Office Order No. _____
Series of 2014

RULES AND REGULATIONS ON GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS

Whereas, Section 4 of Republic Act No. 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (“IP Code”) provides that geographical indication is an intellectual property right;

Whereas, Section 9.1 of the IP Code states that among the functions of the Bureau of Trademarks is the search and examination of the applications for the registration of geographic indications and the issuance of the certificates of registration;

Whereas, in order to pursue and facilitate the conferment of protection to geographical indications, it is fundamental that a system of registration and framework of rules be established and implemented by the Intellectual Property Office; and

Whereas, Section 7.1 (a) of the IP Code states that the Director General shall manage and direct all functions and activities of the Office, including the promulgation of rules and regulations to implement the objectives, policies, plans, programs, and projects of the Office.

Now, therefore, in consonance with the foregoing and the policy of the State to enhance the enforcement of the intellectual property rights in the Philippines, the following rules and regulations on geographical indications are hereby promulgated:

Article I
Preliminaries

Rule 1. Title. -- This regulations shall be known and cited as the Rules and Regulations on Geographical Indications.

Rule 2. Definition of Terms. --The following terms shall be defined as follows:

a) Geographical indication refers to indications which identify a good as originating in a territory, region or locality, where a given quality, reputation, or other characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographical origin and/or human factors; b) Goods/Products refer to agricultural products, foodstuff, any products of handicraft, or wines and spirits; c) Registrar refers to the Registrar of Geographical Indications; d) Producer refers to any person who exploits, processes, or produces agricultural goods and/or foodstuffs, or wines and spirits, makes or manufactures handicrafts, and/or exercises control over the use of GI, standards of production and other product specifications; e) Office refers to the Intellectual Property Office; f) Bureau refers to the Bureau of Trademarks; g) IP Code refers to Republic Act No.8293, otherwise known as the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines; h) Rules refers to the Rules and Regulations on Geographical Indications; i) Code of Practice (CoP) is a document that contains information about the Product/Goods, its specific characteristics and qualities, its area of production, the guarantee system, and explains the link between the geographical environment and the Products/Goods in question; j) IPOPHL E-Gazette - refers to IPO’s own publication where all matters required to be published under the IP Code shall be published.

Article II
Protection

Rule 3. Registration. --The protection afforded under this Regulations to any indication constituting geographical indication shall be obtained through a valid registration and a certificate issued to that effect by the Office, in accordance with the provisions of this Rules.

Rule 4. Rights of GI Registrants. --Persons with a duly registered geographical indication shall have the right to prevent third parties from engaging in the following:

a) use of any means in the designation or presentation of a good that indicates or suggests that the good in question originates in a geographical area other than the true place of origin in a manner which misleads the public as to the geographical origin of the good;

b) any use of a geographical indications which, although literally true as to the territory, region or locality in which the goods originate, falsely represents to the public that the goods originate in another territory;

c) any use of a geographical indication identifying wines or spirits not originating in the place indicated by the geographical indicate in question, even where true origins of the goods is indicated or the geographical indication is used in translation or accompanied by expressions such as “kind”, “type”, “style”, “imitation”, “method”, “as produced in” or other similar qualifying terms;

d) any use of a geographical indication identifying agricultural products, foodstuff, any products of handicraft not originating in the place indicated by the geographical indicate in question, even where true origins of the goods is indicated or the geographical indication is used in translation or accompanied by expressions such as “kind”, “type”, “style”, “imitation”, “method”, “as produced in” or other similar qualifying terms, if such use would be misleading to the public;

e) any other use similar or analogous to the above.

Article III
Registration Authority

Rule 5. GI Registrar. -- The Director of the Bureau of Trademarks shall act as the Registrar of Geographical Indications who has the authority to examine and register application of geographical indication, and implement the provisions of this Regulations.

Rule 6. Functions of the GI Registrar. --The Registrar shall keep and maintain a register to be known as the Register of Protected Geographical Indications – a) which shall contain all the recorded particulars as the Registrar deems appropriate;

b) which shall be open to the inspection of the public during business hours, and accessible/searchable on-line, subject to certain conditions as the Registrar may prescribed;

c) a certified true copy or extract of any entry in the Register shall be provided to any person requiring the copy or extract, upon payment of the prescribed fee.

The GI Registrar, as soon as practicable, shall make applications for registration available on-line and allow for the filing of observation or objections on-line.

Article IV
Registration

Rule 7. Applicants. -- Applications for registration of geographical indications may be made only by the following:

a) natural or juridical person directly involved in the extraction, production or manufacture of the product or products covered by the geographical indications;

b) individuals or organizations producing the goods or engaged in the trade of products bearing geographical indications; or

c) government agency or local government units having area of responsibility covering the geographical origin of the goods, as well as representatives of foreign governments, relative to the geographical indications of its nationals, whose laws afford the same rights and protection to Philippine nationals;

d) associations which are specifically entrusted with the task of regulating and/or protecting geographical indications by paragraphs a, b or c.

Rule 8. Representation; Address for Service. - If the applicant is not domiciled or has no real and effective commercial establishment in the Philippines, he shall designate by a written document filed in the office, the name and address of a Philippine resident who may be served notices or process in proceedings affecting the geographical indication. Such notices or services may be served upon the person so designated by leaving a copy thereof at the address specified in the last designation filed. If the person so designated cannot be found at the address given in the last designation, such notice or process may be served upon the Registrar.

Rule 9. Additional Qualifications for Non-Filipino Applicants. --The applicant who is neither a Filipino citizen or a domestic corporation or cooperative/association, and intends to apply for registration of a geographical indication of a foreign country must also have any of the following qualifications:

a) a citizen of a country which is a party to the World Trade Organization Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Right or to other international convention or agreement concerning the protection of geographical indications, to which Philippines is also a party; or

b) domiciled or has a real and effective industrial or commercial establishment in the Philippines or in a country which is a party to an international convention or agreement concerning the protection of geographical indications, to which Philippines is also a party;

Rule 10. Form of Applications. -- The application for the registration of the geographical indications shall be in the prescribed form, may be in Filipino or in English and shall be filed before the Registrar, containing the following details:

a) a request for registration; b) name, address and nationality of the applicant; c) name of the State of which the applicant is a national or where he/it has domicile; and the name of the State in which the applicant has a real and effective industrial or commercial establishment;

d) where the applicant is a juridical entity, the law under which it is organized and existing;

e) name of the geographical indications sought to be registered f) name of the good/s covered by the geographical indications; g) description of the specific, significant characteristics, reputation and quality of the goods;

h) description of the geographical area/environment, including territorial limitations or boundaries and natural and human factors;

i) statement of the causal link between paragraphs g and h, describing how geographical area/environment, including territorial limitations or boundaries and natural and human factors, affect the quality and characteristics of the goods;

j) description of the production, method of extraction and other processes used in relation to the goods embodied in a Code of Practice duly formulated and adopted by the stakeholders; k) one or more representation of the geographical indications, as may be prescribed; and

l) other details as maybe necessary.

Rule 11. Certification from Foreign Bodies. –Foreign applicants shall also submit within a reasonable period of time as maybe determined by the Office, a proof issued by competent agency of the government or any private certifying entity, showing that the subject of the application is a registered or protected geographical indication. Other analogous legal documents or proof may also be accepted.

Rule 12. Filing Date. -- The filing date of an application shall be the date on which the Registrar received the following:

a) a fully accomplished application form, containing all the details prescribed under this Rules;

b) the identity of the applicant; c) indications sufficient to contact the applicant or his representative, if any; d) reproduction of the geographical indications whose registration is sought; and

e) name of good(s)/product(s) covered by the geographical indications

Rule 13. Fee Required. -- No filing date shall be accorded until the required fee is paid.

Article V
Examination

Rule 14. Examination; Deficiencies. -- The Registrar shall conduct an examination of the application in accordance with Rules 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13. Should there be any deficiency in the application, the applicant shall be notified by the Registrar to remedy the same, and if deemed necessary, shall be requested to submit additional information or documents within two (2) months from mailing date of the notice. The two (2) month period may be extended upon written request and upon payment of the required fee but in no case shall the total period exceed four (4) months from the mailing date of the Registrar’s notice.

In case the deficiencies are not remedied or if the applicant failed to submit the additional information or documents within the prescribed period, the application shall be considered withdrawn without prejudice to the right of the applicant to re-file the same subject to the requirements set forth under abovementioned Rules.

Rule 15. Disclaimer –A generic or customary name component of a geographical indication should be disclaimed.

Rule 16. Validation. -- The Registrar may also validate the relevant technical information and other data in the application with the relevant private certifying entity or concerned government agency, as the case may be.

Article VI
Homonymous Geographical Indications

Rule 17. Protection for Homonymous GIs. -- In the case of homonymous geographical indications for agricultural products, foodstuff, any products of handicraft, wines and spirits, protection shall be accorded to each indication.

Rule 18. Differentiation of Homonymous GIs. -- The Registrar, in cases of bona fide concurrent use of homonymous geographical indications, shall determine the practical conditions under which the homonymous geographical indications in question will be differentiated from each other, taking into account the need to ensure equitable treatment of the producers concerned and that the public are not misled.

Article VII
Refusal of the Application

Rule 19. Non-Registrable. --The following shall not be registered as geographical indications and shall be automatically refused:

a) those which are contrary to laws and regulations, public order, public policy or morality;

b) geographical indications of foreign country which are not or have ceased to be protected in their country or territory of origin;

c) those which mislead or deceive the public as to the characteristic, nature, quality, place of origin, production process of the good and/or its use;

d) those which consist exclusively of a generic or customary name of the products or goods;

e) those which do not fall within the prescribed definition of geographical indications; and

f) those which are identical with an earlier filed or registered geographical indication in respect of the same goods or closely related goods as to cause confusion.

Rule 20. Order of Refusal. -- Upon proper notification, an Order of Refusal shall be issued by the Registrar to the applicant who may appeal the same to the Director General in accordance with the Uniform Rules on Appeal.

Article VIII
Publication

Rule 21. Publication. -- Where the Registrar finds that the requirements prescribed by this Regulations are satisfied, it shall, upon payment of the prescribed fee, forthwith cause the application to be published in the IPOPHL E-Gazette for a period of three (3) months. The publication shall include the following:

a) application number b) information on the identity and address of the applicant c) filing date d) relevant geographical indication e) all the details set forth under paragraphs f, g, h, and i of Rule 10 f) other matter(s) which is deemed necessary by the Registrar

Article IX
Third-Party Observation

Rule 22. Notice of Third Party Observation. -- Within three (3) months from the publication of the application of the geographical indication, any person who may be damaged by its registration may file before the Registrar a Notice of Third Party Observation with regard to the registrability of the geographical indication. Within one (1) month from receipt of the Registrar of such notice, a verified and written observation, including supporting documents must also be submitted, without need of any notification from the Registrar. A copy of the observation shall be furnished to the applicant who may comment on it within three (3) months from receipt of the communication. The observation will be taken into consideration by the Registrar in determining the registrability of, and grant of protection to geographical indications.

Article X
Registration

Rule 23. Finality of Decision; Registration. -- If no Third Party Observation is filed within the prescribed period or upon verification by the concerned government agency or relevant private certifying entity, the geographical indications shall be granted protection on the day immediately after the last day of publication and entered in the Register of Protected Geographical Indications. In case there is a third party observation, the protection shall be reckoned from the finality of the decision that the geographical indication is entitled to registration and protection.

Article XI
Revocation of Registration

Rule 24. Revocation of Registration. --Upon verified petition of any interested person or entity that protection on geographical indication is no longer warranted and the same petition was found to be meritorious, the Registrar shall revoke the registration based on any of the following grounds:

a) that the conditions for protection specified under Rule 2 (a) have not been fulfilled;

b) that there is a change in the geographical origin and/or human factors which are determinative of the reputation, quality or characteristics of the goods bearing a geographical indications and such change results to the disqualification

c) that based on the ruling or decision of the court or tribunal, the producer referred to Rule 2 (e) has no effective control over the use of GI, standards of production and other product specifications

d) that the registration of the geographical indications was obtained through false statements and documents during the course of the application.

Rule 25. Notice of Verified Petition. -- The Registrar shall notify and furnish a copy of the verified petition to the concerned registrant of the geographical indications who may comment to it within three (3) months from receipt of the communication.

Rule 26. Appeal. -- Any party who is aggrieved by a decision of the Registrar may appeal to the Director General in accordance with the Uniform Rules on Appeal.

Article XII
Special Provisions Vis-a-vis Trademark

Rule 27. GI Application vis-à-vis Established Marks. -- Nothing in this Regulations shall prevent continued or similar use of a particular geographical indication of another country identifying goods in connection with good by any national or domiciliary of the Philippines who has used said geographical indication in a continuous manner with regard to the same or related goods or services in the Philippines either- a) for at least ten years preceding April 15, 1994; or b) in good faith preceding April 15, 1994

Where the trademark has been applied for or registered in good faith, or where rights to a trademark have been acquired through use in good faith either – a) before the effectivity of this Regulations; or b) before the geographical indication is protected in its country of origin

This Regulations shall not prejudice the eligibility for or the validity of the registration of the trademark, or the right to use a trademark, on the basis that such trademark is identical with or similar to, a geographical indication.

Article XIII Final Provisions

Rule 28. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Regulations or the application of such provision to any circumstances is held invalid, the remainder of the Rules shall not be affected thereby.

Rule 29. Effectivity. This Regulations shall take effect after fifteen days following its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

Done this ___ day of _________2014.

RICARDO R. BLANCAFLOR Director General