Since the early 1990s, regional and local agricultural products have been protected through geographical indications and other EU quality schemes.

There are around 4,000 food and drink items with a geographical indication registered across the EU.

The top five countries by number of registered names are Italy, France, Spain, Greece, and Portugal.

Italy's Parma ham and France's champagne are among the products that have earned EU agri-food production an international reputation.

Ireland, however, has fewer than 15 products with the EU quality mark, much lower than some European counterparts.

Among these are the much-loved products of Irish Grass Fed Beef, Waterford Blaa, Sneem Black Pudding, and Irish Whiskey.

What are EU geographical indications?

Geographical indications (GIs) are intellectual property rights and as such, provide legal protection for products against imitation and misuse.

GIs identify products that originate in a country, region or locality where a particular quality, reputation or other characteristic of the product is attributable to its geographical origin.

To be eligible for GI protection, at least one of the production steps must take place in the geographical area.

GIs include protected designations of origin (PDO), and protected geographical indications (PGI and GI for spirit drinks).

To register the name of a product, EU producers or producer groups need to lay down the product specification for their product and link to the geographical area.

The application is sent to national authorities for scrutiny before being forwarded to the European Commission, who then examine the request.

Two applications for Irish food and drink

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) told Agriland that it is currently evaluating two applications for Irish food and drink products as part of the national stage of the registration procedure for a PDO or PGI.

"The department also engages potential applicants regarding the scheme and assists with technical aspects in the development of application dossiers," a DAFM spokesperson explained.

"In that regard, the department has engaged with seven applicants who have made submissions and whose applications are at various stages of development in the years 2023, 2024, and 2025."

Irish Grass Fed Beef PGI

Irish Grass Fed Beef has certainly raised awareness of GIs in Ireland.

Irish Grass Fed Beef was registered as a PGI by the European Commission in 2023 as an all-island PGI.

Criteria for the PGI includes that cattle must be born and raised on grass, finished, slaughtered, chilled and quartered on the island of Ireland. 

Throughout their lifetime, cattle must spend an average of 220 days per year on grazing pasture. 

Their diet must be at least 90% grass. This is primarily grazed grass, with winter feeding of wilted grass.

Each animal must be assessed to ensure it meets the grass-fed standard.  

PGI beef assessments are made by a Bord Bia farm and processor scheme that meets international best practice standards, and are independently audited by the Sustainable Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme.

Certified Irish Angus Beef

A national opposition procedure for the Certified Irish Angus Beef PGI application was jointly launched in November 2023 by DAFM as competent authority for Ireland and the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as competent authority for Northern Ireland.

"The procedure provided for any natural or legal person having a legitimate interest to lodge an opposition to the application," a DAFM spokesperson said.

"The national opposition procedure in Ireland has concluded and the department is engaging with stakeholders and finalising its scrutiny on the application."

The Certified Irish Angus Producer Group brought forward the application for the PGI for their product. This application is separate to the PGI for Irish Grass Fed Beef.

PGI status is also being sought for Irish Boxty, which is a traditional Irish potato-based pancake mostly associated with the north midlands, north Connacht, and southern Ulster.

Whiskey among well-known geographical indications

Irish whiskey is one of the most well-known products on the GIs register. There has been discussion recently about the use of Irish grain in its production.

Irish whiskey must be produced in accordance with the Irish Whiskey Technical File, which does not currently require the use of Irish grain.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon said that the process of amending the technical file is currently underway, and two submissions are being examined ahead of a public consultation process.

"While I do not want to prejudice that process, one of the issues to be examined is whether imposing a requirement to use of Irish grain in the production of Irish whiskey would be in accordance with EU single market principles," the minister said.

"However, there are no obstacles at present to prevent an operator from producing an Irish whiskey product made solely of Irish grains and declaring as such on the product label.

"I am aware of some such products which are already on the marketplace."