At the 2021 World Intellectual Property Forum, CCFN consultant Juan Antonio Dorantes Sanchez discussed the issue of common name confiscating through the misuse of GIs with more than 1,500 attendees from 30 countries. The event provided CCFN with an opportunity to continue to communicate to global audiences the importance of sound GI policies that respect the rights of generic users.
After laying out the definition and uses of GIs, and noting they “have a territorial validity, in principle,” Dorantes Sanchez detailed the misuses of GIs and how countries can achieve a balance between protections for product names and allowing the use of commonly named products.
Among other suggestions, he said countries should ensure that: