PRoGIs: Intellectual Property Right extension

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• PRo-GIs  Intellectual Property Right extension
  Geographical Indications protection for the
  benefit of EU-Thai trade
• (ref DCI-ASIE2008/159903)
• Bangkok, 9th March, 2009

A project co-financed by Thailand EC Cooperation
Facility
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Pro-GIs Partnership

• Thailand
• Thai Italian Chamber of Commerce (TICC)
• Europe
• Bioagricoop scrl

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Cooperation with

• Department of Intellectual Property (DIP),
  Ministry of Commerce, Thailand That makes
  possible this initiative through its commitment
  and support
• EC-ASEAN Intellectual Property Rights Cooperation
  Program (ECAP), office in Bangkok for its
  continuous support,collaboration and
  recommendations

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Project objectives
ltSpecific objectivegt Improved protection
(according to EC Reg. 510/2006) and increase
value (through the use of EU logo) of Thai
GIs. ltOverall objectivegt To contribute to
strengthen GIs food trade flows between EU and
Thailand
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PRo-GIs Activities (chronological) (1)
1.1 Kick off meeting The meeting took place on
19th September, 2008 in the context of the IP
fair organised by DIP at the Impact Exhibition
Convention Center in Bangkok, It was the start
up of the project activities and saw the
participation of honoured speakers and guests
including - Jean Jacques Bouflet,
Minister-Counsellor for Trade, EC Delegation to
Thailand - His Excellency Ignazio Di Pace Italian
Ambassador in Thailand -Mrs. Puangrat Asavapisit,
Director General of the Department of
Intellectual Property Intellectual Property
Rights (IPRs) and (GIs) were the main topics of
the discussion. A delegation of several GIs
lodgers from all over Thailand attended the
meeting. In addition other important
stakeholders such as DIP, ECAP, Italian Trade
Commission, Queen Institute of Sericulture were
present to the initiative.
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PRo-GIs Activities (chronological) (2)

• 1.1 Kick off meeting
• Several topics were presented including
• Project Summary, objectives and strategies by Ms.
  Michelle Cristell
• -Growing Market of opportunities for Geographical
  Indications by Mr. Giovanni Galanti
• - EU Regulations on GIs by Mr. Riccardo Cozzo
• - Thai Geographical Indication by Mr. Pajchima
  Tanasanti
• Mr. Prakiat Nasimma, President of Thung Kula Rong
  Hai Geographical Indicator of Thai Hom
  Mali Rice Trader Association (T GIRA)
• Mr. Chinda Komolthornthai, Managing Director of
  Sarat Marketing Co., Ltd.
• For more information MOST OF THE PRESENTATIONS
  ARE DOWNLOADABLE from the project official web
  site http//www.thaitch.org/ProGis/project.htm

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PRo-GIs Activities

• 2.1. Organize and implement the Thai GIs lodgers
  training and follow up
• This activity aims at transferring to selected
  Thai GIs lodgers (four organisations) the
  principles and practices to set up preconditions
  to be inspected, certified and registered in EU
  according to EC Regulation 510/2006 (extend
  protection of Thai GIs in EU, makes the use of EU
  logo possible)
• Set up preconditions
• review of products specifications to be
  presented for registration in Thailand (for
  products not yet registered in Thailand)
• improve/ establish a producers association which
  will be the applicant for the registration
  application to EU
• Improve/ establish internal control procedure
  (ICP) to monitor/control operators activities
  against product specifications
• Apply to recognised certification body (ISO 65)
  to be certified
• Draft external control plan which is the key
  document that will permit the external control
• Inclusion of new agricultural products (silk
  yarn) into Annex II EC Reg. 510/2006

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PRo-GIs Activities

• 2.2 Preparation and follow up of Thai GIs
  application to EU
• A follow up activity will start after the
  training meeting to enable selected GIs lodger to
  meet the pre-conditions
• The follow up will consist in
• Reviewing product specifications (products
  characteristics must be checkable on the field)
• Stimulating the improvement/set up of a farmers
  association (according to Thai standards,
  Government agencies are eligible to apply for GIs
  registration)
• Draft manuals that contain the guidelines for the
  enforcement/implementation of (ICP)
• Send Thai GIs inspectors to facilitate the
  application to recognised certification body
• Prepare external control plans to permit the
  external certification on GIs farmers/processors/e
  xporters
• Follow up the procedure to include silk yarn in
  ANNEX II

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PRo-GIs Activities

• 2.2. Preparation and follow up of Thai GIs
  application to EU(2)
• Inspection and certification activities
• Depending on the situation (e.g implementation of
  ICP and number of GIs operators to be inspected)
  Bioagricert, the accredited certification body
  selected for the project, will start the
  inspection activities. In any case the project
  budget will cover more then 500 on field
  inspections.
• Inspection report will be sent to certification
  body auditors and on the base of their comments
  the certification board will decide whether
  operators are accomplishing with products
  specifications
• Certificates will be issued

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PRo-GIs Activities

• 2.2 Preparation and follow up of Thai GIs
  application to EU (3)
• Application to EU
• Third independent body certificate and producers
  association are among the key conditions to
  proceed with the application for registration in
  EU.
• Evaluation and registration process in EU could
  take up to 24 months ( registration outside
  project outputs)

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EU registered GIs by country
Total number of GIs certified products in EU 772
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Project Target Group
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PRo-GIs Activities
1.2 Organize and implement the intermediate
meeting From Field to Folks, experience
learned in the process to register Thai GIs in
EU The event will be an extension platform to
transmit project results (especially those
achieved through activities 2.1, 2.2) During the
meeting, creation of pre-conditions, farmers
association functions, ICP and control plans will
be presented and discussed. The meeting will last
one day, and will be held in Bangkok (70 people).
The meeting is scheduled for September - October
2009. GIs lodgers representative belonging to the
pilot group will be among the main speakers,
informing on direct experiences in the project
and lessons learnt. The project intends to
emphasize the circulation of best practices from
Thai GIs lodgers belonging to the target groups
to other Thai GIs lodgers (as Doi Chang in our
target group)
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PRo-GIs Activities
3.1 Study draw up Preliminary assessment of Thai
GIs market potential in EU The study activity
will produce a benchmark analysis of the EU GIs
market with special focus on market potential for
Thai GIs. EU GIs market trend will be studied
through literature review, data survey, and
stakeholder interview in order to produce a Thai
operators oriented information handbook.
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PRo-GIs Activities
1.3 Organize and implement the final meeting
Celebrating the new Thai GIs registered in EU,
enlarging EU market visibility in Thailand and
making the point for a wider project overview and
its achievements The meeting aims at
celebrating Thai GIs registered in EU or on the
way. Characteristics and figures of GIs market in
EU will be presented (100CD distributed) Inclusion
of SILK yarn in EC Reg annex II will be
discussed. The total estimated public is about
70 people. The meeting will be held in English
with a simultaneous translation in Thai Speech by
Thai and EC government representatives will be
encouraged.
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Project Action Plan
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Project structure