Protecting the Brand of Whisky around the world ahead of BREXIT
Whisky has grown its impact on the Scottish and UK economies by 10% in three years, recently released figures from the industry show.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) said the economic value of Scotland’s national drink had surged to £5.5 billion annually, buoyed in recent years by record exports and distilleries starting up.
The prospects for post-Brexit whisky are not as hopeless as some market expert advisors put it with industry nonetheless pushing the UK government to provide clearer guidelines for the businesses that produce Scotch Whisky. This is the message from Lindesay Low, the legal representative of the Scottish Whisky Association (SWA). It stressed the importance of the legal protection of Scotch Whiskys and the possible effects of Brexit on copyright, as well as maintaining the status of the product and its geographical indication and identity.
"With the European Union being the largest trading area for Scottish Whisky, Brexit is a cause for serious concern. The situation, however, is not going to be so hopeless. We must remember that Whisky and other foodstuff have a protected right to fortify consumers from fraud. The European Commission will take this consumer quite seriously. The likelihood of small involvement concerns markets to which we have gained access through EU agreements, and of its distinct country-members. This is also something that we have to watch out for".
SWA has registered intellectual property rights in more than 100 markets worldwide to ensure that Scotch Whisky is officially recognized as a Scottish brand, produced using traditional methods.