EU starts new project to protect Georgian geographical indications
Tweet 
Share
An EU-funded project called “Establishing Efficient Protection and Control System of Geographical Indications (GIs) in Georgia” will seek to boost the efficient protection and control system of Georgia’s geographical indications.
The project will establish a policy to protect Georgian geographical indications and support fair competition.
The issue of geographical indications has been on the agenda of the EU in Georgia for many years now, and with good reason - GIs are both a way to allow Georgia to trade on the basis of its primary strengths to the large EU market, but also a means to effectively safeguard its unique production methods and cultural traditions“ said EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell yesterday.
Geographical indications like Sulguni, Chacha, or Churchkhela play to ????????’s strengths on EU market, & help safeguard ????????’s unique traditions & production methods.
— Carl Hartzell (@CarlHartzellEU) November 7, 2019
Happy to launch project on GI’s w/ 2 champions-????????&????????. Difficult to imagine better partners!
➡️https://t.co/2V4849yUHa pic.twitter.com/S0ThlstFZm
The cost of the project is €1.5 million.
Italy and France are investing in the project.
The project...will be implemented by two EU champions in the field of GI, Italy and France. It's difficult to imagine better partners!” noted Hartzell.
The project will continue until January 2021.
As of today, Georgia has more than 40 geographical indications registered including Sulguni (Georgian cheese), Chacha (alcoholic beverage) and Churchkhela (a Georgian dessert).
The secret behind making authentic Tenili cheese has been awarded cultural heritage status, the European Union to Georgia has reported, releasing a video on how the cheese is made created by Georgian and Armenian young people with the support of EU-funded project.
Protecting geographical indications is one of the priorities of the Georgian agriculture and rural development strategy, Minister of Agriculture Levan Davitashvili said at the International Conference on Geographical Indications held in Tbilisi today.
The brand names and appellation of origin of Georgian wines, cheese and mineral waters in Switzerland will now be protected by a Georgain-Swiss agreement.
Georgia is cementing its international reputation as a producer of high quality agricultural products by giving geographical indications to about 130 products to improve their export opportunities.
Ham from Racha, a region in western Georgia and peaches from Gurjaani, a city in eastern Georgia, will be added to the list of geographical indications.
Honey from Ninotsminda, the Samtskhe-Javakheti region has been added to the list of geographical indications.
In order to protect the geographical indication of Georgian mineral water brand of Borjomi, the National Intellectual Property Centre Sakpatenti has registered it in China as a brand of Georgian origin. "From now on, in China, the use of the name of origin 'Borjomi' without the consent of the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture of Georgia will be banned", says Sakpatenti.
Products from Georgia and Moldova will be ensured to bear indications on their geographical origins in the two countries, after authorities signed a deal in Tbilisi on Wednesday.