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As consumers demand more transparency and traceability from the food that they are eating, the EU’s protected designation of origin (PDO) and protected geographical indication (PGI) schemes can provide producers with the reassurance that the ingredients they are sourcing are produced to the highest of quality.

The European Union’s protected designation of origin and protected geographical indication systems were instituted in 1992. The EU legally safeguards the names of products designated as PDOs and PGIs from imitation and misuse inside the EU and in non-EU countries where specific protection agreements have been established. EU producers or producer groups must outline the product’s specifications and connections to the geographical area to register the product’s name. The application is submitted to national authorities for review and thereafter forwarded to the European Union, where a panel will assess the request.

Protected designation of origin

To be registered as PDO, every part of the production process, including preparation and processing, must take place in the specific region to which the protection applies.

Protected geographical indication

Products registered as PGI require a minimum of one element of the production, processing or preparation of the product to take place in the region to which the indication applies.

The PDO and PGI schemes provide an important means for the distinct climates, cultures, production methods and dedication to the craft to be recognised as essential to a product’s characteristics. Since the PDO and PGI schemes were launched, more than 2,000 products have been registered with almost 4,000 applications submitted. Among the most recent EU registrations is Greece’s Kashkaval Pindou PGI cheese.

Other examples of ingredients with PDO and PGI accreditation to look out for, include:

Guijuelo PDO from Spain, registered in 1996, is a ham produced from the meat of Iberian pigs. The hams benefit from the microclimate of the Guijuelo area, more than 1,000 metres above sea level, where the dry winters and short, mild summers provide the perfect drying and ageing conditions. Only purebred Iberian pigs or a cross of 75% and 25% Duroc-Jersey can be used for Guijuelo PDO ham.

Oscypek PDO, recognised in 2008, is a spindle-shaped smoked cheese originating from Poland's southernmost district, Podhale, in the Tatra highlands. The cheese is produced solely from salted, unpasteurised milk sourced from Polish mountain sheep, although a small quantity of milk from the Polish Podgórska red cow breed may occasionally be added. Oscypek PDO is only produced from May to September. It has a pronounced smokiness and a unique salty and slightly sour flavour with subtle hints of chestnuts.

The Great Taste Award winning cheese, Paški sir PDO from Croatia was registered in 2019. The milk comes from an indigenous breed of wild sheep which feed of the sea washed herbs growing on the Island of Pag landscape. The sheep are milked by local villagers who sell the milk to a local dairy to produce this distinctive cheese.

The Dithmarscher Gans PGI farm goose meat, registered in 2023, is an ancient breed that originated approximately 150 years ago in the specific area between the Elbe and the Eider in Germany. This robust free-range goose thrives in the extensive meadows and humid marshes of the region. The initial phase of production, encompassing the breeding of parent birds, incubation of the goslings and nurturing of the goslings until the 21st day of life, must occur in the Dithmarschen region. This is crucial since it forms the fundamental component to ensure the product's distinctive identity. 

Preserving tradition and securing the future of food production

Not only do Geographical Indications protect products and preserve traditional production techniques, but they also encourage producers to utilise environmentally friendly practices, perfected over centuries, to make the most of their regions’ natural resources and terroir. PDO and PGI labels serve to maintain jobs and economic activity in rural regions by supporting local farmers and their traditional methods of food production, contributing to long-term sustainability in every sense.

For more information on about the EU’s geographical indications and quality schemes please visit the official EU page here.

To learn more about the EU’s More Than Only Food & Drink campaign, visit here.

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