#US #Canada #Mexico #Tariffs #FreeTrade #USMCA: “Bourbon whiskey” and “Tennessee whiskey” in favor to end retaliatory tariffs and approve the USMCA
The Distilled Spirits Council is the Trade Association representing the leading producers and marketers of distilled spirits in the US. Among the products represented by the Council, “Bourbon whiskey” and “Tennessee whiskey” can be considered GIs, protected in the US through standards and labelling rules as well as in foreign markets through a number of bilateral agreements negotiated by the Federal Government. For the details of national and international protection, please check oriGIn worldwide GIs compilation
Earlier this month, the Council has sent a letter to commerce secretary Wilbur Ross, and trade representative Robert Lighthizer asking the US Government to end the retaliatory tariffs with Mexico and Canada, which are negatively affecting the sector. The Council is also in favor of the Congressional approval of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which is supposed to replace the NAFTA.
The USMCA reaffirms commitments on tariff-free trade in spirits and provides distinctive product recognition for ‘“Bourbon whiskey” and “Tennessee whiskey” in Canada and Mexico, “American rye whiskey” in Mexico and “Canadian whisky”, “Tequila” and “Mezcal” in the US.
More information @ https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2019/01/distilled-spirits-council-calls-for-end-to-trade-wars/
#GenevaAct #WIPO #EU #JuriCommittee: The JURI Committee of the European Parliament takes into account oriGIn’s concerns with respect to the proposed modalities for the EU to join the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement
In 2018, the European Commission (EC) tabled a proposal for the EU accession to the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications. It is currently discussed by the Member States and the European Parliament (Committee on Legal Affairs –JURI, rapporteur Virginie Roziere).
On 23 January, the JURI Committee approved the Roziere report and its amendments. The most relevant points are the following:
- Concern is expressed for the fact that the EU will not have the right to vote within the future Union administering the Geneva Act within the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), without individual Member States acceding to the treaty. The report calls for the EC to find a solution to this issue.
- Following the EU accession to the Geneva Act, the EC should notify a first list of GIs to be protected via the treaty, based on the contributions from Member States and relevant stakeholders. This list should be updated at a later stage, with the objective to protect as many EU GIs as possible. Likewise, all the appellations of origin protected by EU Member States via the Lisbon Agreement before the EU accession should be protected under the Geneva Act.
- A European instrument to protect non-agricultural GIs should be developed, to allow the EU to fully comply with the Geneva Act.
We are glad to see that the concerns expressed last year by oriGIn to the European institutions have been taken into account by the JURI Committee, which will now seek from the European Parliament a mandate to negotiate with the European Council.
#Promotion #EU: 2019 calls for proposals
The 2019 calls for proposals concerning promotional programmes under Regulation 1144/2014/EU were published on 15 January. Here are the links:
The deadline for submitting proposals is 16 April 2019.
The EU 2019 promotion programme, adopted by the Commission in November 2018, has made € 191.6 million available for programmes to promote European agricultural products (up to 80% of EU co-financing for multi programs targeting third countries). Out of the total, € 89 million will be allocated to campaigns in high growth countries such as Canada, China, Colombia, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and the US.
