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EIPO: Ethiopia, EU, U.S. Agree on Coffee Trademarks


VERBATIM
(indirect responses by the LYIP and the Government to this report and other views)

Corrections to Misinformation

“Contrary to the concerns being expressed recently, in no country where applications have been made to register a TM, has Ethiopia yet run out of options to rebut or reverse a decision of the prevailing authority or Patent and Trade Mark Office.

“We realize that the public who stepped up to support us around the world, may remain concerned about whether Ethiopia has managed to achieve what it hoped for in the negotiations with Starbucks that were concluded on June 20th, 2007. We wish to confirm that it did. Other assertions are untrue and based only on mere speculation.

“Furthermore, Ethiopia neither conceded nor altered the fundamental principles and objectives of the Initiative and considers the agreement with Starbucks as not only satisfactory in its own right, but also an important trigger, stimulating many other companies, that had stood back, to now come forward and work with us.” – CSR Wire, August 29, 2007


Ethiopia's Fine Coffee Trademarking Initiative at Millennium Turning Point

"Affirmation of our approach, acknowledgement of our ownership of the marks and a commitment to invest in public promotion by the Starbucks Coffee Corporation has definitely meant an acceleration in take up and interest from other major gourmet and fine food retail chains and coffee companies," commented Getachew Mengistie, Director General of the EIPO. "We are looking forward to announcing some more big names from next month and have events scheduled in London and Washington in the autumn," he added." – CSR Wire, September 3, 2007


Coffee Brands Accreditation Benefits Coffee Growers

“The property rights consensus for Ethiopian premium coffee brands impact on the lives of 25 million people in Ethiopia, Yackob Yala, state minister of Agriculture and Rural Development confirmed. The Minister further said that securing property rights to Ethiopian specialty coffee is a success story after three years of effort. As concerted strive on the part coffee farmers in Ethiopia and those of the stakeholders internationally needed to consolidate the property rights of other Ethiopian coffee, Ethiopia will be able to protect the valuable reputation of its coffees and enable poor growers to benefit their shares of the retail market.” – Ethiopian Herald, August 31, 2007
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Ethiopia, EU, U.S. Agree on Coffee Trademarks

BuaNews via All Africa

September 13, 2007

European and American coffee roasting and distribution companies have signed an agreement to use Ethiopia's coffee specialty trademarks.

The Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office (EIPO) made this announcement on Wednesday.

This week's agreements follow legal battles with large coffee distributors, such as the Starbucks chain in the US, over Ethiopia's rights to trademark its indigenous coffee, which would give the country a larger share of revenue from the industry.

Wondwossen Belete, a representative of the EIPO Director General, told Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) Wednesday that the companies which signed the agreement included some of the biggest coffee companies in Europe and the United States.

Some 24 coffee roaster and distributor companies in the US have signed the agreement, while one company in Holland has already put signature to the agreement, he added.

The trade of coffee is Ethiopia's largest export, and generates 60 percent of its total export earnings, while employing about 12 million people.

The best Ethiopian coffee may be compared with the finest coffee in the world, and premium washed Arabica beans fetch some of the highest prices on the world market.

The EIPO Director General last week held discussions with 18 British coffee companies on the licensing agreement, he said.

Similarly, two British companies have signed the agreement to use Ethiopian coffee specialty trademarks, Mr Belete said, adding that discussions would be held to reach agreement with the remaining British coffee companies.

He said the Director General had also held discussions on the matter with 20 German coffee companies, out of which 10 are expected to put their signature on the agreement.

Discussions are underway with a renowned Japanese coffee company on the licensing agreement, he added.

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