Protection Of Geographical Indications In Uttar Pradesh

Anis Ahmad, Associate Professor, Department of Law, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow (UP)

Nikki Kumar, Research Scholer, Department of Law, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow (UP)

ABSTRACT

Geographical indications (GIs) have become one of the most crucial tools for safeguarding the characteristics of commodities, quality, reputation, or other related matters associated with their geographical origin from the past few decades. The protection of geographical indications has become a part of intellectual property rights in the wake of the signing of The TRIPs Agreement. It prescribes minimum standards of protection of all kinds of IPR including geographical indications. In compliance with the said Agreement, the government of India only in 1999 had passed the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 for registration and better protection of geographical indications. Their protections provide a huge range of economic value of the goods that accelerate the economic growth of the country. It also encourages the protection of socio-cultural, traditional and indigenous knowledge as well as skills of the particular region and locality. The present paper analyses the current situation of the registration of geographical indications in Uttar Pradesh. Since the implementation of said Act in 1999, there are only 56 products that have been registered from the state of Uttar Pradesh with the authority of the Government of India. The study also analyses whether the GI tag is instrumental in increasing the income of the producers of various products.

Keywords: Geographical Indications; TRIPs Agreement; Economic Growth and Uttar Pradesh.