On 14 December 2018 the discussion under the EU project “Support of the geographical indications in Ukraine” was held concerning the issues of Ukrainian geographical indications to be protected in the territory of the temporarily occupied Crimean peninsula.

The discussion brought together the Head of the EU project, representatives of the Ministry of economic development and trade of Ukraine, Ministry of agrarian policy and food of Ukraine, the Mission of the President of Ukraine in ARC.

The prospects and need to establish the system of notification and registration of the unified Crimean geographical indications for wines to cover all the territory of the temporarily occupied Crimea and a part of the South of Ukraine was discussed in order to prevent the misuse on using the geographical indication “Crimea” by Russia.

The issues of improvement of the national sanctions list of Ukrainian manufacturers of wines including the harmonization of national sanctions and the European ones were highlighted. Due regard was given to the possibility to return the plants, manufactured wine products in Crimea to work with their geographical indications as well as the claims submitted to the international special courts to seek the compensation for the losses caused by the state-occupier in the temporarily occupied Crimea.

As the result of the meeting, the participants agreed the need for strategy of shared activities to be developed for the governmental authorities of Ukraine to prevent the usage of the Ukrainian geographical indications in the TOT of Ukraine in Crimea by the occupying authorities.