"Roquefort", "Parma", "Stilton" and "Sierra Mgina" are a few of the many
European place names associated with internationally known products - cheeses,
hams and olive oils.
But in China, products sold under these names do
not always come from the geographical regions invoked. Producers from other
parts of the world may also refer to these places in their brand names in what
original producers say is a deliberate attempt to deceive customers.
However, such misleading marketing will be more difficult to pull off in
this country since China and the European Union (EU) reached an initial
agreement yesterday in Beijing to grant geographic
indication status to 10 products from each side.
It was
the first time the two sides had pursued the "bilateral registration" of
geographic indications (GIs), but both of them emphasized that the official
registration would be subject to an examination period from 12 to 18 months.
GIs, as they are usually known, are forms of identification indicating
that a product originates from a particular region. For a GI product,
reputations for quality or other characteristics are intimately linked to its
geographical origin.
Of the 10 GIs from China, at least seven are
agricultural products. The other three are a vinegar, vermicelli and
crayfish from designated places.
Among the European GIs, five are cheeses, while the others include olive
oil, salmon and ham.
After registration, the 10 Chinese GIs will receive
full protection in all 27 EU member States, said Aldo Longo, director-general of
agriculture and rural development of the European Commission.
He said
the recognition would grant Chinese producers from designated places the
exclusive right to use the name.
Enforcement measures for violations
vary within the EU: Infringement may
be treated as a counterfeit, misleading advertising or even as a question of
public health. Infringing goods could also be seized by customs on import.
Meanwhile, the 10 registered European GIs shall receive the same level
of protection in China, according to Chinese delegation head Tian Zhuang, a
senior official with the General Administration of Quality Supervision,
Inspection and Quarantine.
It is also believed the use of GIs will help
raise the price of such specialized goods. For example, Toscano olive oil has
increased its price by at least 10 percent since its recognition as a GI in the
EU.
Chinese enterprises authorized to use the 10 to-be-recognized GIs
hailed the cooperation, saying it might help increase their exports.
However, a senior manager who declined to reveal his name from the
Hengshun Group in Zhenjiang, a leading vinegar producer in China, said he was
worried that having GIs might not be enough to eradicate fake products.
"Those who can produce fake products can also produce fake trademarks
and GI labels," he said.
(China Daily 07/12/2007 page 3)
Vocabulary:
geographic indication:地理标志
crayfish:小龙虾
infringement:违反
Questions:
1. What does a GI product signify?
2. How will violations of GI be
enforced?
3. What criticisms did a senior manager from the Hengshun group
give concerning the use of GIs in China?
Answers:
1. It signifies that the product
originates from a particular region.
2. Infringement may be treated as a
counterfeit, misleading advertising or even as a question of public health.
Infringing goods could also be seized by customs on import.
3. Having
GIs might not be enough to eradicate fake products. Those who can produce fake
products can also produce fake trademarks and GI labels.
(英语点津 Linda 编辑)
About the broadcaster:
Suzann Riddle is a senior double majoring in Health Care
Management and Economics at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. She finds
herself at China Daily Website after visiting many areas of China as a Holland
Fellow, Appalachian's international exchange program with Fudan University.