Permanent Mission of India
Geneva

Statement by India at the 37th Session of SCT, during the discussion on the Agenda Item : Protection of Geographical Indications, delivered by Dr. Sumit Seth, First Secretary, on 29 March 2017

Thank you Mr. Chairman

Delegation of India welcomes the initiative taken by SCT to host yesterday’s information session on geographical indications. The session essentially dealt with “the features, experiences and practices of the different national and regional geographical indication protection systems, and the issues of protection of geographical indications on the internet, and geographical indications and country names in the domain name system. The information session was insightful and interactive, and helped us enhance our understanding of different systems.

As there exists a multiplicity of systems, and after listening to the views expressed by various Member States, the Delegation of India would like to support the idea of a factual study by the Secretariat that surveys the national laws on various aspects of GI protection. This is in accordance with the Development Agenda recommendations which called for SCT to take an informed view on issues relating to GIs to guide its work. 

With these words I thank you, Mr. Chairman.