Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

[**Avis juridique important**](../../../editorial/legal_notice.htm)

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# 92000E3601

**WRITTEN QUESTION E-3601/00 by Luciano Caveri (ELDR) to the Commission. Protection of typical products outside the EU.** 
  
*Official Journal 163 E , 06/06/2001 P. 0174 - 0175*

  

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3601/00

by Luciano Caveri (ELDR) to the Commission

(22 November 2000)

Subject: Protection of typical products outside the EU

Nowadays the European Union's typical products are protected by labels, such as PDO (protected designation of origin) and PGI (protected geographical indication), which have at last made it possible to put an end to imitation products that confuse consumers and create uncertainty on the market. Unfortunately, however, such product protection systems are confined to the Union and so as in the case of fontina, the typical cheese of the Valle d'Aosta region do not prevent the placing on the United States market of imitation or counterfeit products, even if they originate in Europe, or the manufacture and sale of such products under the same name as typical products in South America.

What steps has the Commission taken to enable the system for the protection of PDO and PGI products to be extended beyond the Union by means of appropriate international agreements, thus protecting both the products in question and consumers? Can the Commission take action at European level against those who manufacture imitation DOP and IGP products for sale outside Europe?

Answer given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(14 December 2000)

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 ensures the development of protection for designations of origin and geographical indications on the Community market(1). The protection is designed to promote product quality, ensure proper information for the consumer about products and prevent substitutes or imitations from undermining the reputation of these products.

At international level, the adoption, within the World Trade Organisation (WTO), of the Agreement on trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights (TRIPs) marked real progress in the protection of designations of origin and geographical indications. It must nevertheless be recognised that the TRIPs Agreement includes a number of restrictions on the legal protection of quality products and that progress still needs to be made, in particular as regards products other than wines and spirits.

On the basis of this Agreement, the Commission is continuing a policy of protecting European designations against misuse on foreign markets. Improvement of market access for Community quality products is also part of the Communities' comprehensive negotiating proposal under the WTO negotiations on agriculture. The Commission has asked the Member States to provide it with information on European products protected by geographical indications or designations of origin which are being counterfeited on the export markets. On this basis, the Commission is playing an active part in the discussions currently being held on the multilateral register for wines and spirits and extension of the protection of geographical indications to products other than wines and spirits under the TRIPS Council integrated programme.

(1) OJ L 208, 24.7.1992.

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