Geographical indication

Since 1992, the French National Institute of Origin and Quality (Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité (INAO)) has offered options for the protection of Geographical Indications (GIs) protecting the name of a product from a specific region and with a traditional production process. The objective is to identify an agricultural product, raw or processed, of which quality, reputation or other characteristics are linked to its geographical origin. Geographical Indications tend to lead to higher prices for farmers compared to similar products in the same food category and offer a marketing message about high value-added products. For this reason, farmers in rural areas are encouraged to initiate the administrative procedures to obtain the GI recognition; such labels may also result in more sustainable and responsible consumer choices. There is a long history of this approach in French legislation. Today, Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs and Title II of the French Intellectual Property Code (L721-1 to L.722-17) establish the rules for geographical indications. Well-known examples are ‘Coco de Paimpol’ (dry beans from Bretagne), ‘Lentille verte du Puy’ (green lentils from Auvergne) or ‘Espelette pepers’ from Basque Country.