President of the Arab Society of Intellectual Property (ASIP) and chairman of the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAG-Org), Talal Abu-Ghazaleh called for a system that protects geographical indications and famous brand names.

He was speaking at the First Arab Forum for the Protection of Consumers from Commercial Fraud which concluded in Jeddah recently.

Abu-Ghazaleh pointed out to targeted Arab regions such as Makkah since it carries a particular sanctity, in addition to Petra in Jordan, and some products of Arab countries like the oranges of Jaffa and Lebanese tabbouleh.

He expressed ASIP’s willingness, along with Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property (Agip), to put in place a system for protecting indications and creating a bank of data, in collaboration with the League of Arab States and the World Intellectual Property Organization (Wipo).

He also pointed out to the potential of establishing a cooperative Arab agreement to protect geographical indications, and offered to establish an Arab organization to protect famous brand names under the umbrella of the Arab League and in cooperation with ASIP.

Further, the representative of the European Union, Luke Divan emphasised the EU’s readiness to collaborate with the initiative launched by Abu-Ghazaleh. He stated that the EU “developed a special structure to protect Intellectual Property.”

In addition, the Coordinator of Combating Commercial Fraud at the World Customs Organisation, Christopher Zimmerman expressed his organisation's support to the Abu-Ghazaleh initiative.

The forum was organised by the Saudi Administration of Customs in cooperation with the Arab League and the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

It represents an extension of Saudi governmental efforts that aim to protect the consumer and combat commercial fraud and products' counterfeiting, through the issuance of legislations and schemes that limit and eventually eradicate these phenomena.-TradeArabia News Service