CCFN continues in its work steering the International Trademark Association (INTA), the world’s leading voice on trademark topics. Subcommittee meetings continued in the third quarter with CCFN serving as a vocal participant in the GI Committee meeting, the Expansion & Monitoring Subcommittee and the Governance Subcommittee.

Most notably, under the Expansion and Monitoring Subcommittee, CCFN has taken the lead on the task of “Review of Geographical Indications Regimes in Free Trade Agreements” cross-checking the list INTA developed with the list of Free Trade Agreements in force in the WTO. From there, CCFN identified those FTAs with GI provisions with the aim of reviewing all the GI provisions in active FTAs. This process is being conducted under INTA’s board resolution on GIs in order to identify conflicts and also to press for harmonization in those FTAs – policies that will favor CCFN members.