Lisbon System for the International Registration of Appellations of Origin

The Lisbon System has been established under the Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration of 1958 in order to facilitate the international protection of appellations of origin. Administered by the International Bureau of WIPO, the system is used by the 26 Contracting Parties to the Lisbon Agreement (list in PDF). Its latest amended regulations entered into force on April 1, 2002.

Appellation of origin is the geographical name of a country, region or locality which serves to designate a product originating therein, the quality and characteristics of which are due exclusively or essentially to the geographical environment, including natural and human factors.

The system offers the possibility of obtaining the protection of appellation of origin in 25 Contracting Parties to the Lisbon Agreement (i.e., excluding the country of origin) by using one single registration procedure.