Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
3.02
In addition to legislation dealing with agricultural quality, geographical indica-
tions and designations of origin were mentioned in a series of instruments
concerned with the labelling of agricultural products and foodstuffs. Principal
among these are the general rules laid down in Directive 2000/13/EC of the
European Parliament and of the Council of 20 March 2000 on the approxima-
tion of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and
advertising of foodstuffs
9
and Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food
information to consumers.
10
The first comprehensive European legislation for the registration of geographi-
cal indications and designations of origin was Council Regulation 2081/92 on
the protection of geographical indications and designations for agricultural
products and foodstuffs
11
and Council Regulation 2082/92 on certificates of
specific character for agricultural products and foodstuffs.
12
Council Regu-
lation 2081/92 was considered by a WTO dispute panel to be in breach of the
TRIPS Agreement and this regulation was repealed and replaced by Council
Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 of 20 March 2006.
13
3.03
In 2006 the European Commission announced a policy review of the Com-
munity system for the protection of GIs, expressing its concern with growing
global competition for agricultural commodities.
14
One of the chief topics
identified for review was the use of the trade mark system as an alternative
instrument for the protection of GIs.
15
Subsequently, in the 'Green Paper on
Agricultural Product Quality' of 2008
16
and the 'Impact Assessment Report on
Agricultural Product Quality Policy' of 2009,
17
the Commission affirmed the
value of identifying the complementarities between the trade mark and GI
systems.
3.04
9
OJ L 109, 6.5.2000, p. 29.
10
OJ L 304, 22.11.2011, pp. 18-63.
11
OJ L 208, 24 July 1992, p. 1, as amended by 535/97 of 17 March 1997, OJ L 83, 25 March 1997, p. 3.
12
OJ L 208, 24 July 1992, p. 9
13
Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on
quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs, OJ L 93, 31 March 2006, pp. 12-25.
14
See 'Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Geographical Indications and Designa-
tions', OJ 2008, C 204/57 at para 1.2.2.
15
Review of Regulation (EC) no 510/2006 cited in DG Agriculture, 'Background Paper to the Green Paper on
Agricultural Product Quality', 2008, 12.
16
European Commission, Green Paper on Agricultural Product Quality: Product Standards, Farming Require-
ments and Quality Schemes, Brussels, 2008, 13.
17
European Commission of Agricultural Product Quality Policy: Impact Assessment Agricultural Product
Quality Policy: Impact Assessment, Part B, Geographical Indications pp. 4-5.
