Registration of Geographical Indications at a standstill

The registration of Geographical Indications (GI) in the country is at standstill because of inability of the Trade Marks Registry to process GI applications filed two years earlier, well-informed sources told Business Recorder. This complacency is bound to have long-term detrimental effects on the intellectual property rights of producers.
In the regional context India leads, where 206 applications have been filed till 31 May, 2010 out of which 120 have been registered, the sources added. The efforts put together by the Commerce and Investment Department, Government of Punjab have also been thwarted by the Trade Marks Registry at Karachi.
The stakeholders who apparently are disappointed with the performance of Trade Mark Registry are of the view that the government must consider relocation of the offices of the Registry. "It is high time that Trade Marks Registry should realise the gravity of the situation and expedite the registration process. The idea of mandating the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) with the responsibility would be counterproductive in light of the nature of these products which are mostly restricted to one or two districts," commented one of the stakeholders on condition anonymity.
The basic requirements of filing applications for the registration of GI have been taken care of by the Punjab government. The federal government could assist in expediting the registration process of the filed applications and chalk out a strategy in collaboration with the producer organisations to promote these products in the international market, he added.
TDAP could assist in initiating similar projects in other parts of the country by sensitising the provincial governments. TDAP is neither a producer nor an exporter but just a promoter, he continued. When contacted, Hamid Malhi, President Basmati Growers Association told Business Recorder from Lahore that managing intellectual property rights of GI is the sole and exclusive right of its producers who have since long protected and produced the quality product.
The reputation of GI products is spread over long periods of time, which is centuries in the case of Basmati. The best the Ministry of Commerce could do is to assist producer organisations in managing quality production of these products and their promotion would wide, he added. The application for the registration of Basmati as a GI filed by the Basmati Growers Association in December 2005 was decided in May 2008. No application has been processed ever since.