Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/139 of 16 January 2025 granting protection in the Union to the Appellation of Origin Valais / Wallis registered in the International Register of Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications of the Geneva Act

Official Journal EN of the European Union L series 2025/139 24.1.2025 COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2025/139 of 16 January 2025 granting protection in the Union to the Appellation of Origin ‘Valais / Wallis’ registered in the International Register of Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications of the Geneva Act THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2019/1753 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2019on the action of the Union following its accession to the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications(1), and in particular Article 7(1) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) In accordance with Article 5(1) and (2) of the Geneva Act, the Competent Authorities of each Contracting Party to the Geneva Act may file applications for international registration of an appellation of origin or geographical indication with the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization, which registers it in the International Register in accordance with Article 6 of the Geneva Act. In accordance with Article 9 of the Geneva Act, the other Contracting Parties shall protect registered appellations of origin and geographical indications within their own legal system subject to any refusal, renunciation, invalidation or cancellation.

(2) In accordance with Article 6(4) of the Geneva Act, on 14 March 2024, the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization notified the Commission that the name ‘Valais / Wallis’, applied by Switzerland, had been recorded as an Appellation of Origin in the International Register of Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications under the Geneva Act.

(3) Pursuant to Article 4(2) of Regulation (EU) 2019/1753, the international registration of the Appellation of Origin ‘Valais / Wallis’ was published in the Official Journal of the European Union(2) to enable possible oppositions to be lodged.

(4) Pursuant to Article 5 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1753, the Commission assessed the international registration of the Appellation of Origin ‘Valais / Wallis’ against the conditions laid down in that Article and concluded that they are fulfilled.

(5) As no opposition under Article 6 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1753 has been received by the Commission, the name ‘Valais / Wallis’ should be protected in the Union, in accordance with the Geneva Act.

(6) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Quality Policy Committee for agricultural products, wine and spirit drinks under Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council(3),

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

(1) OJ L 271, 24.10.2019, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/1753/oj.

(2) OJ C, C/2024/2687, 12.4.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/2687/oj.

(3) Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 on geographical indications for wine, spirit drinks and agricultural products, as well as traditional specialities guaranteed and optional quality terms for agricultural products, amending Regulations (EU) No 1308/2013, (EU) 2019/787 and (EU) 2019/1753 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 (OJ L, 2024/1143, 23.4.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1143/oj).

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/139/oj 1/2EN OJ L, 24.1.2025 Article 1 The name ‘Valais / Wallis’, registered as Appellation of Origin in the International Register, shall be protected in the Union.

The name referred to in the first paragraph identifies a product of the type ‘wine’.

Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 16 January 2025.

For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN 2/2 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/139/oj