In June 2018, formal negotiations began between New Zealand and the European Union (EU) on a free trade agreement. Under this agreement, the EU is looking for New Zealand to recognise and protect a list of EU geographical indications (GIs) in New Zealand. There is also an opportunity for New Zealand to provide the EU with a list of New Zealand product names for consideration as GIs for protection in the EU.
A geographical indication (GI) is a type of intellectual property right that identifies a product as originating in a territory, region, area or locality in that territory where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of the product is essentially attributable to its geographical origin.
New Zealand Foreign Affairs & Trade is seeking:
- nominations from New Zealand agricultural, wine, spirits, aquaculture and food producers and producer groups for their product names to be proposed to the EU for GI registration and protection in the EU, and
- objections to the list of GIs the EU proposes for GI recognition and protection in New Zealand.
For more information on the EU-NZ free trade negotiations, this consultation on GIs, and to make your nomination and/or objection, please visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.
All nominations and objections are due to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade by 19 March 2019.
More information about how geographical indications are currently used and protected in New Zealand is available on the IPONZ website.