Newsletter-21

355 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW Geographical Indication and Traditional Product Name The Bill provides protection to traditional product name, as well as the geographical indication. EU Regulation No. 1151/2012 on Quality Schemes for Agricultural Products and Foodstuffs has been taken as an example in preparation of the Bill. The products that do not enter within the scope of geographical indication, but which have the traditional characteristics, shall be protected by the registry as the ‘traditional product name.’ Decree-Law No. 555 does not contain any objection procedure that is granted for the applications refused in the examination process. However, in accordance with the Bill, the applicants may object to the TPI on its decision within two months as of the notification date of the decision. Also, the six-month objection process against the applica- tions published in the Bulletin was decreased to three-months, in order to shorten the registration period. The information contained in the applications for geographical indication in accordance with Statuary Decree-Law No. 555 is pub- lished in the Official Gazette, the local newspaper and newspapers with large circulations. Since publication in the newspapers with large circulations is costly, the Bill introduces the publication of the applica- tion only in the Bulletin in order to decrease the announcement costs. Pursuant to the Implementing Regulation under Decree-Law No. 555 on the Protection of Geographical Indications, the reports with regard to the audits that must be conducted by the registrants must be submitted to the TPI every ten years; however, the Bill decreases this period to two years, and aims to activate the auditing process. Additionally, with the Bill, in order to establish a new head of department having the capacity of meeting the requirements of the country, it is decided to restructure the operations performed by the Head of Department of Trademarks under the Head of Department of Geographical Indications.