Geographical indications — Protected Designations of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indications (PGI), and Geographical Indications for industrial and artisanal products (GIIPA) — are intellectual property rights that protect the reputation of a territory, shared know-how, and a community of producers or artisans. Geographical indications have considerable economic value, and their protection is a major strategic issue for the sectors that benefit from them (defense associations and management bodies, producers, cooperatives, artisans, and industrial operators).
The misappropriation of a designation, the use of a protected name as a trademark, the marketing of a product that evokes or imitates a geographical indication without complying with its specifications, or advertising that suggests an origin or quality the product does not possess. These are among the many situations that must be anticipated.
Our lawyers act both in an advisory and litigation capacity, for claimants and defendants alike, to assist you with all your PDO and PGI-related issues.