The Ukrainian office of PETERKA & PARTNERS has successfully represented France’s Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac, an authority authorized to protect French geographical indications outside France (“BNIC”) in registering the French “Cognac” geographical indication in the Ukrainian Customs Register of Intellectual Property Rights (the “Customs Register”).
From 24 January 2022 import of “Cognac” labelled brandy from third countries (not originating from France) may be blocked by BNIC.
“Cognac” is the first geographical indication from the European Union which was registered in the Customs Register on the basis of the Association Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine.
Registration of the “Cognac” geographical indication in the Customs Register will have a great impact on the Ukrainian brandy market, as brandies from third countries which infringe the “Cognac” geographical indication will not be imported to Ukraine, and consumers will not be misled about their true origin.
Stanislav Koptilin, Senior Associate for PETERKA & PARTNERS Ukraine, was the leading lawyer on this matter.