PH, France strengthen market position of PH agri products
THE Philippines and France have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) that will promote agricultural and food geographical indications as an intellectual property to strengthen the market position of the country’s food and agricultural products.
Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHIL) Director-General Rowel S. Barba and the French National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO) Director Marie Guittard signed a Philippines-France MOC.
It is expected to enhance competitive advantage of food and agricultural products, strengthen market position, and contribute to overall economic growth and national development on 27 July 2022.
This landmark MOC, signed as the two countries celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations, will pave the way for increased cooperation in capacity-building and sharing of best practices, among others, with the end in view of facilitating the registration of Philippine and French geographical indications.
A geographical indication (GI), according to the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO), is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that is due to that origin.
In order to function as a GI, a sign must identify a product as originating from a given place. In addition, the qualities, characteristics or reputation of the product should be essentially due to the place of origin. Since the qualities depend on the geographical place of production, there is a clear link between the product and its original place of production.
