1. Scope of protection of geographical indications PATENT OFFICE OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA

2. Legal framework National law- Law on marks and geographical indications International agreement- Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Bilateral Free Trade Agreements + GI Agreements Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration Regional-European Law (Regulations and Directives) 7th Liaison Meeting on Trade Marks 21-22 May 2012 www.bpo.bg

3. EU law Regional law (EU law) - 2008/95/EC TM Directive (Art. 15) on provision about GI -207/2009 Regulation on the Community Trade Mark -510/2006/EC Regulation – on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs -110/2008/EC Regulation on (…) the protection of GI of spirit drinks -479/2008/EC Regulation – on the common organization of the market in wine -1234/2007/EC Regulation establishing a common organization of agricultural markets and on specific provisions for certain agricultural products -509/2006 EC Regulation on agricultural products and foodstuffs as traditional specialties guaranteed (TSP- they are not industrial property) 7th Liaison Meeting on Trade Marks 21-22 May 2012 www.bpo.bg

4. Горнооряховски суджук Gornooryahovski sudzhuk protected for Meat products (cooked, salted, smoked, etc.) 7th Liaison Meeting on Trade Marks 21-22 May 2012 www.bpo.bg Bulgarian PGI protected under Regulation 510/2006

5. Restriction under Bulgarian law Art.11 Absolute grounds for refusal. The following shall be not registered: -12. mark which consists exclusively of applied for or registered geographical indication or from its derivates, valid for the territory of Bulgaria -13. mark which contains applied for or registered geographical indication or its derivates, valid for the territory of Bulgaria, where the applicant is not person registered as the user thereof. Registered users of GIs can have an individual TM which contains GIs or even their derivates. But the mark cannot only consists of the GI. 7th Liaison Meeting on Trade Marks 21-22 May 2012 www.bpo.bg

6. TM including protected geographical indications The practice of The Bulgarian Office: Registered user of GIs must restrict the goods in their own trade marks only for goods with protected geographical indication. TM N77613 Class 33: wine with registered geographical indication Traminer from Khan Krum

7. Terminology Three different terms for protected geographical names- geographical indications (PGI), designation of origin (PGO) and appellation of origin (Lisbon Agreement) + traditional specialities guaranteed (TSP) Geographical indications (geographical names) according Bulgarian law are two kinds: Appellation of origin - is the name of a country, or of a region or locality in that country, that serves to designate goods originating therein whose quality or characteristics are due essentially or exclusively to the geographical environment, including natural and human factors. (same in Lisbon Agreement) (PDOs in EU Regulations) Geographical indications is the name of a country, or of a region or locality in that country, that serves to designate goods originating therein whose quality, reputation or other characteristics can be attributed to that geographical origin (PGIs in EU Regulations) Alternative protection of GIs like collective marks (China, Japan, USA) 7th Liaison Meeting on Trade Marks 21-22 May 2012 www.bpo.bg

8. Sources- information and legislation Too many different kind of regulations and databases (WIPO, DOOR, E-bacchus, national databases) of national/international and EU level. Some kind of GIs are protected against TM registrations in EU, other are protected only in some countries, some are industrial property other not (TSP). OHIM doesnt check the Lisbon agreement database? 7th Liaison Meeting on Trade Marks 21-22 May 2012 www.bpo.bg

9. Different kind of GIs are not treated in an equal manner. The following shall not be registered (CTM Regulation 207/2009): (g) trade marks which are of such a nature as to deceive the public, for instance as to the nature, quality or geographical origin of the goods or service (j) trade marks for wines which contain or consist of a geographical indication identifying wines or for spirits …… with respect to such wines or spirits not having that origin (k) trade marks which contain or consist of a designation of origin or a geographical indication registered in accordance with Reg. 510/2006……..when they correspond to one of the situations covered by Article 13 of the said Regulation and regarding the same type of product, on condition that the application for registration of the trade mark has been submitted after the date of filing with the Commission of the application for registration of the designation of origin or geographical indication. All kinds of wines are protected, but protection for the foods is only for these, which have an European registration. What about the other GIs, which are not drinks or foods ( marbles, ceramics, kaolin). Does OHIM use the Lisbon database to check the international appellations of origin? 7th Liaison Meeting on Trade Marks 21-22 May 2012 www.bpo.bg

10. Too broad and free interpretation terms The legal protection shall consist in the prohibition of: any commercial use of the geographical indication for goods that are similar to those for which it is registered in so far as the reputation of the registered geographical indication is exploited (Bulgarian law) Any direct or indirect commercial use of a registered name in respect of products not covered by the registration in so far as those products are comparable to the products registered under that name or in so far as using the name exploits the reputation of the protected name; (Reg. 510/2006, art.13) 7th Liaison Meeting on Trade Marks 21-22 May 2012 www.bpo.bg

11. EXAMPLES Protected GIs: -Chardonnay from Varna -Varnenski Misket both for wines from cl.33 Wine with PDOs VARNA (databases E- bacchus Reg. 479/2008) Refused TM from BPO -Varna wines and spirits -Varna Registered TM from BPO -Winery Varna, reg.N68317 - Varna 1444, reg.N63166 7th Liaison Meeting on Trade Marks 21-22 May 2012 www.bpo.bg

12. EXAMPLES Reg. CTM 004822425 TM name: 1444 Varna Class: 33 Owner: from Poland Identical mark is reg. in BPO, but with disclaim of Varna and the shape of bottle Reg. CTM 005739024 TM name: Varna Lamore Class: 33, 35, 39 Owner: from Poland 7th Liaison Meeting on Trade Marks 21-22 May 2012 www.bpo.bg

13. EXAMPLES Registered PDOs -Melnik -Pomorie for wine Application for CTM -CTM N010764454 (pub.) -cl. 32, 33, 39 CTM N003284411 STARY MELNIK (reg.)-cl. 32, 33 7th Liaison Meeting on Trade Marks 21-22 May 2012 www.bpo.bg

14. What should be our approach, when GIs is including geographical name and the name of the product: PGIs Misket from the region of Sliven Slivenska grozdova rakiya (Grape spirit from Sliven) Applied TM Jitna vodka Sliven (wheat vodka Sliven) 7th Liaison Meeting on Trade Marks 21-22 May 2012 www.bpo.bg

15. Is there a prevalence of the geographical name above the kind of the fruit/ of the milk/ of the goods/ variety? PGIs -Loveshka krushova rakia (Lovech pear rakia) -Loveshka slivova rakia (Lovech plum rakia) TM Loveshka muskatova rakia (Lovech muskat rakia; its made from grape) 7th Liaison Meeting on Trade Marks 21-22 May 2012 www.bpo.bg

16. EXPLOITATION? Is it enough that we have the same kind of product and the same region to decide that the mark cannot be registered, because the products are comparable to the products registered under that name or in so far as using the name exploits the reputation of the protected name (Reg.510/2006, art.13) Is Loveshka muskatova rakia an exploitation of GIs Loveshka krushova rakia? 7th Liaison Meeting on Trade Marks 21-22 May 2012 www.bpo.bg

17. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION! Maria Slavova Bulgarian Patent Office mslavova@bpo.bg +359 2 9701476