(3) The Ministry responsible for industrial property shall forward the documents to the
Organization within a period of five working days from the date of filing.
Article 9
Examination and Registration of Applications
(1) For every application for registration of a geographical indication, the Organization
shall examine whether the applicant is entitled to apply for registration, whether the
application contains the particulars required under Articles 5(b) and 7 and whether the
prescribed fees have been paid.
(2) Where the applicant is not entitled to apply for registration, where the prescribed
fees have not been paid or where the geographical indication is contrary to public policy or
morality, the application shall be rejected.
(3) Where the application does not contain the particulars required under Article 7, with
the exception of the requirement under letter (b), the application shall be deemed irregular.
The irregularity shall be notified to the applicant or his agent with an invitation to regularize
the elements within a period of three months as from the date of notification. That period
may be extended by 30 days in a case of proven necessity at the request of the applicant or his
agent. An application thus put in order within the said period shall retain the date of the
original application. Failing regularization of the application within the prescribed time
limits, the application shall be rejected.
(4) Where the requirements of paragraph (1) are fulfilled, the geographical indication
shall be registered in the Special Register of Geographical Indications.
(5) No filing may be rejected under paragraph (3) of this Article unless an opportunity
has been given to the applicant or his agent to correct such application to the extent and in
accordance with the prescribed procedures and form.
Article 10
Unacceptability Due to Non-Payment
No filing shall be acceptable if the application is not accompanied by a document
attesting payment to the Organization of the prescribed fees.
Article 11
Publication
(1) The Organization shall publish the registration and issue to the owner of the
registration a certificate containing, in particular, the following particulars as they appear in
the Register:
(a) serial number of the geographical indication;
(b) filing date of the application for registration;
(c) geographical area to which the indication applies;
(d) products to which the indication applies;
(e) identity of the applicant.
(2) As from publication referred to in paragraph (1) above, any person may obtain an
official copy and an extract of entries at his own expense.