Brussels, 24/02/2015 (Agence Europe) - An own initiative report from the European Parliament is encouraging the European Commission to present a single protection system for geographical indications for non-food products.
The author, Virginie Rozière (S&D, France), put forward this idea to her colleagues at the legal affairs committee (JURI) at the EP on Monday 23 February. Rozière pointed out that in addition to their typical features, traditional and artisanal productions also represented factors for promoting economic development and tourism, which were “often important for fragile regions”. She described the problem of misappropriating the reputation of a certain production when products are made outside the country of origin or even outside the EU. She criticised this as a kind of misinformation that harmed both consumers and producers.
According to the rapporteur, half of EU member states have a system for protecting geographical indications for non-food products and that the environment, requirements, recognition and a degree of protection varied between these systems. Rozière therefore called for a European framework that is “more efficient than harmonisation of national productions” and which is inspired by the system of protection of geographical indications for agricultural products. She is recommending the examination of the way the system for non-food products functions, as well as registration modalities and whether the latter should be at a national or European level.
The EUROCHAMBRES body recently called for a voluntary system (see EUROPE 11255).
The draft own initiative report did not provoke any objections at the JURI committee. The European Commission is delighted that a debate will take place with the European Parliament on this subject and noted that it would provide indications for what follow-up should be pursued for future work in this area. (Marie-Pauline Desset)