On 26 February 2020, the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications has officially entered into force.

Adopted on 20 May 2015, it extends the international system, established for appellations of origin by the Lisbon Agreement, to geographical indications, expanding the geographical coverage of this registration system. The Geneva Act allows now the international registration of geographical indications, in addition to appellations of origin, through a single registration procedure with WIPO and permits the accession to the Act by certain intergovernmental organizations, including the European Union and the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI).

The Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and its international registration was originally concluded in 1958. Together, the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement and the Lisbon Agreement form what is commonly referred to as the ‘Lisbon System’.

Further information about the Lisbon System and relevant international instruments is available HERE.