The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade is organizing a training program on geographical indication.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade is organizing a training program on geographical indication from 26 to 30 September 2022 with the technical and financial support of the European Union.
This training program is mainly intended for ministries and departments that according to the Industrial Property Act of 2019, are called to process applications for registration and protection of geographical indications.
According to the definition of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a geographical indication is a sign used on goods that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities, reputation or characteristics essentially due to that place of origin. The qualities being a function of the geographical place of manufacture or production, there is a clear link between the product and its original place of production or manufacture.
According to previous studies conducted in Mauritius on local products with the potential to be protected as geographical indications, these include rum, speciality sugars, Bois-Chéri tea, Chamarel coffee, Tai So litchi and local Rodrigues products such as ‘Rodrigues chilli’, Rodrigues lemon’, Baie Topaz red beans and Rodrigues honey.
A right on a geographical indication allows the holders of this right to prevent its use by another company or another country producing similar products but which do not comply with the standards applicable according to the geographical indication. The holder of this right can therefore, through the exploitation of the status of a ‘geographical indication’, ensure a specific quality of his product which allows him to generate profits in terms of income.
