After 8 years and 22 rounds of formal negotiations and hundreds of informal consultations, the China-EU Geographical Indications Agreement was officially signed on September 14, 2020. With the formal entry into force of the agreement on March 1 this year, the first batch of 50 tons of Sichuan Yibin sprouts was shipped to Shanghai and directly shipped to Germany by sea; Hunan Anhua black tea was sold in large quantities to the United Kingdom and other places; French wine exports to China were strong against the trend...

Geographical indications are signs that identify the origin of a product in a certain area, and are also an important type of intellectual property rights. Gannan navel orange, Qianjiang crayfish, Wuchang rice, French champagne, Bavarian beer... Since the signing of the agreement a year ago, the wine, tea, agricultural products, food and other products included in the China-EU Geographical Indication Agreement have gradually become more for both China and Europe. Consumers are well-known, receive more praise and orders, and shine in the Central European market.

Over the past year, China and the EU have actively carried out exchanges and cooperation to jointly promote the implementation of the agreement. The Chinese Mission to the European Union and the European Commission jointly organized an online exchange meeting on the promotion of geographical indication products, inviting the competent authorities, local officials and experts of both parties to conduct in-depth discussions.

According to the China-EU Geographical Indications Agreement, China and the EU have mutually recognized more than 500 geographical indications. This is the first large-scale mutual recognition of geographical indications between China and Europe. It is of far-reaching significance to promote China-EU economic and trade cooperation and economic development. Approximately 100 geographical indications of each of the first batch of “listed” in China and Europe will be protected by intellectual property rights since the date of entry into force of the agreement, and the second batch of 175 geographical indications will complete the protection procedure within 4 years, helping more distinctive and high-quality famous products enter each other’s markets , Bringing new opportunities for China-EU economic and trade cooperation.

Zhang Ming, head of the Chinese mission to the European Union, said that this agreement provides comprehensive and effective protection and promotion for the high-quality geographical indication products of China and the EU to enter each other's markets, and also provides more options for the Chinese and European people to pursue a better life.

He said that China-Europe GI products are mainly agricultural products. At present, China and Europe have entered a new era of agricultural and rural development, and sustainable agricultural development is the common goal of both sides. Recently, the agricultural ministers and committee members of China and the EU have conducted friendly and in-depth exchanges to further connect future cooperation. It is believed that with the joint efforts of China and the EU, the China-EU Geographical Indications Agreement will be further effectively implemented.

Tang Chao, the head of the Moutai distributor in Finland, said that after the agreement comes into effect, local consumers will be more likely to recognize Moutai's quality and brand value, enhancing the influence of Chinese liquor in the local market, and also helping Moutai to better enter the Finnish market and promote coverage. More merchants.

Over the past year, various circles in Europe have increasingly recognized the value of the agreement. They believe that the agreement will enable the EU and China to implement better protection for all types of geographical indication products. The effective implementation of the agreement is a major benefit to related industries, is conducive to the promotion of well-known European products in the Chinese market, and also makes it easier for Europeans to buy authentic Chinese products and promotes economic and trade exchanges between the two sides.

At the same time, the China-EU Geographical Indications Agreement has also injected new impetus into the development of China-EU economic and trade cooperation. In 2020, China-EU trade volume reached 649.5 billion U.S. dollars, and China became the EU's largest trading partner for the first time. At present, China is the second largest export destination of EU geographical indication products. For the European food and beverage industry, China is an export market with high growth potential. According to statistics, the EU’s annual exports of geographical indication products exceed US$20 billion, accounting for more than 15% of the EU’s total food and beverage exports. In addition, about 1,600 non-EU geographical indications are protected in the EU.

According to Zhang Ming, in the past year, the trade of agricultural products between the two sides has maintained a rapid growth momentum under the epidemic, and the trade volume is expected to exceed 30 billion U.S. dollars, a year-on-year growth rate of more than 16%. "The signing and implementation of the China-EU Geographical Indication Agreement played an important role in promoting this."

The first anniversary of the signing of the China-EU Geographical Indications Agreement has produced an important demonstration effect. Under the "headwinds" of the spread of the epidemic, the interruption of the supply chain, and the continued sluggish international trade, China-EU economic and trade relations have demonstrated strong resilience and vitality. The realization of the two major markets of China and Europe, better connectivity and greater benefits between the resources of the two parties, will serve the world. The economy injects more positive energy. Editor/Sang Xiaomei