WRITTEN QUESTION E-2445/99

by Umberto Bossi (TDI) to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject: Private inspection bodiesfor PDO and PGI products

Regulation (EEC) 2081/92(1) on the certification of PDO and PGI products offered the Italian Government the option of accrediting only one private body for each designated product. This decision would appear to be detrimental to the fundamental rights of those farmers who meet the requirements laid down in the product specification, as they are obliged to accept both the prices and the inspection standards that the sole inspection body deems the most appropriate. Moreover, there have been reports of cases in which the private body, in agreement with the co-operative for the protection of designation of origin (consorzio di tutela), allegedly adopted inspection procedures which were in direct breach of the rules contained in the official product specification registered with the Commission.

1. Can the Commission therefore state which institutions are responsible for verifying that the inspections carried out by private bodies comply with the rules laid down in the product specification?

2. Would it not be appropriate to leave the choice of private inspection firms to the free market, to enable individual producers and producers' associations to seek directly the best economic and technological conditions for the certification of their products?

3. Does it not consider that the selection of a single body for each product might be to the serious detriment of producers of PDO and PGI products, who are obliged to accept financial clauses and services with no other alternative and with no specific rules on the fixing of prices and the definition of certification procedures, which are currently at the total discretion of the sole approved private firm?

(1) OJ L 208, 24.7.1992, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(11 January 2000)

In the light of its replies to the Honourable Member's written questions P-1845/99(1) and P-2334/99(2), the Commission confirms that Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 of 14 July 1992 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs(3) stipulates that an inspection structure may comprise one or more designated inspection authorities and/or private bodies approved for that purpose by the Member State.

The Member State in which the geographical area covered by the protected designation of origin (PDO) or the protected geographical indication (PGI) is situated has the right to determine the inspection structures' composition and number.

Article 10(4) of the Regulation stipulates that, if an inspection authority and/or private body establish that an agricultural product bearing a protected name of origin in that Member State does not meet the criteria of the specification, they must take the steps necessary to ensure compliance with the Regulation and inform the Member State of the measures taken in carrying out their inspections.

In any case, producers must have recourse to the inspection structure provided for in the specification.

Article 10 stipulates that private inspection bodies must fulfil the requirements laid down in standard EN 45011 (general criteria for certification bodies amended on 18 February 1998).

Member States are responsible for verifying that the inspection bodies chosen fully meet the requirements laid down by that standard.

(1) See page 27.

(2) See page 105.

(3) OJ L 208, 24.7.1992.