Statement – The Commission’s proposal on the revision of the GIs system leaves too many questions unanswered and causes concern about the proposed transfer of competences to EUIPO

The European Commission released its proposal today for the revision of EU’s Geographical Indications (GIs) system planned in the framework of the Farm to Fork Strategy. GIs are a useful and unique EU creation that allows the valorization of products, EU’s culinary heritage and the work of their producers. They also play an important role for the regional development and especially of the rural communities to which they are attached, aiding also to preserve the culture and the various specific agricultural techniques and plant and animal varieties of those regions. GIs are a true European success story.

Through the revision of the CMO Regulation, this great tool has even been improved by alleviating some of the administrative burden and offering better control of their production to farmers. The new proposal released today in the context of the Farm to Fork Strategy is supposed to go even further and also provide more space for sustainability aspects to be addressed, although this concept is already embedded in the GIs’ nature.

With this new revision, Copa and Cogeca notice that the Commission rightly identified the elements that require some changes to improve this already well operating system. For example, the Commission’s proposal focuses on strengthening producer groups, improving GIs protection and controls and offers the possibility to include sustainability requirements for GI s, or speed up the management of applications.

However, from the producers point of view, the way the Commission proposes to implement those potential changes, raises questions and serious concerns. Certain elements are unclear and require further clarifications, while others like the further involvement of EUIPO in GIs management are simply extremely worrying. Shifting away competences from DG AGRI to an agency specialised in intellectual property rights and without the necessary knowledge of the specificities of the agricultural sector and nature of GIs puts at risk this successful policy. Some of these concerns have already been echoed by the European Parliament and the Council. What made GIs a success is that it associates the quality of a product to the “savoir faire” of a region and its producers. We need to keep this is mind if we want to make this successful policy even better.

O artigo foi publicado originalmente em Copa Cogeca.