On Tuesday 24 October, negotiators from the EU institutions reached a provisional agreement on the reform of the rules on agricultural geographical indications (see EUROPE 13273/9).
European Parliament rapporteur Paolo De Castro (S&D, Italian) welcomed a strengthened role for producer groups and measures to prevent fake domain names.
According to Luis Planas, President of the European Council, the text strengthens the protection of quality agricultural products and modernises the legal framework. The European Commission has welcomed this agreement (https://aeur.eu/f/98i ).
Under the agreement, the obligation of national authorities to take administrative and judicial steps to prevent or stop the use of names of GIs used illegally would apply to online abuse too, through a system of geo-blocking. Domain names using GIs illegally will have to be removed. A domain name alert system will be set up by the European Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).
The co-legislators agreed that a GI designating a product used as an ingredient may be used in the name of the related processed product or in its labelling, or in advertising material only where the GI ingredient is used in sufficient quantities to confer an essential characteristic on the processed product, and no other product comparable to the GI is used. The percentage of the ingredient must be indicated on the label. Processors of such products will have to give a prior notification to the recognised producer group for that ingredient.
Producer groups will be able to prepare sustainability reports describing sustainable practices, including animal welfare. The name of the producer must appear in the same field of vision as the GI on the packaging.
The Commission would remain the sole scrutiniser of GIs system and the EUIPO might only provide technical assistance to the Commission on merely administrative issues. Finally, certain provisions relating to wine currently covered by the Common Market Organisation (CMO) are to be included within the scope of the Regulation. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)