Online protection of geographical indications

On the 1st of March 2021, the EU-China Agreement on Geographical Indications (GIs) entered into force. The Agreement protects around 200 European and Chinese GIs against imitation and duplication, bringing mutual trade benefits and introducing consumers to high-quality, authentic products from the two regions with a rich culinary and cultural tradition. Within four years from its entry into force, the Agreement will further expand to cover an additional 350 GIs from both sides (175 on each side). GIs in China can be protected in two ways. They can be protected as an intellectual property right (IPR) under the Chinese Trade Mark Law as a collective or certification mark which provides the same level of legal and economic protection as a regular registered trade mark. Alternatively, and in addition to registering the GI as a trade mark, GIs can be protected as a Product Quality and Characteristics Marking with the CNIPA. Since 2019, the CNIPA also manages the protection of products bearing foreign geographical indications in China as Product Quality and Characteristics Markings. The GIs falling under the EU-China Agreement on Geographical Indications will automatically be protected under the Product Quality and Characteristics Marking scheme, but not under the Trade Mark Law.