The council on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), a World Trade Organization (WTO) committee, revisited it’s Doha Round negotiations concerning geographical indications this past December. Geographical indications are place names which identify a certain product such as “Champagne” or “Roquefort.” These long-running negotiations have been inactive since 2011, but now the committee aims to complete their talks and set up a geographical indications register for wines and spirits by July 2015. The council is also charged to debate higher levels of protection beyond wines and spirits.
Click here to read more details about the December 2014 meeting and hereto learn more about geographical indications.