Request for a preliminary ruling from the Varhoven kasatsionen sad (Bulgaria) lodged on 19 January 2021 – ‘Konservinvest’ OOD v ‘Bulkons Parvomay’ OOD

(Case C-35/21)

Language of the case: Bulgarian

Referring court

Varhoven kasatsionen sad

Parties to the main proceedings

Appellant in cassation: ‘Konservinvest’ OOD

Respondent in cassation: ‘Bulkons Parvomay’ OOD

Question referred

Does Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 ¹ of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs allow, outside the cases of transitional protection provided for in that provision, a national system for the registration and protection of geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs covered by that regulation, and does that provision leave Member States free to apply at national level other rules that are applicable in parallel (similar to the parallel system for trade marks) in order to settle legal disputes concerning infringements of the right to such a geographical indication between local traders who produce and market agricultural products and foodstuffs covered by Regulation No 1151/2012 within the Member State in which the geographical indication was registered?

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¹ Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (OJ 2012 L 343, p. 1).