EUIPO’s competences under EU legislation on geographical indications

Question for written answer E-002543/2024
to the Commission
Rule 144
Cristina Maestre (S&D)

A declaration by the co-legislators, annexed to Regulation (EU) 1143/2024, clarified both the exclusive responsibility of the Commission - namely the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) - in the new system of geographical indications (GIs) and the strictly administrative support role which the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) may play with regard to the tasks assigned to it under the new regulation.

It is surprising to see how the administrative agreement between DG AGRI and the EUIPO, concluded in a complete lack of transparency, attributes a series of competences to the EUIPO that go much further than what was allocated to it under the new GI regime, especially in respect to the registration procedure, amendments to product specifications and cancellation of registration.

In light of the above:

• 1.Does the Commission consider that full pre-assessment, as set out in Article 7 of the agreement, could be classed as one of the EUIPO's 'administrative tasks'?
• 2.Does the administrative agreement mean that there will be a division of files between Brussels and Alicante?
• 3.Is there any scope for the EUIPO to strengthen the protection of GIs discretely, in the context of Article 10?

Submitted: 14.11.2024