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09 July 2020, 07:11
What is this project about?
“Geographical indications in Ukraine” is the project of the European Union, which has been implemented in Ukraine since 2017. Its purpose is to help our country to create a system of marking goods with properties and reputation, determined mainly by geographical location. The project cooperates with government agencies, manufacturers, business associations, consumer associations, tour operators and all other stakeholders seeking to create new brands with a geographical indication and generally improve the system of geographical indications in Ukraine.
For example, the brands “Melitopol Cherry” and “Hutsul cow brynza” will be registered this summer. The application for registration was submitted by the Association of Melitopol Cherry Producers in late December, and the application from the Association of Carpathian Herds for registration of “Hutsul brynza” was submitted in early October last year. It is expected that the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine may register them in August this year.
What are the requirements for brand registration by geographical indication?
A geographical indication is the name of a place that identifies a product that originates in that geographical place and has a special quality, reputation or other characteristics due mainly to that geographical place of origin. At least one of the production stages of goods (manufacture, extraction, processing or preparation) must be carried out in the specified geographical area. For example, only cherries grown in the areas around the city of Melitopol on both banks of the Molochna River can be officially called “Melitopol cherry”.
The first brand to be registered in Ukraine with a geographical indication was “Hutsul Bryndza”. It was registered at the end of last year. The products of this brand are made in the high Carpathian plains from sheep's milk according to recipes dating back to the 15th century. Production area - Zakarpattya, Ivano-Frankivsk and part of Chernivtsi region.
Legislative amendments
In order to make registration of brands with geographical indications possible, Ukraine had to amend its legislation, as required by the Association Agreement with the EU. In particular, in September 2019, the Law “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine to Improve the Legal Protection of Geographical Indications” was adopted. This Law defines the term “geographical indication”, the conditions of its use, as well as the specifics of registration and protection of geographical indications.
On January 1, 2020, the Law of Ukraine “On Legal Protection of Geographical Indications” came into force. It is a new version of the Law “On protection of rights to indicate the origin of goods”, which has been brought in line with the EU law. In addition, the mentioned law is a framework one. This means that it will be followed by sectoral laws that will regulate the use and protection of geographical indications separately for agricultural products, food products, as well as for wines and spirits.
At the same time, the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU, which provides Ukraine with many opportunities for the recognition of its brands with geographical indications in the territory of the European Union, also imposes international obligations on Ukraine. In particular, there is a whole list of products which names are prohibited for use by unregistered manufacturers. Thus, according to the Association Agreement, by 2026 Ukraine must abandon the use of the protected geographical indication “Cognac” and by 2023 – “Feta”. So now Ukrainian manufacturers will have to look for other names for these products.
What other brands with geographical indications may appear in Ukraine soon?
A package of documents is already prepared for registration of geographical indications for “Shabag” and “Yalpug” wines from Odesa region, as well as geographical indication “Kherson watermelon”. Work on a code of practice for producers of the future geographical indication “Honey of Zakarpattya” is nearing completion. According to experts, Ukrainian beekeepers, who are not independent exporters of their own honey, will benefit the most from the registration of geographical indications for honey, because then the added value of their products will increase. By the way, Ukrainian honey is in great demand on the world market. In January-May this year, Ukraine supplied 28.45 thousand tons of honey to foreign markets, which is 29% more than in the same period of 2019, when 22.06 thousand tons were exported. This is the data of the State Customs Service. The main buyers of Ukrainian honey in January-May were Germany (20.7%), Poland (about 20%) and Belgium (15%).
In addition to certain products, Ukraine is preparing to register geographical indications of entire regions, in particular, “Zakarpattya”, “Road of wine and taste of Kherson region”, “Mykolayiv”, as well as “Prykarpattya” and “Bukovyna” roads of taste. According to the experts of the “Geographical indications in Ukraine” project, appearance of these brands will not only promote the products produced in these areas, but will also help to develop gastronomic tourism in the regions.
The materials of the FB page Geographical Indications in Ukraine and the information-analytical portal of the agro-industrial complex of Ukraine were used for this publication.
“Melitopol cherries” and “Kherson watermelons” will become international brands thanks to the EU project
Melitopol cherries, Kherson watermelons, Hutsul brynza - these products have long been a symbol of quality and excellent taste for Ukrainians. Thanks to the EU project, they will soon become international brands.What is this project about?
“Geographical indications in Ukraine” is the project of the European Union, which has been implemented in Ukraine since 2017. Its purpose is to help our country to create a system of marking goods with properties and reputation, determined mainly by geographical location. The project cooperates with government agencies, manufacturers, business associations, consumer associations, tour operators and all other stakeholders seeking to create new brands with a geographical indication and generally improve the system of geographical indications in Ukraine.
For example, the brands “Melitopol Cherry” and “Hutsul cow brynza” will be registered this summer. The application for registration was submitted by the Association of Melitopol Cherry Producers in late December, and the application from the Association of Carpathian Herds for registration of “Hutsul brynza” was submitted in early October last year. It is expected that the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine may register them in August this year.
What are the requirements for brand registration by geographical indication?
A geographical indication is the name of a place that identifies a product that originates in that geographical place and has a special quality, reputation or other characteristics due mainly to that geographical place of origin. At least one of the production stages of goods (manufacture, extraction, processing or preparation) must be carried out in the specified geographical area. For example, only cherries grown in the areas around the city of Melitopol on both banks of the Molochna River can be officially called “Melitopol cherry”.
The first brand to be registered in Ukraine with a geographical indication was “Hutsul Bryndza”. It was registered at the end of last year. The products of this brand are made in the high Carpathian plains from sheep's milk according to recipes dating back to the 15th century. Production area - Zakarpattya, Ivano-Frankivsk and part of Chernivtsi region.
Legislative amendments
In order to make registration of brands with geographical indications possible, Ukraine had to amend its legislation, as required by the Association Agreement with the EU. In particular, in September 2019, the Law “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine to Improve the Legal Protection of Geographical Indications” was adopted. This Law defines the term “geographical indication”, the conditions of its use, as well as the specifics of registration and protection of geographical indications.
On January 1, 2020, the Law of Ukraine “On Legal Protection of Geographical Indications” came into force. It is a new version of the Law “On protection of rights to indicate the origin of goods”, which has been brought in line with the EU law. In addition, the mentioned law is a framework one. This means that it will be followed by sectoral laws that will regulate the use and protection of geographical indications separately for agricultural products, food products, as well as for wines and spirits.
At the same time, the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU, which provides Ukraine with many opportunities for the recognition of its brands with geographical indications in the territory of the European Union, also imposes international obligations on Ukraine. In particular, there is a whole list of products which names are prohibited for use by unregistered manufacturers. Thus, according to the Association Agreement, by 2026 Ukraine must abandon the use of the protected geographical indication “Cognac” and by 2023 – “Feta”. So now Ukrainian manufacturers will have to look for other names for these products.
What other brands with geographical indications may appear in Ukraine soon?
A package of documents is already prepared for registration of geographical indications for “Shabag” and “Yalpug” wines from Odesa region, as well as geographical indication “Kherson watermelon”. Work on a code of practice for producers of the future geographical indication “Honey of Zakarpattya” is nearing completion. According to experts, Ukrainian beekeepers, who are not independent exporters of their own honey, will benefit the most from the registration of geographical indications for honey, because then the added value of their products will increase. By the way, Ukrainian honey is in great demand on the world market. In January-May this year, Ukraine supplied 28.45 thousand tons of honey to foreign markets, which is 29% more than in the same period of 2019, when 22.06 thousand tons were exported. This is the data of the State Customs Service. The main buyers of Ukrainian honey in January-May were Germany (20.7%), Poland (about 20%) and Belgium (15%).
In addition to certain products, Ukraine is preparing to register geographical indications of entire regions, in particular, “Zakarpattya”, “Road of wine and taste of Kherson region”, “Mykolayiv”, as well as “Prykarpattya” and “Bukovyna” roads of taste. According to the experts of the “Geographical indications in Ukraine” project, appearance of these brands will not only promote the products produced in these areas, but will also help to develop gastronomic tourism in the regions.
The materials of the FB page Geographical Indications in Ukraine and the information-analytical portal of the agro-industrial complex of Ukraine were used for this publication.