The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) hopes to motivate producers with the Draft Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) (Amendment) Rules, 2023.
Public opinion is now invited on lower fee structures under consideration. Proposed amendments to the Geographical Indications Act slash fees, potentially motivating grassroots-level producers and agriculturists to secure their geographical indication (GI) rights.
Fees for applications, registrations and renewals are drastically reduced, some dropping to a fifth of previous amounts. The registration fee for a GI application is proposed to decrease from INR5,000 (USD60) to INR1,000. The cost for registering an authorised user may be cut from INR500 to a nominal INR10. Renewal fees for authorised users might decrease from INR1,000 to INR10. Seeking additional protection for certain goods could be lowered from INR25,000 to INR12,000.
