GI Jiu | EU-China pact on ‘geographical indications’ protects wine

An agreement between China and the European Union took effect today to protect 100 geographical indications (GIs), including wine, from each side.

The EU list skews heavily toward wine GIs–everything from Rioja to Tokaj to Saint-Emilion to Asti (see list below)–along with spirits, cheeses, cured meats and more.

The Chinese list was led by teas and fruits, with, no surprise, some entries related to China’s national spirit baijiu.

There were also four entries for grape wine / putao jiu, including in the fast emerging region of Ningxia, specifically Helan Mountain East Foothill Wine 贺兰山东麓葡萄酒.

Also listed is wine from Yantai (烟台葡萄酒), in coastal province Shandong, and from Shacheng (沙城葡萄酒), just outside Beijing in Hebei province as well as Huanren icewine (桓仁冰酒) in the northeast province of Liaoning.

“In 2020, China was the third destination for EU agri-food products, reaching €16.3 billion between January to November” stated the press release. “It is also the second destination of EU exports of GI products, accounting for 9% by value, including wines, agri-food products and spirit drinks.”

China has emerged as the EU’s biggest overall trading partner.

The EU has about 3300 GIs and protects a further 1600 non-EU GIs, says the statement.

GIs are described as “distinctive signs attached to (mainly) agricultural products that have a given quality, reputation or other characteristics that are attributable to their specific geographic origin.” Like bubbly from Champagne or tea from Pu’er.

The agreement is part of a process that began with the start of the EU-China IPR Dialogue in 2003 and led to a decision in 2010 to create a list of 100 GIs from each side to be protected.

“In 2017, lists of 100 EU and 100 Chinese GIs were published for public comment, before agreement on the substantive protection provisions was reached in late 2019. The Council endorsed the deal’s signature in July 2020, paving the way to Parliament’s consent procedure,” states the EU.

“As for GI enforcement, GI holders would have the right to request enforcement action and to seek judicial enforcement independently.”

The agreement’s scope includes adding 175 additional GIs per side within four years.

EU goods like French wine have faced significant counterfeiting problems in China. European wine producers now sense opportunity given the high tariffs China placed on Australian wine last year. On the flip side, while China’s wine industry has been racking up medals and high scores, it is still fairly young and unknown, thus having recognized GIs abroad give it some legitimacy.

Here are the wine GIs listed for the EU.

FRANCE
Alsace 阿尔萨斯
Armagnac 雅文邑
Beaujolais 博若莱
Bordeaux 波尔多
Bourgogne 勃艮第
Chablis 夏布利
Champagne 香槟
Châteauneuf-du-Pape 教皇新堡
Côtes de Provence 普罗旺斯丘
Côtes du Rhône 罗讷河谷
Côtes du Roussillon 露喜龙丘
Graves 格拉夫
Languedoc 朗格多克
Margaux 玛歌
Médoc 梅多克
Pauillac 波亚克
Pays d’Oc 奥克地区
Pessac-Léognan 佩萨克-雷奥良
Pomerol 波美侯
Saint-Emilion 圣埃米利永/圣埃米利隆

GERMANY
Rheinhessen 莱茵黑森葡萄酒
Mosel 摩泽尔葡萄酒
Franken 弗兰肯葡萄酒

GREECE
Σάμος / Samos 萨摩斯甜酒

HUNGARY
Tokaj 托卡伊葡萄酒

ITALY
Asti 阿斯蒂
Barbaresco 巴巴列斯科
Bardolino Superiore 超级巴多利诺
Barolo å·´ç½—æ´›
Brachetto d’Acqui 布拉凯多
Brunello di Montalcino 布鲁内洛蒙塔奇诺
Chianti 圣康帝
Conegliano Valdobbiadene – Prosecco 科内利亚诺瓦尔多比亚德尼–普罗塞克
Dolcetto d’Alba 阿尔巴杜塞托
Franciacorta 弗朗齐亚科达
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 蒙帕塞诺阿布鲁佐
Soave 苏瓦韦
Toscano / Toscana 托斯卡诺/托斯卡纳
Vino nobile di Montepulciano è’™ç‰¹æ™®é½äºšè¯ºè´µæ—è‘¡è„é…’

PORTUGAL
Alentejo 阿兰特茹
Dão 杜奥
Douro 杜罗
Porto / Port / Oporto 波特酒
Vinho Verde 葡萄牙绿酒

ROMANIA
Cotnari 科特纳里葡萄酒

SLOVAKIA
Vinohradnícka oblasť Tokaj 托卡伊葡萄酒产区

SLOVENIA
Vipavska dolina 多丽娜葡萄酒

SPAIN
Rioja 里奥哈
Cava 卡瓦
Cataluña 加泰罗尼亚
La Mancha 拉曼恰
Valdepeñas 瓦尔德佩涅斯
Jerez / Xérès / Sherry 赫雷斯- 雪莉/雪莉
Navarra 纳瓦拉
Valencia 瓦伦西亚

Get the full agreement here.

(Re the article title, Jiu means alcohol and sounds like Joe. A play of the character GI Joe.)

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