Ukraine: Law of Ukraine No. 123-IX of September 20, 2019, on Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine Regarding the Improvement of the Legal Protection of Geographical Indications

January 1, 2020

Ukraine: The Law of Ukraine No. 123-IX of September 20, 2019, on Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine Regarding the Improvement of the Legal Protection of Geographical Indications entered into force on January 1, 2020.

The Law amends the Law of Ukraine No. 752-XIV of June 16, 1999, on Protection of Rights to Indicate the Origin of Goods, Decree No. 7-93 of January 21, 1993, of the Cabinet of Ministers on State Duty, the Commercial Code, and the Civil Code.

The amendments are as follows:

(i) introducing new definitions of the terms "geographical indication" (hereinafter "GI") and "appellation of origin" as a type of GI;

(ii) specifying the conditions for granting legal protection to GIs and the grounds for refusing such protection;

(iii) determining the conditions for granting legal protection to homonymous GIs;

(iv) indicating the applicants who are entitled to register GIs;

(v) specifying the requirements for the application for registration of GIs;

(vi) improving the procedure for examining applications for GIs;

(vii) establishing the requirements for the product specifications for which the indication is sought; and

(viii) clarifying the scope of rights and obligations arising from the registration of GIs.