The European Union is heavily promoting geographical indication products in Thailand in the hopes that GI will be a top priority in negotiations for an eventual free-trade agreement (FTA).
Nikki: Looking to gain GI advantages
GI products are consumer goods like Champagne and Bordeaux wines that originate from a specific geographical area and reflect the qualities and reputation of the region. Different companies can produce the same GI product, but they must do so in the region under certain specifications.
The EU has spent €41 million (1.54 billion baht) on a programme called Asean Regional Integration Support by the EU (ARISE+), which promotes regional integration along with the enforcement of intellectual property rights.
The programme also promotes GI certification for Thai products, of which there are 99, including Chiang Mai celadon and Praeura Kalasin silk, registered by the Thai Intellectual Property Department.
The goal is to promote GI so that EU products can be better protected in Asean.
"The final objective is to increase the level of protection," Laurent Lourdais, counsellor of the EU Delegation to Thailand, said on Friday at the ARISE+ seminar on the protection of geographical indications in Bangkok.
"For instance, feta cheese is mostly associated with Greece," he said, "but many stores in Thailand sell cheese with a feta label that is made in Australia with cow's milk instead of sheep's or goat's milk."
Thai regulations do protect wine and spirits, but don't cover food items like feta cheese. EU regulators want feta made outside Greece to be called something completely different, such as "salad cheese".
GI products will be a key priority in an eventual FTA between Thailand and the EU. The EU suspended FTA negotiations after the 2014 coup, cutting off any high-level diplomatic cooperation with Thailand.
Unofficially, the EU plans to resume negotiations after a successful general election.
Mr Lourdais said GI protection is a "must have" in the FTA, as member states like France, Italy and Greece would not approve a deal without it. GI products make up 15% of EU food and drink exports.
The Intellectual Property Department recently registered the second Thai GI wine. The Granmonte Vineyard and Winery in Khao Yai, Thailand's biggest wine region, makes Khao Yai wine with an official GI label from the government. Winemakers who want to label their products Khao Yai can only use the Vitis vinifera variety of grapes and can only grow them in the region.
"We want to see controls on our product," said Nikki Lohitnavy, co-founder of GranMonte. "We want to promote our region to the world and get Khao Yai recognised globally."