Protection of Geographical Indications Program (GI Program)
The system of Geographical Indications (GIs) and the Traditional Specialties Guaranteed (TSG) are the two main pillars of the European Union's quality policy, therefore the motivation of Hungarian producers for participation is required. Since 2015 the aim of the Ministry of Agriculture's Protection of GIs Program has been to increase the number of products declared for EU protection of GIs and to make better use of the geographical indications' opportunities. The Protection of GIs Forum Series aimed to provide the agrarian players with clear information about the legal and marketing opportunities of the protection of GIs, which can promote their market efficiency.
The EU Geographical Indications Scheme confers intellectual property rights, granting the right to producers in a defined geographical area to use the registered name if they comply with a product specification. The Commission undertook in the Farm to Fork Strategy to strengthen the legislative framework of GI schemes, to improve the schemes' contribution to sustainable production, and to strengthen the position of farmers and GI producer groups in the food supply chain. Council Conclusions on the Farm to Fork Strategy welcomed a better integration of sustainable development into Union quality policy, and invited the Commission to reaffirm the relevance and importance of EU quality schemes and to strengthen the legislative framework on GIs.
