Ambassador Bruton Calls for Enhanced GI Protection

Ambassador John Bruton, head of the European Commission's Delegation to the United States, said today that enhanced protection for Geographical Indications was critical to achieving a Doha Development Round deal.

Ambassador Bruton noted that the basic question was whether it was acceptable to mislead consumers by selling them a ham with a big "Prosciutto – Parma style" label in the colors of the Italian flag when it had never been anywhere near Italy. "We don't think so," he said. "Consumers have every right to expect honest and straightforward product information on the things they buy and they should not be subject to cheap marketing tricks which make products appear to be what they are not."

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