The EUIPO Hosts a Side Event on Geographical Indications in Africa at the Worldwide Perspectives on Geographical Indications Conference in Rome

The EUIPO, in the context of the EU-funded international cooperation project AfrIPI, organised a landmark side event on ‘Development and Cooperation on GIs in the African Context’ at the FAO Headquarters in Rome on 20 February 2025, led by the EUIPO and hosted in cooperation with the FAO.

This event, which took place under the framework of the Worldwide Perspectives on Geographical Indications conference, from 18 to 21 February 2025, was a key platform for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to explore how innovations and traditions can drive sustainability in GI systems, with the EUIPO at the forefront of promoting robust intellectual property systems that drive economic growth and sustainable development in Africa.

The side event, chaired by EU´s IP attaché for Africa, featured a lineup of experts, including representatives from OAPI, ARIPO, the AfCFTA Secretariat, WIPO, and AUC-DARBE, demonstrating the EUIPO's ability to mobilise expertise in any IP area across its network of EU Agencies and partner IP institutions.

The discussion highlighted the significant growth in GI registrations across Africa, from fewer than 10 in 2013 to 208 in 2025, with the EUIPO, as an international registration authority, building on years of cooperation with the European Commission (DG AGRI) and fully responsible for the registration of craft and industrial GIs as of 2025.

The panellists also addressed challenges such as formalising many GIs that operate informally, and examined the critical need for coordinated regional efforts, harmonised legislation, and cross-sector collaboration to safeguard cultural heritage, boost a sustainable economy and ensure legal certainty for GI holders, underscoring the pivotal role of GIs in preserving cultural identity and supporting innovation.

By facilitating this high-level discussion, the EUIPO reaffirmed its commitment to promoting robust intellectual property systems that drive economic growth and sustainable development in Africa, ultimately seeking to create a business environment more akin to that EU businesses find in Europe.