WIPO praises Lanka's branding efforts

The global body in charge of patents, trademarks, copyright and GI protection, has praised Sri Lanka’s global branding efforts. Sri Lanka appears to have two more potential global brands in addition to tea and cinnamon.

“International branding is the way to go. Sri Lanka is taking the right approach and the importance given by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has put Sri Lanka the on the right track. I am very pleased of the way you are handling your global product branding efforts,” said the Head of the Switzerland-based, International Appellations of Origin Registry, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Matthijs Geuze when he met Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen at the Ministry on July 31.

Sri Lanka recently secured the Pure Ceylon Cinnamon trade mark in the EU market and is now pushing for the same in the US markets. In 2011, Sri Lanka Tea Board applied for international registration for Pure Ceylon Tea Geographical Indications in 50 target markets during 2011 and 2012 with funding from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

“We had meetings with stakeholders of tea and cinnamon sectors of Sri Lanka on July 30 who are seeking protection for their products by using Pure Ceylon Tea and Pure Ceylon Cinnamon brands.

Some of them are facing difficulties protecting their brands in export market. We are here to assist them to solve these issues. It is good that Sri Lanka has secured the Geographical Indicator protection for Pure Ceylon Tea and EU trade mark rights for Pure Ceylon Cinnamon.