The Commission proceeded on Thursday with the registration of 13 more products in the EU register of geographical indications, increasing the number of protected names in the European Union to more than 3.700.
According to the European Commission, the new registrations concern products from Finland, France, Italy, Romania, Spain and Sweden. These include the French 'Foie gras d'oie du Sud-Ouest', the Spanish 'Patata de Valderredible' and the Italian 'Zampina di Sammichele di Bari/Zampina di Sammichele/Zampina Sammichelina', which are now part of the European system of protection of geographical indications.
Geographical indications protect product names that are directly linked to specific regions and traditional production methods, ensuring their authenticity, quality, and provenance. The scheme covers agricultural products, foodstuffs, wines and spirits produced in different regions of Europe.
As the Commission states, the European framework includes the Protected Designation of Origin, the Protected Geographical Indication and the Geographical Indications for alcoholic beverages. Already protected products in this context are, among others, champagne, Irish whiskey, Kalamata olives, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, Polish vodka, Queso Manchego and Roquefort.
The economic weight of the system remains important for the European agri-food sector. According to the Commission, geographical indications generate annual sales of more than €75 billion and account for around 15% of the EU's agri-food exports, while supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs in rural areas.
The Commission notes that the updated European framework for geographical indications, which entered into force in May 2024, has accelerated and simplified the registration process. At the same time, it strengthens the protection of products from counterfeits, abuse and misleading reports.
In the same context, a new practical guide on geographical indications has been published, presenting the application process step by step and providing guidance to producers and producer groups seeking recognition of their products in European quality schemes.
The Commission emphasizes that geographical indications are a key tool for preserving the European agri-food heritage, strengthening the competitiveness of producers and promoting European products in international markets.
