Geographical Indication Protection In India

This book is a unique compilation of comprehensive works covering the potentials, challenges, and realities of geographical indications from an Indian perspective. The book encompasses critical studies on legal, regulatory, and institutional frameworks and debates surrounding geographical indications. The concept of geographical indication has not received paramount importance in India compared to the other forms of intellectual property rights like patents and trademarks, while GI is becoming critical in national and international discourses. It aims at presenting both national and international situations and discussions, which will appeal to readers worldwide. This book in its first part elaborately deals with the genesis of the GI Act, and then it goes on to analyze both substantive as well as procedural aspects of the registration under the Indian GI Act and tries to identify the discrepancy and gaps in the laws. Also, a comparative perspective has been built by analyzing the GI laws and regulations of some developed countries with that of India. The challenges in existing regulation for quality control and enforcement of GI products in the Indian GI Act have been dealt comprehensively by the authors which are critical in achieving the stated objectives of the Act. The book also focuses on the role of geographical indication in the socio-economic development of rural India. The authors have illustrated how the GI can act as an effective mechanism for employment generation and sustainable growth opportunities in different sectors like agriculture, food, and handicraft. The interaction of GI with traditional knowledge and biodiversity and their impact on society is also extensively covered. The book contains real-life case studies by the authors from different states of India highlighting the success stories and missed opportunities of different GIs and the way forward where the GI can function as an effective tool for the overall development of a country and promote international trade. The book will provide law students, scholars from legal and IP disciplines, legal practitioners, producers, and policymakers a factual and multidimensional insight into the GI system in India. This will further promote research in this area, particularly from an Asian perspective and enhance the real-life application of GI to varied products.

The How and the Why of protecting the unique identity of local products in the age of globalization. 'It is decreed that no wine merchant can mix two wines together. Disregarding this law can entail a loss of wine and a -fine', and with these words a certain king of France in 1351 gave birth to what we now know as geographical indications (GIs). From the aromatic Basmati rice to the rich taste of Darjeeling tea in India and from the sparkling white wine of Champagne to the blue cheese of Roquefort in France, all locale-specific products are protected by GIs. The book compares the case of India with that of France where GIs originated and investigates how India has successfully extended its GIs to handicrafts while France and Europe still remain con-fined to foodstuff. It is a significant study in light of the increased Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights and World Trade Organization regime. A must-have for producers, practitioners, lawyers, policy makers, researchers, academics and students of law.

Intellectual property rights (IPRs) refer to the legal ownership by a person or business of an invention/discovery attached to a particular product or process which protects the owner against unauthorized copying or imitation. The agreement establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO) contains, inter alia, an Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). The TRIPS Agreement, which came into effect on January 1, 1995, is the most comprehensive multilateral agreement on intellectual property rights. TRIPS provides for norms and standards with respect to the following areas of intellectual property: (a) copyright and related rights; (b) trademarks, including service marks; (c) geographical indications, including appellations of origin; (d) industrial designs; (e) patents, including the protection of new varieties of plants; (f) layout designs of integrated circuits; (g) undisclosed information, including trade secrets and test data; and (h) control of anti-competitive practices in contractual licenses. Geographical indications (GIs) are defined, for the purposes of the Agreement, as indications which identify a good originating in the territory of a Member, or a region or locality in that territory, where a given quality, reputation, or other characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographical origin. This book contains ten research papers which explore the socio-economic implications of intellectual property rights protection through geographical indications and which analyze the legal aspects associated with the registration of products in India. [Subject: India Studies, Intellectual Property Law, Economics, Trade, Business]

This book presents a comprehensive analysis of Geographical Indications (GI) in the Indian context with particular reference to the handloom sector. It discusses themes such as the rationale of GI as IP (intellectual property); the domestic position on GIs; GI protection under various international instruments; handlooms from Gujarat and their GI journey; the efficacy of GIs; and GI structure for handlooms. The volume fills the gap between law and policies and recommends the implementation of an efficient legal system. It highlights the status of Indian handlooms, a sector that represents the country’s cultural heritage and supports a range of livelihoods. We examine India’s GI protection system with its diverse cultures and explore how GI can help recognize, support and promote these products to bring socio-economic benefits. The work documents policy measures undertaken for the revival, restructuring and promotion of Indian handlooms and handicrafts, and will serve as an important intervention in Indian law on GI. An investigative study that evaluates the current law and policy on GI protection through detailed case studies and empirical research on select Indian handlooms, this book will be useful to scholars and researchers of geography, economics, development studies, sociology, law and public policy. It will also interest policymakers, legal practitioners, textile and handloom professionals, design and business administration institutes, media, arts and crafts museums and civil society organizations working on handlooms or in intellectual property.

This publication provides an introduction to geographical indications, explaining their basic features, use and protection as an intellectual property right. Written for non-experts, it is a starting point for readers seeking to learn more about the topic.

This book is a unique compilation of comprehensive works covering the potentials, challenges, and realities of geographical indications from an Indian perspective. The book encompasses critical studies on legal, regulatory, and institutional frameworks and debates surrounding geographical indications. The concept of geographical indication has not received paramount importance in India compared to the other forms of intellectual property rights like patents and trademarks, while GI is becoming critical in national and international discourses. It aims at presenting both national and international situations and discussions, which will appeal to readers worldwide. This book in its first part elaborately deals with the genesis of the GI Act, and then it goes on to analyze both substantive as well as procedural aspects of the registration under the Indian GI Act and tries to identify the discrepancy and gaps in the laws. Also, a comparative perspective has been built by analyzing the GI laws and regulations of some developed countries with that of India. The challenges in existing regulation for quality control and enforcement of GI products in the Indian GI Act have been dealt comprehensively by the authors which are critical in achieving the stated objectives of the Act. The book also focuses on the role of geographical indication in the socio-economic development of rural India. The authors have illustrated how the GI can act as an effective mechanism for employment generation and sustainable growth opportunities in different sectors like agriculture, food, and handicraft. The interaction of GI with traditional knowledge and biodiversity and their impact on society is also extensively covered. The book contains real-life case studies by the authors from different states of India highlighting the success stories and missed opportunities of different GIs and the way forward where the GI can function as an effective tool for the overall development of a country and promote international trade. The book will provide law students, scholars from legal and IP disciplines, legal practitioners, producers, and policymakers a factual and multidimensional insight into the GI system in India. This will further promote research in this area, particularly from an Asian perspective and enhance the real-life application of GI to varied products.

Historically, few topics have proven to be so controversial in international intellectual property as the protection of geographical indications (GIs). The adoption of TRIPS in 1994 did not resolve disagreements, and countries worldwide continue to quarrel today as to the nature, the scope, and the enforcement of GI protection nationally and internationally. Thus far, however, there is little literature addressing GI protection from the point of view of the Asia-Pacific region, even though countries in this region have actively discussed the topic and in several instances have promoted GIs as a mechanism to foster local development and safeguard local culture. This book, edited by renowned intellectual property scholars, fills the void in the current literature and offers a variety of contributions focusing on the framework and effects of GI protection in the Asia-Pacific region. The book is available as Open Access.