Emblem Obligation for Geographical Signs and Traditional Products!

"Geographical Indication and Traditional Product Name Emblem Regulation" of Turkish Patent and Trademark Office was published on the Official Gazette. The regulation will come in force on 10.01.2018. In this way, Turkish Patent and Trademark Office has set standards for geographical indications and traditional product name emblems. We can list the standards promulgated with the regulation as follows:

• Registered geographical indications and traditional product names are used by those who operate in the production or marketing of the products that meet the conditions identified in the registration document.
• It is required to use the emblem together with the registered geographical indication. It is not required to use emblem for the geographical indications belonging to foreign countries that are envisaged to be protected in our country under the bilateral and multilateral agreements to which our country is a party. The use of registered traditional product name without an emblem is not subject to the provisions of the Law no. 6769.
• Provided that it will not be at a size less than 15 millimeters, an emblem shall be used either on the product or package together with the geographical indication or traditional product name or, in case they are not used on the product itself or on its package, at a visible place in the enterprise.
• An emblem that fits with the type of registered name shall be used, and no change can be made on the emblem.
• Emblem shall be obtained from the Institution's formal website by those who use the geographical indication or traditional product name.
• Emblems shall be used in Turkish language on the products marketed in Turkey which bear the registered geographical indication and traditional product name.
• When it is preferred to use an emblem in foreign language on the products subject to external trade, those emblems whose translations in foreign languages are provided on the Institution's formal website may be used.
• Designation of origin, geographical indication and traditional product name emblems shall be comprised of a map of Turkey within square brackets which is situated in a circle surrounded by triangles.
• Red color will be dominant in designation of origin emblem, green in geographical indication emblem and turquoise in traditional product name emblem.
• In case the emblem is used on a colored ground which restricts visibility, an outer delimiting circle shall be used around the emblem. In such a case, the area between the outer circle and triangles shall be in white color.
• It shall be possible to use the emblem in black and white color in case all other items on the package are in only black, only white or black and white colors.