Pakistani exporters have scored another landmark decision of the EuropeanUnion (EU) accepting their plea against Indian traders who had been tryingto attain exclusive rights to export basmati rice.
The Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) had previously filed apetition against the aforementioned Indian claim on 5 February this yearunder the pretext of meeting the global demand for basmati rice. AlthoughPakistan meets the second biggest requirement of aromatic rice, the EUCommission presiding over the case did not consent to grant India all therights for a product that has been disputed for decades.——————————
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Pakistan has continued to thwart India’s bid to get a geographicalindicator (GI) tag for the region’s basmati rice since last year, andrightly so.
Last year, India had applied for the GI tag for basmati rice with theEuropean Parliament and Council on Quality Schemes for AgriculturalProducts and Foodstuffs. Taking notice, the Intellectual PropertyOrganization Pakistan appealed against the move.
In this regard, it was mentioned that
With the admissibility of REAP as a party, the case of Pakistan in EU hasreached its third stage where all the contesting parties will engage inconsultations with each other.
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The exporters’ group added that the “Time period for the parties to engagein negotiations is three months. The negotiations will last, tentatively,till May 6. This is a pre-trial phase, whereby, parties are encouraged toreach an amicable solution”.——————————
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In case of a consolidatory impasse, a fourth and final session will be heldin the presence of the Directorate General Agriculture of the EuropeanCommission.
Note that Pakistan has only recently registered its basmati rice as GIunder the Geographical Indications Act 2020.
