Source: China Daily

"La France is a country with a long history. Our history, landscape, tradition, culture and our unique life style have created the GI products with French characteristic. The Bordeaux wine, Champagne and Cognac have made a great contribution to the fame and prosperity of France in the world," said IP Counselor of The French Embassy in Beijing Jean-Baptiste Barbier in an interview with China Intellectual Property News, during the China-EU forum on GI protection and enforcement held in Beijing. "My job is to build a bridge between China and France on GI cooperation, and bring the benefits to the people of two countries."

"In France, the GI product is governed by INPI (standing for Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle in French) and the Department of Agriculture in the nation.  The industrial GI product is in the hands of INPI and agricultural GI product is in the Department of Agricultural.  As a part of IPR, the GI is owned collectively and used by all the workers in the special region who meet the requirement.  The workers who intend to share the GI right in such region must meet the requirement of GI in the production process and satisfy the quality standard made by the independent organization commissioned by the France government as well."

"In addition to strict definition, France gives GI same legal protection as patent and trademark, and crack down on GI infringement at multiple level including administration, civil, judicial and Customs.  Thanks to the strict supervision, France GI product can not only enjoy sound protection, but also improve its quality in such environment," said Barbier.

"Both China and France enjoyed splendid civilization and diversity cultural heritage, which create a solid foundation for high quality GI products.  I personally like Yantai Apple, Turpan Purple Grapes, Fuding White Tea and Wine of eastern slopes of the Helan mountain and other Chinese GI products,"

"Chinese government has attached great importance to GI, although it starts late in the nation.  The cooperation between China and France on GI is more closely than ever before.  Among the foreign GI products approved by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China, nearly one third of which were from France,"

"During the China-EU summit held in June 2017, the "10+10"Sino-Europe program of mutual recognition and protection of GI was launched. "The State Council of China has incorporated the GI law system development into the 13th Five-Year Plan in the early 2017, which gives me so much hope on further enhancing GI cooperation between the two countries," concluded Barbier.

Recently, the International Symposium on GI was held in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province. I wish two countries make use of this opportunity to beef up GI collaboration and let more GI products benefit people of two countries, said Jean-Baptiste Barbier.