Geographical indications (GIs) are collective trademarks used on products that have a specific geographical origin and qualities due to that origin. GIs support local producers and product quality while protecting against unfair competition. They provide economic benefits like higher prices and new markets for producers, stability and jobs for communities, and quality assurance for consumers. GIs can promote sustainable local development by encouraging environmentally-friendly practices and preserving local agro-economies. The document provides examples of GIs and recommends further reading on their economic and policy implications.

1. Supporting sustainable local
development with Geographical
Indications of Origin
Dr Akunna Oledinma, Prof. Stephen Roper
Warwick Business School, UK
Akunna.Oledinma@wbs.ac.uk

2. What are Geographical Indications (GIs)?
 A Geographical indication (GI) is a collective trademark used on products that
have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due
to that origin (e.g. Basmati Rice, Cornish Pasty).
 GIs are developed by producers (or producer associations) often with government or
NGO support
 GIs can support product quality and protect local producers from unfair competition
• Internationally, GIs are recognised in the 1994 Trade Related Aspect of Intellectual
Property (TRIPS) agreement which standardised the Intellectual Property regimes of
WTO members
• In the European Union current GI laws date from 1992 (Regulation 2081/92), part of
the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). In the EU GIs are worth €15,790 billion, 5.7%
of the food and drink sector.

3. What are the benefits of GIs?
• For producers –
• GIs can generate product recognition, higher prices and margins. New markets can be created
nationally and internationally.
• Environmentally sustainable production practices can be stimulated, regenerating and
preserving the local agro-economy
• For communities –
• GIs can promote stability and collaboration and generate upstream and downstream benefits
in related industries such as hospitality and tourism.
• GIs have been used to promote inclusive economic development, Argentina, South Africa.
• For consumers –
• GIs provide a guarantee of product quality, traceability and authenticity.
Geographical Indications of Origin can help support sustainability where
agricultural, food or drink products have a particular local character

4. Want to know more?
• Banerji, M. (2012) ‘Geographical Indication: which way should ASEAN go?’, Boston College Intellectual Property and
Technology Forum, 20, pp. 1–11.
• Bowen, S. and Zapata, A. V. (2009) ‘Geographical indications terroir, and socioeconomic and ecological sustainability:
The case of tequila’, Journal of Rural Studies. doi: 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2008.07.003.
• Cei, L., Defrancesco, E. and Stefani, G. (2018) ‘From geographical indications to rural development: A review of the
economic effects of European Union policy’, Sustainability (Switzerland), 10(10). doi: 10.3390/su10103745.
• Jena, P. R. and Grote, U. (2012) ‘Impact Evaluation of Traditional Basmati Rice Cultivation in Uttarakhand State of
Northern India: What Implications Does It Hold for Geographical Indications?’, World Development. Elsevier Ltd, 40(9),
pp. 1895–1907. doi: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2012.04.004.
• Kajima, S., Tanaka, Y. and Uchiyama, Y. (2017) ‘Japanese sake and tea as place-based products: a comparison
of regional certifications of globally important agricultural heritage systems, geopark, biosphere reserves, and
geographical indication at product level certification’, Journal of Ethnic Foods. Elsevier Ltd, 4(2), pp. 80–87. doi:
10.1016/j.jef.2017.05.006.
• Roper, S. and Oledinma, A. (Upcoming). Supporting heritage food products with GIOs: Policy opportunities post-Brexit.
• WIPO (2019) Geographical Indications, UN. Available at: https://www.wipo.int/geo_indications/en/ (Accessed: 20
February 2019).
EMAIL: Akunna.Oledinma@wbs.ac.uk
:thttps://www.linkedin.com/in/akunna-oledinma-67378b125/erpriseResearchCentreUK)