Brussels, 12/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - The draft agreement between the EU and Switzerland on the protection of geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs has been sent to the Council and the European Parliament for definitive adoption. The bilateral agreement between the two parties on this dossier was initialled in December 2009. It will allow a mutual protection of protected designations of origin (PDO) and of protected geographical indications (PGI) in the respective parties, to improve the conditions for bilateral trade in agricultural products.
The agreement covers 800 geographical indications currently registered in the EU (in other words those registered before 15 September 2009), and some 20 registered in Switzerland. On the Swiss products protected in the EU are spices (“Munder Safran”), cheeses (“Gruyère”, “Raclette du Valais”, “Tête de Moine”, “Vacherin fribourgeois”), a fruit (“Poire à Botzi”), a vegetable (“Cardon épineux genevois”), cold meat products (“Saucisse d'Ajoie”, “Saucisson vaudois”, “Viande séchée du Valais”), and bakery products (“Pain de seigle valaisan”).
This will mean that the entire range of geographical indications will be protected, as the agreement between the EU and Switzerland on agricultural trade, but that in force since 1 June 2002, already provides protection for wines and spirits. The draft agreement provides for an update mechanism and regular consultations which will, in particular, make it possible to include future new geographical indications. This agreement will have positive repercussions on bilateral trade, particularly on Community exports of high-added-value agricultural products. Switzerland is in third place after the United States and Russia in terms of export value (€4.8 billion) in the bilateral trade of agricultural products and processed agricultural products. (L.C./trans.fl)