According to the agreement, Chinese first batch of 100 well-known geographical indications such as Anxi Tieguanyin, Wuchang Rice, and Sichuan Pickles will be protected by the European Union immediately after the agreement coming into force, effectively preventing the occurrence of infringements such as counterfeiting. The second batch of 175 geographical indications will be protected within four years after the agreement coming into force.

According to the Press Office of the Ministry of Commerce, on September 14, Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan, German Ambassador to China Ge Ce and EU Ambassador to China Yu Bai formally signed the Agreement on the Protection and Cooperation of Geographical Indications between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the European Union.

The agreement includes 14 articles and 7 appendices, mainly stipulating the rules for the protection of geographical indications and the list of mutual recognition of geographical indications. The agreement included a total of 550 geographical indications (275 each), involving alcohol, tea, agricultural products, food, etc.

China is rich in geographical indication products. According to the agreement, Chinese first batch of 100 well-known geographical indications such as Anxi Tieguanyin, Wuchang Rice, and Sichuan Pickles will be protected by the European Union immediately after the agreement coming into force, effectively preventing the occurrence of infringements such as counterfeiting. The second batch of 175 geographical indications will be protected within four years after the agreement coming into force.

Negotiations on the agreement started in 2011 and lasted for 8 years. At the end of 2019, China and the EU announced the end of negotiations. According to the agreement, Chinese relevant geographical indication products have the right to use the official EU logo. At the same time, the agreement provides a high level of protection for the geographical indications of both parties, which can eliminate the worries of the EU's high-quality specialty products entering the Chinese market, and help consumers obtain more high-quality European specialty products to meet the needs of a better life.

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