A Diplomatic Conference was held in Geneva from May 11 to 21 this year for a revision of the international registration system providing protection for names that identify the geographic origin of products. In this context, on May 20, it was adopted the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications. Among the significant improvements made by this Act, we can mention:

• the possibility of accession to the Agreement by both states in part, as well as intergovernmental organizations (such as the European Union, the African Intellectual Property Organization, etc.);
• inclusion, along with appellations of origin, of geographical indications as an object of protection and providing the same high level of protection for both objects of intellectual property;
• the possibility of protection of geographical indications and appellations of origin originating in countries with different systems for their protection.

WIPO Director General, Mr. Francis Gurry, concluded the works by thanking delegations for their very constructive engagement in addressing different approaches discussed at the Conference.

In his turn, President of the Diplomatic Conference, Mr. Ambassador Luis Enrique Chávez Basagoitia, Permanent Representative of Peru to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the diplomatic conference and called the adoption of the Geneva Act “a transcendental moment” for the Lisbon Union and WIPO.

The official signing ceremony of the Geneva Act took place on May 21, at WIPO’s Geneva headquarters.

Recall that Moldova was represented in the negotiations at the Diplomatic Conference by Mrs. Lilia Bolocan, Director General of AGEPI, Mr. Victor Moraru, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Moldova to the UN Office and other international organizations in Geneva and Mr. Igor Moldovan, Secretary of the Permanent Representation. The Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement will enter into force three months after five eligible parties have deposited their instruments of ratification or accession.

For more details visit http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2015/article_0009.html