Delegation of the Institute participated in the work of the International Conference on Strengthening Cooperation Projects in the Field of Geographical Indications
Delegation of the Institute for Intellectual Property of Bosnia and Herzegovina participated in the work of the International Conference on Strengthening Cooperation Projects in the Field of Geographical Indications, which was held on 5 and 6 November 2026 at the headquarters of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) in Alicante.
This landmark event was organised by oriGIn and Origen España associations in cooperation with the EUIPO. The welcome speeches of the conference organisers, including EUIPO Executive Director João Negrão and former Italian Minister of Agriculture Paolo de Castro, stressed that GIs are no longer just a tool for the legal protection of product names, but a key driver of rural development and ecological transition, youth employment, women's entrepreneurship and the resilience of local economies.
Conference brought together world's leading experts, regulatory authorities and producer associations from more than 30 countries, including numerous representatives from the Western Balkan countries, discussing the future of cooperation in the field of geographical indications.
Over the course of two days, the panels explored market opportunities for agricultural products, wines and spirits with geographical indications, the specific needs of the craft and industrial sector in relation to geographical indications, and strategies for building resilience to climate change, sustainability and digital tools for cooperation between producer associations.
Through projects funded by the European Union (such as the EU4IP-WB project), representatives of manufacturers' associations and intellectual property offices from the Western Balkans and Moldova actively participated in the conference. Through mentoring sessions and panels, they shared their experiences on the protection and development of local products.
As one of the results of the two-day work, the Alicante Declaration was adopted, inviting donors and international institutions to a new phase of coordinated support in building credible control systems, access to markets and the application of new technologies for product protection.
The delegation of the Institute for Intellectual Property of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which participated in the work of the conference, included Director Josip Merdžo, Deputy Director Zdravko Kašiković and Expert Advisor Goran Trifković.
Representatives of countries participating in the EUIPO’s EU4IP-WB project (Photo: EU International Intellectual Property Cooperation/Facebook)
