By Dan Bolton
In September, the European Union granted China Protected Geographical Indication (GI) for 100 products, including 28 teas, concluding 15 years of negotiations.
China, in turn, will grant an equal number of European goods similar market protections. Indications, represented as a seal printed on product labels and in marketing materials, are designed to prevent fraud and preserve traditional production methods.
Protections of intellectual property rights are strict, providing safeguards against translation, transcription or transliteration, and prevent competitors from using expressions such as "kind," "type," "style," "imitation" to describe non-originating products.
Janusz Wojciechowski, the EU commissioner for agriculture and rural development, said at the signing ceremony, “I am proud to see this agreement getting one step closer to its entry into force, reflecting our commitment to work closely with our global trading partners such as China.”
Enforcement in both countries begins with the new year.
Negotiations granting exclusivity in naming, origin, and description of processes date to 2006. In 2012 China and the EU agreed to list ten products from each country as the first step toward protections for an additional 100 products. In four years, an additional 31 teas will be added to the protected list.
The European list mainly includes wines, beer, and regional cheese and Italian meats (prosciutto) and a single fruit: Pêra Rocha do Oeste, a Portuguese pear first named the list of protected designation of origin products in 2003.
The Chinese list of protected goods includes both famous teas such as Pu’er, Huoshan Yellow Bud Tea, Lapsang Souchong, and Fuzhou Jasmine Tea, and modern teas such as Fenggang Zinc Selenium Tea and Anji Bai Cha. The initial list also protects Pu'er Ka Fei (coffee), Pixian Dou Ban (Pixian Bean Paste), Panjin Da Mi (Panjin rice), and Anqiu Da Jiang (Anqiu Ginger).
The Chinese purchased $17 billion worth of European food and drinks in 2019, ranking third among trading partners. China is also the second-largest buyer of EU products qualifying for Geographical Indications, accounting for 9% by value. These include wines, agri-foods, and spirits. The market for food and drink products qualified for protection makes up 15.4% of EU exports.
The EU has registered 3,300 product names and processes as well as 1,250 non-EU products.
Click here to view the full list of Chinese products and here to view the full list of European products