December 11, 2007

Bioagricoop, an associate of Bean Quorum program, is actively participating to the implementation of the project promoting activities and involving members related to the main topics.

The main topics are, as follows:
In the last quarter, the interest of Bioagricoop has been focused on the so called “ECAP II Initiative” , EC-Asian Intellectual Property Rights Cooperation Program supported by the European Commission. His main objective is to improve intellectual property rights protection in Asian Countries with a special attention to GIs. ECAP II main office is based in Bangkok, Thailand
Bean Quorum project staff, together with project associate Bioagricert srl and Bioagricoop staff, have established steady links in order to support as much as possible GIs promotion on Thai market mainly through the identification of the following strategic interventions:
- Comparative analysis of Thai and EU Regulations on GIs. Actually Thai Authorities issued the “Act on Protection of Geographical Indication –B.E. 2546(2003)- but it is not equivalent to Council Regulation (EC) No. 510/2006) because it lacks of rules concerning official controls and verification of compliance before placing the product on the market. The general objective is to encourage Thai designed authorities to adopt control and verification procedures in order to create an equivalence between the two regulations.
- Implement capacity building actions to aware and train designed Thai local authorities on EU control procedures standards and verification of compliance in conformity with Council Regulation (EC) No. 510/2006 art 10 and 11.
- Train Thai farmers groups in order to encourage them to adopt self internal control and inspection procedures. These procedures will allow third parties to carry out controls. At the moment, due to the high number of farmers belonging to certain GIs (up to 85.000 farmers in case of Sakon Dahvapi Rice), to certificate body activities (as required by Reg. EC No. 510/2006) is practically impossible, due to the unaffordable certification cost (the third independent party should inspect all the farmers belonging to the group).
- From the European side is also important to aware EU GIs lodgers on their real products protection level in third countries and Thailand ( most of them are not informed). Many EU GIs lodgers and producers are neither aware about the potentialities for their quality products on Thai market and therefore they are not interested in protection their GIs. The result is that very few EU GIs are protected in Thailand ( at the moment only Champaign) despite the procedure is very simple and useful forever.
- Establishing pilot certification for Thai GIs in conformity with Council Regulation (EC) No. 510/2006.

From November 15th to 18th ECAP II and Department of Intellectual Property Right ( Thai Ministry of Commerce) organized the National and Regional Committee Meetings and Intellectual Property Grand Exhibition. During these annual meetings, senior officials from the Asia countries’ Intellectual Property Offices, the Asian Secretariat, the European Commission, the European Patent Office (EPO) and the OHIM discussed about the outcomes of ECAP II activities implemented in 2007.

In the occasion of celebrations of the 80th Birthday Anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibhol Adulyadej of Thailand, an exhibition/fair on intellectual property has been jointly organised in his honor by the Thai Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) and ECAP II. On 17 November, the opening ceremony has been presided over by H.R.H Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. The highlight of the exhibition has been the display of the King’s national and international patents. The event aimed at promoting intellectual property rights with an emphasis on innovation and Geographical Indications. Over 200 exhibitors from Thailand, Asia and Europe showcased Geographical Indication products and innovations from their countries at the premises of Siam Paragon in Bangkok. Bioagricert srl and Bioagricoop staff, was present to the events to guarantee the best cooperation with the ongoing initiative to promote quality food and GIs.

Giovanni Galanti

by Papadopoulou Maria