In recent weeks the EU Commission has published drafts of the EU/UK Withdrawal Agreement and the negotiating guidelines on the framework for the future relationship for consideration and agreement by member states, before forwarding to the UK as part of the negotiation process.
Ireland has three all-island Geographical Indications (GIs) - Irish Whiskey, Irish Cream and Irish Poitín – which are protected under EU Regulation 110/2008 on the definition, description, presentation, labelling and protection of geographical indications of spirit drinks.
Article 50 of the draft withdrawal agreement proposes that geographical indications protected under EU Regulation 110/2008 will, from the end of the transition period, be entitled to use a right in the UK, granted under UK law, which provides for at least the same level of protection as that provided under the relevant EU law.
The negotiations with the UK on the Withdrawal Agreement will be conducted on this basis.