Protection of Geographical Indications

The project on “the Protection of Lebanese Geographical Indications” with a budget of CHF 350,000 is launched in the context of the conclusion of the Free Trade Agreement with the EFTA states (Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland) and Lebanon in 24 June 2004. Within the framework of this Agreement Lebanon and Switzerland have agreed on a bilateral technical assistance program to be implemented during a period of 3 years.
 

 The total budget of the granted technical assistance is 5,000,000 CHF and it covers the following components investment promotion, trade-related capacity building, export promotion programs for agriculture , and other areas of cooperation.  

The EFTA-Lebanon Free Trade Agreement (FTA) covers trade in industrial goods, including fish and other marine products, as well as processed agricultural products. The Agreement takes into consideration the different levels of economic development between the EFTA States and Lebanon by providing for an asymmetric tariff dismantling. The EFTA States will eliminate duties and other restrictions for covered products upon entry into force of the Agreement and Lebanon will gradually abolish its duties during a transition period starting in 2008 and ending in 2015. 

The project on “the Protection of Lebanese Geographical Indications” aims at assisting the Lebanese Authorities to define an adequate system for geographical indications (GIs), carrying out an inventory of Lebanese products with a potential for GIs and drafting the necessary regulatory framework for the setting up of the system. 

The project will imply intensive consultations among all stakeholders in Lebanon (Ministries, farmers, processors, retailers, exporters etc). To carry out this project, a team of senior experts and junior professionals will be formed. The team will include an international high level expert on GIs, who will have the task to define the overall strategy for GIs in Lebanon and to ensure that work proceeds satisfactorily, and two Lebanese junior professionals with legal and technical background.                   

Given the increased world trade in agricultural products, GIs provide a useful marketing tool to producers (both on the national market and abroad), while at the same time being a vehicle for rural development