SMEs APPRECIATE NOTIFYING GI RULES BY IPO

The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) expressed thankfulness to Intellectual Property Organization (IPO) for notifying geographical indication (GI) rules which are a prerequisite for any GI claim and will give a legal status both at home and abroad.
President UNISAME Zulfikar Thaver whilst appreciating the positive steps of IPO said this should have been done long ago. He said our institutions are reactive and not proactive. Nevertheless he expressed thankfulness to IPO, Ministry of Commerce (MINCOM) , the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA)and the Protect and Promote Basmati Group members who helped and persuaded the matter of drafting the GI law its enactment and claiming GI tag for Basmati and other GI items of Pakistan. The SME basmati rice exporters offered special thanks to Haji Muzzamil Rauf, Hamid Malik, Taufiq Ahmed Khan, chairman Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan Abdul Qayum Piracha, Chairman Standing Committee FPCCI Rafique Suleman, Asif Hayat for their help and support to protect and promote basmati and its GI tag right in international and domestic forums.
Thaver urged IPO to grant the GI tag to all GI items known and acknowledged for their GI exclusiveness worldwide in commodities, textiles, footwear, spices, vegetables and fruits without loss of time. These items deserve the best and prompt attention of IPO for recognition. In fact the MINCOM must have special exhibitions and portals to support international marketing and propagation.
UNISAME Council urged the IPO and the Trade Marks Registry to co-ordinate and sharpen its tools for protection of rights of our products and produce items in the best interest of justice. They said it is pertinent to note that most of the GI items are exported by SMEs who are adding value and catering to world markets.

Posted in: Press Releases