enough to eradicate fake products.

"Those who can produce fake products can also produce fake trademarks and GI labels," he said.