Geographical Indications at the Crossroads of Trade, Development, and Culture

Historically, few topics have proven to be so controversial in the international intellectual property arena as the protection of geographical indications (GIs). The adoption of TRIPS in 1994 did not resolve the disagreements on the issue, and countries world-wide continue to quarrel as to the nature and scope of protection of GIs internationally and nationally. In this context, several countries in Asia-Pacific have actively promoted GIs as a mechanism to foster local development and safeguard local culture, while others have been more skeptical as to the promises of GI protection. Yet thus far, there is little literature addressing GI protection from the point of view of the Asia-Pacific region. This book, edited by renowned intellectual property scholars, fills this void and offers a variety of contributions focusing on the framework and effects of GI protection in the Asia-Pacific region. The book is also available as Open Access.