(1) The Registrar shall examine an application to ascertain whether it complies with the requirements of sections 3, 4 and 15 and the regulations.
(2) Any interested person or competent authority may, within the prescribed period and in the prescribed manner, give notice to the Registrar of opposition to the registration of a geographical indication on the grounds that one or more of the requirements of sections 3 and 4 are not fulfilled.
(3) The Registrar shall send a copy of such notice to the applicant, and, within the prescribed period and in the prescribed manner, the applicant shall send to the Registrar a counter-statement of the grounds on which he or she relies for his or her application and where the applicant fails to do so the application shall be deemed to be abandoned.
(4) If the applicant sends a counter-statement, the Registrar shall furnish a copy to the person giving notice of opposition and, after hearing the parties, if either or both wish to be heard, and considering the merits of the case, shall decide whether the geographical indication should be registered.
(5) Where the Registrar finds that the conditions referred to in subsection (1) are fulfilled, and either—
(a) the registration of the geographical indication has not been opposed within the prescribed time limit; or
(b) the registration of the geographical indication has been opposed and the opposition has been decided in the applicant's favour,
the Registrar shall register the geographical indication, publish a reference to the registration and issue to the applicant a certificate of registration.
(6) An application that does not comply with the requirements of subsection (1) shall be refused by the Registrar.