Following Saint Vincent and the Grenadines UPOV accession, CarIPI has started technical assistance to put in place a registration system.
Caribbean GIs and speciality products have the potential to achieve a greater presence in international markets, particularly in the EU where consumers are willing to pay higher prices for origin-linked products (OLPs). To take full advantage of these opportunities, eligible producers of OLPs, must be able to register their products as GIs at the national level first, to enable them to seek protection in other international markets.
The CARIFORUM Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation (CarIPI) has just launched a course on origin-linked products (OLPs) and geographical indications (GIs).
In terms of the GI producer group, there are several types of legal frameworks which can be adopted to establish the group. These can include:
There are several actors in the value chain, therefore, producers will first have to identify who will participate in the GI scheme.
The GI producer group must come together to develop and implement a shared business strategy.
A primary consideration when developing a GI control system is who will set up and manage the controls. Should it be a public authority, the producers or the producer group as a single entity.