The position to be taken on the Union’s behalf within the Assembly of the Special Union, established by the Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration, to be held in the framework of the Assemblies of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization on 8 to 17 July 2025, shall be to support the adoption of the amendments to the Common Regulations under the Lisbon Agreement and the Geneva Act of that Agremeent as set out in the Annex to this Decision.
The representatives of the Union may also agree to modifications to the proposed amendments, provided that they do not significantly alter their substance.
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
ANNEXSupplementary provisions
ANNEX
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
to the
Common Regulations under the Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and Their International Registration and the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications
as recommended by the WIPO Working Group for the Development of the Lisbon System for adoption by the Lisbon Union in the framework of the WIPO General Assemblies 2025:
1)
In the heading, ‘as in force on July 14, 2023’ is replaced by ‘as in force on July 1, 2026’.
2)
In Rule 1 (1) (Abbreviated Expressions), subparagraph (vi) is replaced by the following:
‘“Official Form” means a form drawn up by the International Bureau or an electronic interface made available by the International Bureau on the website of the Organization;’
3)
Rule 8 (9) (Change in the Amount of the Fees) is replaced by the following:
‘(a)
Where the amount of the fees payable in respect of an application referred to in Rule 5(2)(c) is changed between the date of filing the application and the date of payment, the fee that was valid on the first date shall be applicable.
(b)
Where the amount of the fees payable in respect of a request for entry of a modification referred to in Rule 15(2)(a) is changed between the date on which the request was presented and the date of payment, the fee that was valid on the first date shall be applicable.
(c)
Where the amount of the fees to be paid in relation to a modification or as an individual fee, in the case referred to in Rule 7(4)(a) and (d), is changed between the date of entry into force of the Geneva Act with respect to a State that is party to the 1967 Act and the date of payment, the fee that was valid on the first date shall be applicable.
(d)
Where the amount of any fee other than the fees referred to in subparagraphs (a), (b) and (c) is changed, the amount valid on the date on which the fee was received by the International Bureau shall be applicable.’
4)
In Rule 15, paragraph (1) (Permissible Modifications), the following points are added:
‘(vii)
a modification relating to the appellation of origin or the geographical indication;
(viii)
a modification relating to the good or goods to which the appellation of origin or the geographical indication applies;
(ix)
a modification relating to the particulars as referred to in Rule 5(3)(a) or the information referred to in Rule 5(6)(a)(vi).’
5)
In Rule 15, the following new paragraph (5) (Application of Rules 9 to 12) is added:
‘(5)
(a)
Where the modification concerns the appellation of origin or the geographical indication, or the good or goods to which the appellation of origin or the geographical indication applies, the Competent Authority of a Contracting Party has the right to declare that it cannot ensure the protection of the appellation of origin or geographical indication because of the modification. The declaration shall be addressed to the International Bureau by such Competent Authority within a period of one year from the date of receipt of the notification by the International Bureau of the modification. Rules 9 to 12 shall apply mutatis mutandis.
(b)
Where the modification concerns the particulars as referred to in Rule 5(3)(a), the Competent Authority of a Contracting Party that has made the notification under Rule 5(3), has the right to declare that it cannot ensure the protection of the appellation of origin or geographical indication because of the modification. The declaration shall be addressed to the International Bureau by such Competent Authority within a period of one year from the date of receipt of the notification by the International Bureau of the modification. Rules 9 to 12 shall apply mutatis mutandis.’
6)
Rule 18 (4) (Application of Rules 9 to 12) is replaced by the following:
‘Where the correction of an error concerns the appellation of origin or the geographical indication, or the good or goods to which the appellation of origin or the geographical indication applies, the Competent Authority of a Contracting Party has the right to declare that it cannot ensure the protection of the appellation of origin or geographical indication because of the correction. The declaration shall be addressed to the International Bureau by such Competent Authority within a period of one year from the date of receipt of the notification by the International Bureau of the correction. Rules 9 to 12 shall apply mutatis mutandis.’
