The EU has strengthened the rules for the protection of geographical indications for food and beverages

According to the Brussels announcement, the regulation will bring tangible benefits to the rural economy and will help preserve the EU’s gastronomic heritage worldwide.

The improved system for geographical indications will strengthen the role of European producer groups by giving them powers and responsibilities to manage their geographical indications. This is how they can, for example, represent their members in networks dealing with the enforcement of intellectual property rights. Member States have the option of classifying producer groups as recognized producer groups, which can exercise exclusive rights on behalf of all producers of the GI product.