Greece’s two most famous spirits − ouzo and tsipouro – will be designated as uniquely Greek products and protected under the latest amendment to the Lisbon Agreement, the sixty year-old international convention governing the use of exclusive geographical trademarks.

A recent decision by the European Commission to extend the protected status comes as traditional Greek spirits gain increasing recognition and a new generation of aficionados abroad. The sector, which comprises 250 distilleries and more 30,000 workers, exports 70% of production to overseas markets.

Last year, the European Union formally adopted the freshly negotiated Geneva Act to the Lisbon Agreement. Following its ratification, the European Commission has approved ouzo and tsipouro for inclusion in the International Register of Appellations of Origin, the catalogue of protected geographical products run by the World Intellectual Property Organization. Both ouzo and tsipouro have received Protected Designation of Origin status within the EU.

Now the two products will enjoy the same protection by other signatories to the Lisbon Agreement and will, de facto, gain a new status in bilateral trade negotiations conducted by the European Commission.