GIs, according to the European Commission are indications that detect products produced in a country, region or area, where certain quality and reputation attributes exist. Feta cheese and Parma ham are well-known examples of GIs. GIs are protected as by intellectual property rights agreements.
The TRIPS agreement (WTO TRIPS, part II, section 3, Article 22.1), which deals with the “protection of geographical indications”, defines GI goods as “Indications which identify a good as originating in the territory of a Member [of the WTO], or region or locality in that territory, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographic origin.”
The above definition of TRIPS indicates three things: The identification of origin; the indication of the origin; and the geographical indication.
Thus, GIs connect the product’s certain traits such as quality and reputation to its geographical origin (Bramley, 2011). GI is based on the assumption that particular environmental and local attributes affect the product, resulting in preventions of potential negative consequences in information and reputation variance. For GIs, the following perquisites exist: (a) the indication should identify the product, although non-geographical names, iconic symbols etc. are not indispensable, (b) the product should have certain reputation and quality characteristics connected to the geographical area of origin, (c) the indication must identify the geographical region.
Based on EU Regulation No. 1151/2012, there are three schemes for GI wines (and other foodstuff) in the European Union. There are the:
- Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)
- Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)
- Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG)
PDO wines: produced, processed or prepared in a particular region or area. The wines’ characteristics and/or quality stem from a particular geographical environment, including certain human and natural factors and could have the PDO logo. This means that wines carrying a PDO logo have attributes that have been proven to derive only from the territory and skills of the producers in the production area with which they are linked to. Additionally, it is a precondition that PDO wines have all phases of the wine production process taken place in the area concerned, thus ensuring the close link between the wines’ aspects and its geographical origin. They are obliged to have in total the set of specifications in order to carry the PDO logo.
Overall, a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) wine is that which:
- originates from a specific region, place or country
- its quality or characteristics are significantly or exclusively determined by the geographical environment, of the above region, place or country
- its production, processing, and elaboration is carried out in the defined geographical area
Logo: Protected designation of origin (PDO), European Commission
PGI wines: reputation and quality are necessarily connected to the area produced, even though the ingredients involved in the production process may not come from the same area. These wines have the PGI logo and they have to comply with certain specifications in order to carry it. Wines that carry the PGI logo have a specific attribute or reputation connecting them to a specific place. These products have as precondition that at least one stage in the production process is carried out in that area, while it is possible that the raw materials used in production of the product to come from another area.
Overall, a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) is that which:
- originates from a specific region, place or country
- its quality, reputation or other characteristics can be attributed to its geographical origin
- its production and/or processing and/or elaboration is carried out in the defined geographical area
Logo: Protected geographical indication (PGI), European Commission
TSG wines: emphasis focus on the traditional nature of the product, which refers to its content or the way it is produced and not to the geographical area of it. Thus, because of the loose bond with their geographical area of origin, wines with TSG indication receive less protection as compared with the PDO / PGI wines.
Logo: Traditional speciality guaranteed (TSG), European Commission
Table 2: Similarities and differences between PDO and PGI wines
| Aspect | PDO | PGI |
| Name | Specific place, region or country | Specific place, region or country |
| Cultivation and production | All in the geographical origin | Production in geographical origin (wines and spirits),
Raw materials-cultivation: anywhere |
| Productive process | Exclusively determined by the geographical environment and origin. | Certain quality of attribute is determined to its geographical origin. |
| Level and degree of legal protection | Level: Same; Collective IPR public protection, guaranteed by state and the European Commission. Degree: Ex officio. | Same: Collective IPR public protection, guaranteed by state and the European
Commission. Degree: Ex officio. |
| Registration procedure | Same | Same |
| Legal requirements | Almost same | Almost same |
| Link to geographical origin | Higher -stronger than PGI | Lower – looser than PDO |
| Ownership | Group/ association of producers or individual producer in the geographical area who gained eligibility of using the logo. | Group/ association of producers or individual producer in the geographical area who gained eligibility of using the logo. |
| Transferability | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Duration of
protection |
Unlimited if inspections are
passed. Revoked if not. |
Unlimited if inspections are
passed. Revoked if not. |
From: Nathon, 2018; Giovannucci et al., 2009; Raimondo Serra 2007
The European Union in order to provide awareness to consumers and producers as regards GI products has developed different videos which are accessible in the internet and youtube.com. In following are some videos made simple