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Alert 380 - Vietnam - Rouse registers Vietnam's third foreign GI
'Scotch Whisky' was registered as a Geographical Indication of Origin (GI) in Vietnam on 19th November 2010. It is the third foreign GI to be protected in Vietnam, and the first under procedures laid out by the IP Law 2005; the first two being France's 'Cognac' and Peru's 'Pisco Wine' both of which are registered under the old Appellation of Origin Procedure.
At a formal ceremony held at the British Ambassador's Residence in Hanoi on 14 December, the NOIP's Director General, Mr Tran Viet Hung presented the GI certificate to the new British Ambassador, Dr Antony Stokes LVO.
Background
A GI indicates to consumers that a product is produced in a particular place and has a quality, reputation or other characteristics that are due to its geographical origin. GIs are protected in Vietnam under the Intellectual Property Law and Section III of the TRIPS Agreement.
Why did The Scotch Whisky Association Register a GI?
Scotch Whisky is whisky produced in Scotland in accordance with UK legislation. With annual exports in excess of £3bn, it is one of the UK’s leading exports. The Scotch Whisky Association aims to protect the value and reputation of Scotch Whisky which has been built up over centuries as a result of strict controls and legislation governing its production and maturation methods. The registering of the GI specifically recognises that only whiskies which are produced in Scotland in accordance with strictly defined traditional methods are entitled to use the words 'scotch whisky'. The registration of a GI for Scotch Whisky in Vietnam will assist the SWA to remove products from Vietnam’s marketplace which indicate erroneously that they are Scotch Whisky.
Registration of the GI
Registration of the Scotch Whisky GI in Vietnam took over two years from start to finish. As the registration system is relatively new and there are very few foreign GIs registered, the process required much discussion with the NOIP on various aspects relating to the production of Scotch Whisky and the final product itself.
Conclusion
The protection of Scotch Whisky as a GI in Vietnam is an important milestone. It will help to protect Scotch Whisky in the region (GIs for Scotch Whisky have already been registered in Malaysia and Thailand) and will also help protect consumers from fake products. The successful registration in Vietnam follows recent registrations of GIs for Scotch Whisky in China and Panama which were also awarded in November 2010.
The protection of Scotch Whisky as a GI in Vietnam is an important milestone. It will help to protect Scotch Whisky in the region (GIs for Scotch Whisky have already been registered in Malaysia and Thailand) and will also help protect consumers from fake products. The successful registration in Vietnam follows recent registrations of GIs for Scotch Whisky in China and Panama which were also awarded in November 2010.
It is hoped that this successful registration will encourage others to seek GI protection in Vietnam.
