Geographical Indications in the EU

Antalya, 27-28 October 2016

Branka Tome

Unit AGRI B.3 Quality policy

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Registered GIs by Sector, October 2016

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Classification of GIs October 2016

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Registered GIs by EU Member State, Oct. 2016

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Registered 3C GIs by Country, Total (27) October, 2016

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Sales value of EU GIs:€54.3 billion in 2010

5.7% of the total EU food and drink sector

Estimate of EU GI exports value: € 11.5 billion in 201015% of total EU exports food and drink industry

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Sales value of GI products by Sector(2010, 54,3 billion €)

Wines56%30,4

billion €

Agricultural products and

foodstuffs29%

15,75billion €

Spirit drinks15%8,15

billion €

Aromatised wines0%

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Sales destination (2010)

60% of sales take place on the domestic market, 20% on the EU

market and 20% in third countries

Source: AND study for the European Commission

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Value premium rate by scheme (in 2010)

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1.55

2.57

2.75

0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00

Agr prod. and food.

Spirits

Wine

What's in it for producers?

• Valorisation of product value added => better price

• Stronger position in the food chain

• Registration provides protection

• "Ticket" for EU promotion & rural development support

• "One-stop shop" for EU-wide protection

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Six more reasons to protect GI

• GI maintain jobs in rural areas

• You can't re-locate GI and move production abroad

• GI help the local economy (tourism, processing)

• GI protect & reassure consumers about origin

• GI protect diversity & heritage in a globalised world

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Registration procedure

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Producer group

National level

EU level

Definition of the product according to precise specifications

Preliminary national procedure

Examination by the Commission

First publication EU official Journal (C series)

Opposition period (2 months + 3 months)

Registration

Rejection if application is not complying with

EU legislation

If opposition: Consultation between

parties. If not agreement the

decision taken by the Commission

Official controls

• Product compliance with the corresponding specification

• Before placing the product on the market

• Use of the name in the marketplace

• Checks based on a risk analysis

• Audits by the Commission services

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Lisbon agreement

Lisbon Agreement of 1958: mutual recognition and protection of appellations of origin. Single registration procedure.

Shortcomings:

Limited to appellations of origin

Only 28 contracting parties from Central and SouthAmerica, Africa, Asia and Europe (including 7 EU MS:Bulgaria (1975), Czech Republic (1993), France (1966),Hungary (1967), Italy (1968), Portugal (1966), Slovakia(1993))

International organizations like the EU cannot becomemembers

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Lisbon agreement

Review of the Lisbon System: Working Group (2009 and 2014)

Objectives:

refining the current legal framework,

extension of the system beyond appellations of origin to allgeographical indications,

Inclusion of the possibility of accession byintergovernmental organizations (like EU)

Diplomatic Conference for the Adoption of a new Act of the Lisbonfrom (May 2015) adopted "Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreementon Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications"

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Geneva Act

• All GIs are covered, not only appellations of origin

• Possibility for international organizations to become member

• Compatible with EU legislation, notably:

Level of protection achieved is broadly equivalent to relevant EU legislation (Article 11)

Protected designations may not subsequently become generic (Article 12)

Coexistence with prior trade foreseen

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Questions?

More information:

Quality policy web-page:http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality/index_en.htm

International trade and geographical indications:http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/gi-international/index_en.htm

DOOR database:http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality/door/list.html

E-BACCHUS database:http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/markets/wine/e-bacchus/

E-SPIRIT-DRINKS database:http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/spirits/