Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 16 October 2024
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation
Geographical Indications for Craft and Industrial Products: Discussion
9:30 am
Mr. Muiris Kennedy:
Yes. There are bilateral agreements between the European Union and certain third-country markets. The products must be named. For example, there is a joint recognition and reciprocal agreement between China and Europe for 100 GI products. China has 100 products recognised within Europe and vice versa, including Irish spirits such as whiskey. That is done at a European level. Again, it starts with our Government, which makes the recommendations to Brussels, and the Commission then negotiates as part of its bilateral trade agreements with third country markets.