CZECH PRESIDENCY HIGH LEVEL CONFERENCE ON THE FUTURE

OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT QUALITY POLICY

Prague, 13 March 2009

DRAFT CONCLUSIONS OF WORKSHOP B: EU QUALITY SCHEMES

Subtopic 1:

Traditional Specialties Guaranteed (TSGs)

TSGs play an important role towards:

• Improving quality and production systems at the producers’ level

• Ensuring a certain quality to consumers and providing them with authentic products (a marketing tool)

• Contributing to the economic development of agricultural areas in the EU

TSGs are different from GIs: not an intellectual property right system but a quality scheme

Subtopic 1:

Traditional Specialties Guaranteed (TSGs)

Strong interest for TSGs from new Member States due to historical factors – forced immigration and standardization after the second world war Interesting testimonies from Slovenia and Poland

Positive impact of engaging in a TSG approach demonstrated by the Jamon Serrano case

Large support from other stakeholders from the old Member States

=> Strong plea to give time to the TSG scheme to prove its usefulness

Subtopic 1:

Traditional Specialties Guaranteed (TSGs)

Identified shortcomings of the TSG system:

• Cost of certification for a limited volume of production

• Lack of governing body (organisation of producers)

• Limited control and protection of TSGs

• Very limited knowledge of the concept by consumers

Subtopic 1:

Traditional Specialties Guaranteed (TSGs)

Despite limited number of registered TSGs, stakeholders called on the European Commission not to delete this quality scheme

Need to look into making the scheme more appealing to both producers and consumers, improving it in particular through:

• Mandatory reservation of the name

• Simplification of the control procedure

• Better communication of the concept towards consumers (mandatory use of the logo, promotion campaigns)

Subtopic 2: Geographical Indications (PDOs, PGIs)

PDOs and PGIs: very important instruments of the agricultural product quality policy for producers, consumers, Member States and the regions

GIs are complementary to trademarks and not an alternative (no support for replacing the GI schemes by trademarks)

Call on the Commission to clarify the relationship between GIs and trademarks, in particular with regard to:

• The scope of protection granted

• The need for national trademark offices and the Office for the Harmonization of the Internal Market (OHIM) to refuse the registration of trademarks including registered GI names by non-authorized entities

Subtopic 2: Geographical Indications (PDOs, PGIs)

Participants expressed their opposition to:

Introducing new criteria for GIs

Merging the PDO and PGI into one scheme

Limiting the number of GI products to be protected at the European and/or International levels

The enlargement of the scope of products covered by the PDO and PGI schemes should be explored and the issue of genericity further discussed

Large consensus for a centralized EU approach in the management of the GI system to ensure consistency and credibility of the system, but important to simplify the registration procedure to speed up the process

Subtopic 2: Geographical Indications (PDOs, PGIs)

Participants called for the role and rights of applicant groups to be improved and clearly recognized. Perceived as crucial to maintain competitiveness of the GI system for food and wine products

Call on the Commission to make proposals to allow associations of producers to:

• Manage the production: considered as essential to provide guarantees on the quality and reputation of GIs

• Control the “conditionnement” (packaging) phase

• Control the use of a GI name in a sales denomination

• Benefit from more EU funds for promotional activities

Subtopic 2: Geographical Indications (PDOs, PGIs) Converging views in favour of the enhancement of the protection of GIs:

• In the EU: call for a modification of the EU legislation and the adoption of guidelines so that Member States implement fully the ex officio procedure

• Outside the EU, call on the Commission to increase its efforts towards defending and promoting the sui generis GI system approach at the International level, in particular through:

The WTO Doha Development Agenda

Bilateral and regional agreements, including ACTA

More technical assistance to third countries