Council Decision (EU) 2017/1912 of 9 October 2017 on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and Iceland on the protection of geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs

What it is

to conclude an agreement between the European Union and Iceland on the protection of geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs. ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act. BACKGROUND: Article 19 of the European Economic Area Agreement (EEA Agreement) contains provisions on trade in agricultural products. The 2007 EU-Iceland bilateral Agreement on trade preferences includes, among others, a commitment by the Parties to promote trade in products with geographical indications (GIs). The EU-Iceland GIs negotiations were conducted from 4 July 2012 to 17 September 2015. The negotiations were carried out in conjunction with the EU-Iceland negotiations on further liberalisation of trade in agricultural and processed agricultural products. PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and Iceland on the protection of geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs. BACKGROUND: the EU and Iceland are signatories to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA Agreement). This Agreement provides for the free movement of goods, with the exception of agricultural and fisheries products. This Agreement provides that the contracting Parties shall undertake to continue their efforts to achieve progressive liberalisation of agricultural trade between them. Article 19 of the EEA Agreement contains provisions on trade in agricultural products. The 2007 EU-Iceland bilateral Agreement on trade preferences negotiated on the basis of Article 19 of the EEA Agreement includes among others a commitment by the Parties to promote trade in products with geographical indications (GIs). The Agreement between the European Union and Iceland on the protection of geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs was signed by the Commission subject to its conclusion at a later date. The Agreement should now be approved. CONTENT: the draft Council decision seeks the approval, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and Iceland on the protection of geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs. The Parties agreed to promote between each other the harmonious development of geographical indications as defined in the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and to foster trade in agricultural products and foodstuffs with geographical indications originating in the Parties' territories. Under the negotiated GIs Agreement, 1 150 EU foodstuff GIs will be protected in Iceland. Iceland has not yet registered any protected GI names. The Agreement provides, however, a mechanism for updating the GIs list and for including new GI names at a later stage through a Joint Committee process. The Committee on International Trade adopted the report by David BORRELLI (EFDD, IT) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and Iceland on the protection of geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs. The committee recommended that Parliament give its consent to the conclusion of the…

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