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ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS.
Section.
PART I—PRELIMINARY.
1. Commencement.
2. Interpretation.
PART II—PROTECTION OF GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS.
3. Reference to description or presentation of goods.
4. Similarity of geographical indications and prohibitions.
5. Exclusion from Protection.
6. Registrar of Geographical Indications and other officers.
7. Register of geographical indications.
8. Application for registration.
9. Examination of application.
10. Objection to registration of a geographical indication.
11. Appeal from decision of registrar.
12. Removal from register or alteration of conditions.
13. Procedure for invalidation of a geographical indication.
14. Right to institute proceedings.
15. Term of protection.
16. Use of name of place of origin.
17. Prohibition of licence or assignment of geographical indication
or name of place of origin.
18. Prohibition of registration of exclusive geographical name as a
trademark.
19. Protection of certification mark.
20. Use of person’s name.
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Act 8 Geographical Indications Act 2013
Section.
PART III—REMEDIES FOR UNLAWFUL USE OF
GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS.
21. Civil action.
22. Orders of court.
23. Prohibition of importation and exportation of goods infringing
geographical indication.
24. Remedies.
25. Suspension of importation of goods in violation.
PART IV—MISCELLANEOUS.
26. Fees.
27. Regulations.
28. Power of Minister to amend Schedule.
SCHEDULE—CURRENCY POINT
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Act 8 Geographical Indications Act 2013
PART I—PRELIMINARY.
1. Commencement.
This Act shall come into force on a date to be appointed by the
Minister by statutory instrument.
2. Interpretation.
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—
“certification mark” means a mark on a commercial product which
legally enables bounding and indicates the following—
(a) the existence of a legal follow up or product
certification agreement between the manufacturer
of a product and an organisation that possesses
accreditation by a national government for both
testing and product certification;
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(b) legal evidence that the product was successfully tested
in accordance with a nationally accredited standard;
(c) legal assurance that the accredited certification
organisation has ensured that the item that was
successfully tested is identical to that which is
offered for sale;
(d) legal assurance that the successful test has resulted in a
certification listing which is considered public
information and sets out the tolerances and conditions
for use of a certified product to enable bounding; and
(e) legal assurance that the manufacturer is regularly audited
by the certification organisation at unannounced
intervals to ensure the maintenance of the original
standard that was employed in the manufacture of the
test specimen that passed the test;
“currency point” has the value given to it in the Schedule to this Act;
“producer” means—
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(a) a producer of agricultural products or a person
exploiting natural products;
(5) The registrar shall have a seal which he or she shall affix to
all certificates issued by him or her and all such other documents that
he may deem fit to seal under this Act.
(6) When the seal is lawfully affixed to a document and the same
is duly authenticated by the registrar, it shall be judicially and
officially noticed.
(3) The following shall have the right to file an application to register
a geographical indication—
(a) a legal entity carrying on an activity as producers, farmers,
artisans or whatever the case may be in the geographical area
specified in the application, with respect to the product
specified in the application;
(b) a group of representative producers; or
(c) in respect to an indication with national character, any
competent authority as provided for under the regulations.
(4) An application for registration of a geographical indication may
be filed by an agent.
9. Examination of application.
(1) The registrar shall cause the examination of the application
referred to in section 8 in accordance with regulations made under
this Act and where the conditions for registration referred in section
8 are met, shall accept the application.
(2) Where the registrar finds that conditions for registration have not
been met, the applicant may be invited to supplement or amend the
application, in accordance with regulations made under this Act.
(3) The registrar shall send a copy of the notice to the applicant
and within the prescribed time after receipt, the applicant shall send
to the registrar, in the prescribed manner, a counter statement of the
grounds on which he or she relies for his or her application and if he
or she does not do so, he or she shall be taken to have abandoned his
or her application.
24. Remedies.
(1) The court may make an order for the seizure, confiscation,
forfeiture or disposal of items upon which a geographical indication
is placed or used in contravention of section 4, including materials
and implements, the predominant use of which has been in the
commission of violation, without compensation or any payment to
the person from whom they have been taken.
(2) Where the court in a civil action finds that a registered
geographical indication has been used in contravention of section 18,
the court may make an order requiring the delivery of the following
items to the court or to the plaintiff for destruction—
(a) labels;
(b) signs;
(c) prints;
(d) products;
(e) packages;
(f) wrappers;
(g) receptacles;
(h) advertisements; and
(i) other material in the defendant’s possession or control that
bear the registered geographical indication.
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(3) The court shall, in addition to an order in subsection (1) and
(2), make an order requiring the delivery of a counterfeit or copy of
the registered geographical indication including any materials and
implements, the predominant use of which has been the
contravention, without compensation to the owner or any payment to
the person from whom they have been taken.
(4) The court may order the closure of business, the predominant
activity of which has involved the contravention of section 4.
(5) The court may issue a public notice of the order referred to
in subsection (4) by publication in a newspaper of wide circulation.
(6) The court may extend the period referred to in subsection (5)
by an additional ten working days.
PART IV—MISCELLANEOUS
26. Fees.
There shall be paid in respect of applications, registration and other
matters under this Act, such fees as may be prescribed by the Minister
by statutory instrument.
27. Regulations.
(1) The Minister shall make regulations prescribing all matters
that are required or permitted by this Act to be prescribed for giving
effect to the purposes of this Act.
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SCHEDULE.
S. 2, 22, 23, 26
CURRENCY POINT
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Cross References
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