Nowadays, every country in the world claims that their agricultural or traditional products and foods belong to a cultural or gastronomic heritage, as a symbol of the history of a country or a community. Such ‘origin linked products’ have not only a social, but also an economic dimension. They can enhance economic development, living standards, and protection of the environment.

As of 14 September 2020, the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) has enhanced its participation in TMclass and joined DesignClass. From this day, OAPI will use and accept the list of terms from the harmonised database of goods and services (HDB) in TMclass as well as the list of terms from the harmonised database of product indications (HDBPI) in DesignClass.

The activity ‘Creativity and IP in Georgian Schools’ aims to integrate intellectual property (IP) into Georgian schools’ curricula. Targeted schools will be provided with appropriate learning methods and materials to be able to understand and recognise the importance of intellectual property.