Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications: accession of the European Union

The European Parliament adopted by 610 votes to 11, with 5 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision amending Decision (EU) 2019/1754 on the accession of the European Union to the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications.

The European Parliament gave its consent to the draft Council decision.

The Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration of 31 October 1958 is a treaty administered by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

Seven Member States are parties to the Lisbon Agreement, namely Bulgaria, Czechia, France, Italy, Hungary, Portugal and Slovakia. The Union itself is not a party to the Lisbon Agreement as only countries can accede to that Agreement.

Following a review of the Lisbon Agreement, on 20 May 2015 the WIPO Diplomatic Conference adopted the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications.

The draft Council decision aims to authorise, in full respect of the exclusive competence of the Union, the seven Member States which were party to the Lisbon Agreement prior to the entry into force of the Geneva Act (namely Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Hungary, Portugal and Slovakia), to ratify or accede to the Geneva Act.