Geographical Indications (GIs) are a ‘make or break’ issue for the European Union (EU) in its trade negotiations. As Australia has recently commenced trade negotiations with the EU, understanding EU perspectives on GIs is essential. The ANU Centre for European Studies (ANUCES) has recently completed a project, with the support of the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union, identifying the empirical evidence on the real-world impact of GI labelling.

Event flyer

Slides, notes, audio and video

• Geographical Indications: the basics (Hazel Moir): Slides and notes / Video
• Geographical Indications: sifting the latest evidence (Hazel Moir): Slides and notes / Video / Audio

This event commenced with the recording of a specialised training video on GI basics. An expert audience was invited to provide comment and criticism.

The public seminar commenced with a presentation explaining what GIs are, how EU GI policy works, and why the USA and Australia have to date resisted introducing EU-style GIs. Adjunct Associate Professor Hazel Moir considered the GI outcomes in three recent EU treaties – Korea, Canada and Vietnam. The EU demand on GIs in the current negotiations with Australia was compared with the outcome in the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

John Power responded to this presentation, opening the discussion to the floor. Irena Obadovic also commented on the presentation from the broader perspective of agricultural trade negotiations.

Wenting Cheng then gave a presentation on China’s long history associating high quality products with specific locations. She also discussed the way in which China has managed conflicting GI pressures from the USA and the EU. Australia will need to manage a similar balancing act in its current trade negotiations with the EU.

Presenters

Hazel V. J. Moir is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the ANU Centre for European Studies and has recently completed a major project gathering and evaluating the empirical evidence on the economic impact of GIs. The report from this study is available as an ANUCES Briefing Paper, Vol. 9 No. 3.

Wenting Cheng is a Visiting Fellow at the ANU Centre for European Studies, and recently completed a PhD at the School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet) in the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific.

John Power is Director, EU FTA and GIs, Agricultural Policy Division, Department of Agriculture and Water. He is closely involved in negotiations with the EU on the potential trade treaty with Australia.

Irena Obadovic has recently completed her PhD at the National Centre for Research on Europe, Canterbury University, New Zealand. Her area of expertise is New Zealand and the EU trade relations particularly in relation to agricultural trade.