Designation of origin wines and Geographical indication wines

Designation of origin means the name of a region, a specific place or, in exceptional cases, a country used to describe a wine that complies with the following requirements:

(i) its quality and characteristics are essentially or exclusively due to a particular geographical environment with its inherent natural and human factors;

(ii) the grapes from which it is produced come exclusively from this geographical area;

(iii) its production takes place in this geographical area; and

(iv) it is obtained from vine varieties belonging to Vitis vinifera;

Geographical indication means an indication referring to a region, a specific place or, in exceptional cases, a country, used to describe a wine which complies with the following requirements:

(i) it possesses a specific quality, reputation or other characteristics attributable to that geographical origin;

(ii) at least 85 % of the grapes used for its production come exclusively from this geographical area;

(iii) its production takes place in this geographical area; and

(iv) it is obtained from vine varieties belonging to Vitis vinifera or a cross between the Vitis vinifera species and other species of the genus Vitis.

The PDO/ PGI products in question are the best examples for the potential of successful commercial enhancement of products whose names are registered under the protection schemes of EU:

• They have specific characteristics associated

• The Community logos for PDO and PGI are symbols that are understood throughout the Community as designating products meeting specific conditions of production linked to their geographical origin or to their tradition and subject to inspection

• These protection schemes support the Community’s cultural heritage, support the diversity of agricultural production and the maintenance of the countryside

• EU system of PEU system of PDO/PGI

• The EU schemes encourage diverse agricultural production, protect product names from misuse and imitation and help consumers by giving them information concerning the specific character of the products

• Protected Designation of Origin - PDO: covers agricultural products and foodstuffs which are produced, processed and prepared in a given geographical area using recognized know-how.

• Protected Geographical Indication - PGI: covers agricultural products and foodstuffs closely linked to the geographical area. At least one of the stages of production, processing or preparation takes place in the area.

• The quality and diversity of the Union’s agricultural, fisheries and aquaculture production is one of its important strengths, giving a competitive advantage to producers and making a major contribution to EU’s living cultural and gastronomic heritage. Consumers demand for diversified quality products generates a demand for agricultural products or foodstuffs with identifiable specific characteristics, in particular those linked to their geographical origin. EU has established operating quality schemes for producers which reward them for their efforts to produce a diverse range of quality products and can benefit the rural economy. In this way quality schemes are able to contribute to and complement rural development policy as well as market and income support policies of the common agricultural policy (CAP). In particular, they may contribute to areas in which the farming sector is of greater economic importance and, especially, to disadvantaged areas.

• Wines with a Protected designation of origin and Protected geographical indication: The CMO of the wine sector is aiming, among others, to increase the competitiveness of the Community's wine producers; strengthen the reputation of Community quality wine as the best in the world; creating a wine regime that operates through clear, simple and effective rules that balance supply and demand; creating a wine regime that preserves the best traditions of Community wine production, reinforcing the social fabric of many rural areas, and ensuring that all production respects the environment. The concept of quality wines in the Community is based, inter alia, on the specific characteristics attributable to the wine's geographical origin. Such wines are identified for consumers via protected designations of origin and geographical indications. The campaign will diffuse comprehensive knowledge of the current PDO & PGI Quality scheme in order to facilitate its further development in this respect.