Press Release

European GIs producers welcome the publication of the Farm to Fork and biodiversity strategies

oriGIn EU, the European alliance of Geographical Indications (GIs), warmly welcomes the publication of the EU “Farm to Fork” and “Biodiversity” strategies, both focused on efforts to create a greener future. oriGIn and its members believe that sustainability, with its environmental, social and economic components, represents a crucial theme for the future of the EU and our planet. The COVID-19 pandemic makes it even more urgent to provide concrete answers to sustainability issues, in particular with regard to strengthening the European agriculture resilience.

The strategies published today are important milestones for the EU agriculture and food sectors. It is urgent to fully take into account the key role played by farmers in the protection of biodiversity and the environment, as well as their contribution to the economic and social development of many regions across the EU. It is also urgent to develop policies that will allow them to go even further by ensuring that a decent price is paid to produce the high-quality foodstuffs and drinks that EU consumers enjoy.

Geographical indications, which identify quality products rooted in specific areas, have proven to be an instrumental sustainability tool. Producers of these traditional products rely on biodiversity and the protection of the environment in the area where they operate. Likewise, GIs rely on an important network of small and medium-sized companies that provide jobs both directly and indirectly, often in disadvantaged rural areas where there is rarely any alternative to that GI production. Moreover, GIs also help producers improving their position in the value chain as well as securing a better price for their products.

They carefully look after their animals, their plants, their land to ensure that they will be able to pass on their savoir-faire and farm to the next generation. Sustainability has been the raison d'être of Geographical Indications for decades. We await with hope and determination a full recognition of this model by the European Commission through the "Farm to fork" and biodiversity strategies, concludes Claude Vermot-Desroches, President of oriGIn.

oriGIn EU is the European branch of oriGIn, the Geographical Indications (GIs) global alliance (http://wordpress.origin-gi.com) and represents GIs individual groups as well as GIs national associations before the European institutions. The GIs sector makes a tremendous contribution to the European economy, representing a sales value of more than €75 billion and some 15.5% of total EU food and drink exports.

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