During the past twenty years since the TRIPS Agreement was created, the international protection of geographical indications have experienced a worldwide resurgence spurred by both the greater need and the additional opportunities offered by the global marketplace for the diversification of agricultural products and foodstuffs. Although geographical indications have been protected for a long period of time and been treated quite well under the WTO, in recent years, they have become central to the debate over the expanded protection of intellectual property rights in the World Trade Organization. The geographical indications have gained greater political salience and economic value due to major changes in the global economy, the WTO member countries are divided depending on their situations to take advantage of geographical indications protection, which means that member countries are required to try to reach an agreement on the more proprietary protection of geographical indications sooner or later. When the member countries are to make an additional agreement or to establish a multilateral system of registration to protect geographical indications, they are required to treat the relevant issues from the viewpoint of long-term effect of such protection on the welfare level of the WTO member countries.

During the past twenty years since the TRIPS Agreement was created, the international protection of geographical indications have experienced a worldwide resurgence spurred by both the greater need and the additional opportunities offered by the global marketplace for the diversification of agricultural products and foodstuffs. Although geographical indications have been protected for a long period of time and been treated quite well under the WTO, in recent years, they have become central to the debate over the expanded protection of intellectual property rights in the World Trade Organization. The geographical indications have gained greater political salience and economic value due to major changes in the global economy, the WTO member countries are divided depending on their situations to take advantage of geographical indications protection, which means that member countries are required to try to reach an agreement on the more proprietary protection of geographical indications sooner or later. When the member countries are to make an additional agreement or to establish a multilateral system of registration to protect geographical indications, they are required to treat the relevant issues from the viewpoint of long-term effect of such protection on the welfare level of the WTO member countries.

Geographical Indications, TRIPS Agreement, Multilateral Registration, Intellectual Property Rights