The European Parliament has adopted its position for talks on new rules on European Union (EU) geographical indications (GIs) for agricultural products.

GIs are intellectual property rights that identify products having qualities, characteristics or a reputation due to natural and human factors linked to their place of origin.

MEPs voted with 603 votes in favour, 18 against and 8 abstentions for more protection of GIs online, more rights and finances for producer groups, and protection of GIs in processed foods.

GIs have been protected by the EU since the 1970s. Almost 3,500 GIs are currently registered in the EU which represent a sales value of €74.8 billion.

“The sales value of a product with a protected name is often double that of similar products without a certification,” according to the European Parliament.

Geographical indications

MEPs agreed that the registration process of GIs should be faster and the European Commission, which administers the GI system, should have only five months to register a new GI.

The parliament recommends that national authorities should manage most requests for changes to existing GI registrations without the commission having to check them again.

GIs should be better protected online, and domains using a name of a GI without the right to do so must be automatically closed or assigned to a producer group that uses the GI legally, MEPs said.

The European Parliament recommended that an alert system monitoring the registration of domain names should be set by the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) for this purpose.

MEPs also demanded that GIs should be better protected in processed products.

“Processed products containing a GI ingredient should not be allowed to be named after the GI, unless permitted to do so by the GI’s producers,” according to the parliament.

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Recognised producer groups should get more rights and resources, and should be in charge of establishing minimum conditions for the use of a GI name and supervising the fair use of GIs, MEPs said.

“Recognised producer groups should also be able to receive compulsory financial contributions from all producers of the GI good,” according to the parliament.

European Parliament

The adopted text represents “good news” for EU farmers, and supports a more competitive, sustainable and integrated agri-food system to the benefit of rural areas, Rapporteur Paolo De Castro said.

“[The] parliament’s position is meant to be an evolution of the geographical indication system, which is worth around €80 billion to the EU, and is recognised worldwide as representing the excellence of the EU’s agri-food sector.

“GIs represent not only our economic and social heritage but they are also a crucial tool able to create economic value without the need to invest any public funds,” De Castro said.

The European Parliament is now ready to begin talks with EU governments on the final shape of the law, once the EU Council has also adopted its position.

Welcoming the vote’s outcome, the representative body of European farmers and agri-cooperatives, Copa-Cogeca said it significantly safeguards and improves the GI system.

“GIs constitute a unique EU system that allows for the valorisation of products, the [European] Union’s culinary heritage and the efforts of their producers.

“They play an important role for rural development and especially for the rural communities to which they are attached, aiding to preserve the culture, know-how, as well [as] animal and plant varieties.

“GIs are a true European success story and much more than intellectual property rights concurrently contributing to the agricultural economy and the regional development,” Copa-Cogeca said.