Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to the Answer of 29 April 2021 to Question 175773, for what reason it took her Department four months to provide Japan with the list of 77 additional products for which it is seeking Geographical Indication protection under the terms of the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership which came into effect on 1 January 2021.

Article 14.34.5 of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement sets out that both Parties shall, as soon as practically possible after the entry into force of the Agreement, enter into consultations with a view to adding additional geographical indications. The UK subsequently started discussions with Japan in early 2021 regarding adding new geographical indications. After these consultations concluded, and following the necessary translation of technical documents, the UK shared its list of additional products with Japan on 30 April 2021.

These 77 GIs will now go through Japan’s procedures as quickly as possible.