Since December 2014, The Philippines is a beneficiary of the European Union’s special incentive arrangement for sustainable development and good governance (‘GSP+’), providing trade preferences to over 6,000 products, including processed fruit and foodstuffs, coconut oil, footwear, fish and garments. GSP+ can benefit in particular agricultural exports where many tariffs are now zero percent. Geographical indications (GI) – signs used to identify a product as originating in the territory of a particular country, region or locality where its quality, reputation or other characteristic is linked to its geographical origin – can increase these benefits: farmers boost prices, marketing and exports of products and thus their welfare, while biodiversity and tourism is promoted. Examples with high potential for the Philippines include Davao pomelo, Bicol pili nut, Guimaras mangoes and Kalinga coffee.
The PCCI and the EU hosted a forum today to explore and promote the use of GIs in taking advantage of the GSP+ and trading of GI-products.
EU Ambassador Guy Ledoux stated, “Geographical Indications are common in Europe where farmers benefit from protection of products such as Bordeaux wine, Feta Cheese and Parma Ham. Such protection boosts the commercial value and thus livelihood of farmers – prices of GI-registered products are often twice as high as non-GI products – but also support environmental and cultural diversification and tourism. I am happy that the Philippines is currently working on its own GI-regulation, a process the EU strongly supports at various levels including the facilitation of registration of high quality Filipino products such as Guimaras mangoes, Davao pomelo and even Lake Sabu T’nalak weaving! “.
PCCI IPR Chair, Mr Varela stated that: “the PCCI has since long been at the forefront of improving the IPR climate in the Philippines. And we have done so successfully in good cooperation with the office of IPOPHL, improving legislation, implementation and enforcement. A GI regulation is the next logical step in this development – a step that would greatly benefit our members involved in farming and or trading of agri-food products.”