France supports Vietnam with 1.1 million USD to build geographical indications for agricultural products

On November 11, in Hanoi, the Department of Intellectual Property, Ministry of Science and Technology held a Workshop to Launch the Project to Support the Development of Geographical Indications in Vietnam.

Illustration photo.

This project, funded by the French Development Agency (AFD), will support Vietnam in improving its geographical indication registration and management system by developing a new approach, from methodology to policy and practice issues, based on lessons learned from Europe, especially France, moving closer to integration in geographical indication registration and management with countries in the region and the world.

The total cost of the project is nearly 1.3 million USD; of which AFD's funding is 1,097,400 USD, the rest is Vietnam's counterpart fund. The project is assigned to an international consortium to implement, including: the Rural Development Center (RUDEC); the Center for Research and Development of Agricultural Systems (CASRAD) and the Center for International Cooperation in Agricultural Research for Development, French Republic (CIRAD).

According to Deputy Minister of Science and Technology and Director of the National Office of Intellectual Property Tran Viet Thanh, Vietnam still faces many difficulties in geographical indications. There are not many products with geographical indications on the market, and they have not created awareness and trust among consumers.

In addition, the project also provides technical support and capacity building for producers' associations in accessing markets for two geographical indication products: Quang Tri pepper and Binh Phuoc cashew nuts.

According to Mr. Bruno Vindel, Project Manager of AFD, an effective geographical indication system needs to be based on two pillars, collective action at the local level and supporting policies. Local collectives are enterprises, manufacturers, processors, and local authorities. If the legal environment at the central level is not favorable, geographical indications cannot be effective.

Mr. Luu Duc Thanh, Head of the Geographical Indications Department of the Intellectual Property Office - Ministry of Science and Technology, said that through this project, an inter-ministerial mechanism with specific roles for ministries, branches, and regulations will be proposed by the inter-ministerial advisory council on geographical indications.

Some specific proposals made at the workshop were to protect geographical indications for two pilot products in the domestic market; establish two models of geographical indication management organizations in two localities to test products; build two effective business and farmer associations in managing and developing geographical indications; develop and promulgate nationwide a set of guidelines on the management and exploitation of geographical indications, as a basis for reference and guidance for other localities.

According to xaluan.com