First Geographical Indications Symposium to be Inaugurated April 12 in Abu Dhabi
07 Apr 2005ABU DHABI – “Protecting Arab products and preserving their reputation and quality is becoming essential nowadays, especially within the current highly competitive international market. Numerous Arab products are famous for their place of origin, yet lack of awareness and appropriate applicable rules deprive them from the needed protection on both the regional and international levels,” said Mohammad Jameel Shalabi, general director of the Arab Society for Intellectual Property (ASIP).
With the aim of meeting the increasing need in the Arab region for protecting the rights of geographical indications, ASIP in cooperation with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is organizing the First Geographical Indications Symposium in the Arab region at Beach Rotana Hotel in Abu Dhabi from April 12-13, 2005.
The Symposium, which is the first international platform to discuss geographical indications in the Arab world, is held under the patronage of the United Arab Emirates Minister of Economy and Planning, HE Sheikha Lubna Al-Qasimi.
The event, which is supported by the Middle East Program Initiative (MEPI), will focus on several key issues concerning the protection of geographical indications in the Arab countries, and intends to present various case studies from Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, and the USA.
The importance of this Symposium comes from the relative newness of its topic in the Arab world, especially that laws protecting geographical indications do exist in several Arab countries such as Jordan and Egypt, yet their applications are not very clear, thus hindering the process of their protection.
The sessions will feature presentations by a number of recognized professionals in this field including Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, ASIP chairman; Ms. Susan Anthony, USPTO representative; Mr. Samer Pharaon, Abu-Ghazaleh Legal Services (ABLE) executive director; and Dr. Fadi Makki, general director of the General Directorate of Economy and Trade in Lebanon.
Speakers will start by introducing and clarifying the concept of geographical indications and will then move to tackle various important relevant subjects such as the international framework for the protection of geographical indications and trademarks, the need for this protection in business and economy, and the protection of geographical indications in the Arab countries.
The event will be attended by leading Arab firms, as well as regional and international governmental representatives, and decision makers.
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