• General information (TRIPS Agreement)
• Extension of protection under Article 23, TRIPS to products other than wines and spirits
• A register for geographical indications for wines and spirits
• Important developments
• Publications
• General information about the protection of geographical indications at the national and international levels

Protection of Geographical Indications within the Context of the TRIPS Agreement.

Switzerland is committed to geographical indications. Improving protection for them is in the interest not only of industrialized, but also of developing countries:

In the interest of guaranteeing better protection for geographical indications for all products at an international level, Switzerland and several other WTO Member States presented a proposal for the extension (pdf 86 KB) of additional protection, as provided in Article 23, to geographical indications identifying products other than wines and spirits at a meeting of the TRIPS Council.

List of the communications presented to the TRIPS Council by Switzerland and other co-sponsors on the issue of extension:

• Communication (pdf 154 KB) of 29 July 2008 (Trade Negotiations Committee)
• Proposal regarding the protection of geographical indications (pdf 27 KB).
• Communication (pdf 316 KB) from 17 May 2005 (Doha Working Program)
• Communication (pdf 80 KB) of 14 December 2004 (General Council and Trade Negotiations Committee)
• Statement (pdf 89 KB) by Switzerland on behalf of the Friends of Geographical Indications from 13th July 2004 (Trade Negotiations Committee)
• Communication from 15 July 2003 (Trade Negotiations Committee)
• Proposal of 29 November 2002, pdf 85 KB (Trade Negociations Comittee)
• Communication (pdf 195KB) of 24 June 2002 (TRIPS Council)
• Statement of Switzerland of 6 March 2002 (TRIPS Council)
• Communication of 14 November 2001 (Doha Ministerial Conference)
• Communication of 2 October 2001 (TRIPS Council)
• Communication of 17 May 2001 (TRIPS Council)
• Communication of 2 October 2000 (TRIPS Council).

The establishment of a multilateral system of notification and registration for geographical indications for wines and spirits: the necessity of a strong register.

Detailed report of developments in recent years.

• "Geographical Indications - Where now after Cancún?" (pdf 193 KB) - Speech on the current situation regarding the international protection of geographical indications, given at the second meeting of oriGIn (Organisation for an International Geographical Indications Network) on "Assessing Cancún and Beyond", in Alicante (Spain), November 27 and 28, 2003.
• "Where now after Cancún?" (pdf 305 KB) - Speech on the state of affairs in regards to negotiations in the Doha Round and in particular in regards to geographical indications, held on the occasion of the Conference "Industrial Property - Quo vadis?" organised by the European Commission in cooperation with the Italian Presidency of the European Council in Ischia (Italy), October 5 through 7, 2003.
• "Geographical Indications: Important Issues for Industrialized and Developing Countries" by F. Addor, N. Thumm and A. Grazioli (pdf 1439 KB), published in IPTS, May 2003.
• oriGIn, Organisation for an International Geographical Indications Network: Newsletter No 1, 06 2003 (pdf 132 KB), Newsletter No 2, 02 2004 (pdf 174 KB), Newsletter No 3, 05 2004 (pdf 157 KB), Newsletter No 4, 02 2005 (pdf 220 KB), Newsletter No 5, 07 2006 (pdf 292 KB).
• "Geographical Indications beyond Wines and Spirits - A Roadmap for a Better Protection for Geographical Indications in the WTO TRIPS Agreement" (pdf 2089 KB) by F. Addor and A. Grazioli.
• "Improved protection of geographical indications at the international level: A question which concerns everybody!" by F. Addor and A. Grazioli (in French pdf 26 KB)