RURAL SPACE AS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
In: Political geography, Band 12, Heft 3, S. 247-262
ISSN: 0962-6298
THE URUGUAY ROUND OF GATT, FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS, AND TRADE DISPUTES HAVE EXPOSED VARIOUS NON-TARIFF TRADE RESTRICTIONS WHICH ARE LIKELY TO BECOME MORE IMPORTANT INFLUENCES ON COMMODITY FLOWS AND THE DIFFERENTIATION OF RURAL SPACE. GLOBALIZATION OF LEGISLATION AFFECTING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS AND INTELLECTUAL PRPOERTY IS ALSO OCCURRING OUTSIDE GATT. TWO MAIN PROCESSES ARE APPARENT. FIRST, UNDER FREE TRADE AGREEMENT NATIONS ARE QUESTIONING THE COMMERCIAL LEGISLATION GOVERNING PRODUCTION OF THEIR PARTNERS. SECONDLY, FOR SPECIFIC COMMODITIES, GROUPS OF PRODUCERS AND COUNTRIES ARE BRINGING LITIGATION AGAINST OTHER TRADING PARTNERS OVER THE USE OF PLACE-NAMES BY SUCCESSFULLY CLAIMING THAT THEY ARE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. THE PAPER USES THE INTERNATIONAL IMPACTS OF THE EC RULES FOR THE NAMING AND LABELLING OF WINES TO EXPLORE THE WIDER PROCESSES. AGGRESSIVE LITIGATION BY FRENCH COMPANIES AND GROUPS OF PRODUCERS IS GRADUALLY ELIMINATING THE USE OF FRENCH AND EC NAMES BY OTHER COUNTRIES. CONTEMPORANEOUSLY, OTHER NATIONS ARE ADOPTING APPELLATION SYSTEMS THAT IMITATE THE EC IN ORDER TO BE ASSURED OF ACCESS TO THE EC MARKETS AFTER 1992. BOTH PROCESSES ARE PART OF THE GLOBALIZATION OF PRODUCTION UNDER CAPITALISM BUT THEIR EFFECTS MAY BE CONTRADICTORY. INCREASED SIMILARITY IN THE COMMERCIAL LEGISLATION OF COUNTRIES WILL ENHANCE THE ADVANTAGE OF THE MOST COMPETITIVE REGIONS AND NATIONS LEADING TO GREATER REGIONAL SPECIALIZATION IN RURAL PRODUCTION. A GLOBALIZATION OF PRINCIPLES FOR THE NPY: 1993