International Agreements and Regulations

Multilateral Trade Agreements

World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Annex 1C; Section 3: Geographical Indications (1994)

Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration (as amended on September 28, 1979)

  • Defines and protects Appellations of Origin (AOC)
  • Establishes an International Register for Protected Appellations of Origin (AOC)

Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications (as adopted on May 20, 2015)

  • Distinguishes between Appellations of Origin (AOC) and Geographical Indications (GIs) and provides that registered AOCs and GIs cannot become generic terms in other member countries. 

Common Regulations under the Lisbon Agreement and the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement (as in force on July 14, 2023)

Administrative Instructions for the application of the Lisbon Agreement and the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement (as in force on February 26, 2020) 

**The United States are not part of the Lisbon Agreement and Geneva Act**

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA); Chapter 20: Intellectual Property Rights 

Bilateral Trade Agreements

  • Between the United States and third parties

U.S. – Australia Free Trade Agreement; Article 17.2: Trademarks, Including Geographical Indications

U.S. – Chile Free Trade Agreement; Article 17.4: Geographical Indications

U.S. – Columbia Free Trade Agreement; Chapter 16: Intellectual Property Rights, Article 16.3: Geographical Indications

CAFTA-DR (Dominican Republic-Central America FTA); Chapter 15: Intellectual Property Rights, Article 15.3: Geographical Indications

United States – Jordan Free Trade Agreement; Article 4: Intellectual Property Rights, Trademarks and Geographical Indications

U.S. – Korea Free Trade Agreement; Chapter 18: Intellectual Property Rights, Article 18.2: Trademarks, Including Geographical Indications

U.S. – Morocco Free Trade Agreement; Chapter 15: Intellectual Property Rights, Article 15.3: Geographical Indications

U.S. – Oman Free Trade Agreement; Chapter 15: Intellectual Property Rights, Article 15.2: Trademarks, Including Geographical Indications

U.S. – Peru Free Trade Agreement; Chapter 16: Intellectual Property Rights, Article 16.3: Geographical Indications

U.S. – Singapore Free Trade Agreement; Chapter 16: Intellectual Property Rights; Article 16.2: Trademarks, Including Geographical Indications

  • Between the European Union (EU) and third parties

EU – Australia Free Trade Agreement

EU – Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA); Chapter 20: Intellectual Property, Sub-section C: Geographical Indications

EU – Chile Advanced Framework Agreement; Chapter 25: Intellectual Property, Sub-section 4: Geographical Indications

EU – India Free Trade Agreement, Investment Protection Agreement and Geographical Indications Agreement

EU – Indonesia Free Trade Agreement

EU – Mercosur Trade Agreement; Chapter 13: Intellectual Property Rights, Including Geographical Indications, Sub-section 4: Geographical Indications

EU – Mexico Free Trade Agreement; Chapter 40: Intellectual Property Rights, Sub-section 4: Geographical Indications

EU – New Zealand Trade Agreement; Chapter 18: Intellectual Property Rights, Sub-section 4: Geographical Indications

EU – United Kingdom Trade and Cooperation Agreement; Title V: Intellectual Property

Wine and Spirits Agreements

U.S. – EU Wine Agreement (in 2006, the U.S. and the European Union negotiated a bilateral trade agreement to better facilitate the trade of wine between the two parties. The agreement focuses on standardizing wine making and labeling procedures and allows producers from both parties increased access to categorical names). 

U.S. – UK Wine Agreement

U.S. – UK Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Certain Distilled Spirits/Spirits Drinks