Public and private labelling schemes

17 important questions on Public and private labelling schemes

What are geographical indications?

A geographical indication is a sign that identifies a product as originating from a particular source which gives that product a special characteristic (reputation, quality or other)

What are the different specific quality schemes?

  • PDO
  • PGI
  • TSG

What is general objective of quality schemes?

Help producers of agricultural products and foodstuffs to communicate the product characteristics and farming attributes of those products and foodstuffs to buyers and consumers.
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What is main goal of objective quality schemes?

  • Fair competition for farmers and producers of agricultural products and foodstuffs having value-adding characteristics and attributes.

What is objective of specific schemes?

  • A scheme for protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications is established in order to help producers of products linked to to a geographical area.
    • securing fair returns for the qualities of their products.

What is Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)?

  1. Originating in a specific place, region or, in exceptional case, a country.
  2. whose quality or characteristics are essentially or exclusively due to a particular geographical environment with is inherent natural and human factors.
  3. the production steps of which all take place in the defined geographical area.

What is a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)

  1. Originating in a specific place, region or country
  2. whose given quality, reputation or other characteristic is essentially attributable to its geographical origin.
  3. at least one of the productions step of which take place in the defined geographical area.

What is Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (TSG)?

  • Results from a mode of production, processing or composition corresponding to traditional practice for that product or foodstuff.
  • produced from raw materials or ingredients that are those traditionally used.


  • mostly recepten: pizza, tiramisu

What is the objective of TSG?

Safeguarding traditional methods of production and recipes by helping producers of traditional product in marketing and communicating the value-adding attributes of their traditional recipes and products to consumers

What are steps for registration of quality schemes(GI)-geographical indication?

  • Who can apply for GI? (article 49)
    • Producer or a group of producers
    • MS or a third country
  • Where is the application filed? (article 49)
    • Competent national authority
  • Who makes a decision? (article 52)
    • European commission

Where shall registered name be protected against?

  • Direct or indirect commercial use of a registered name.
  • any misuse, imitation or evocation
  • any other false or misleading indication
  • and other practice liable to mislead the consumer

What are pros and cons of GI for consumers and producers?

  • Consumer benefit
    • high quality and unique products
    • minimizes search cost
  • Owner benefit
    • higher prices for producers
    • protection of local tradition and cultural practices


  • Consumer harm
    • Exclusivity may elevate costs
    • May reduce innovation or improvement
  • Owner harm
    • Higher cost of production
    • Likely to require greater local governance and institutional capacity and cost.

When is allowed to use EU organic Logo?

  • Farmers, processors or traders must be checked by an authorize control agency?
  • Strict conditions on how products must be produced, processed, transported and stored.
  • Can only be used on products when they contain a least 95% of organic ingredients.


  • Must displayed according rules, to maintain trust in organic food.

What are the rules for the EU organic control system?

  • Every MS appoints as a 'competent authority' to enforce EU organic rules (e.g. Department of agriculture or public health)
    • can delegate its roll to private control bodies.
  • The commission supervises EU countries to ensure that adequate controls are being carried out.

What do you about Private schemes?

  • B2B or B2C, different stages of the food supply chain
    • Owner of a certification mark cannot run a business involving the supply of the good and services of the certified.
  • Baseline authorities or above baseline

What are EU for private schemes?

  • Not block internal market
  • not lead to anti completive  behavior
  • not mislead consumer
  • Not already coffered in existing scheme.

What are draw back of private schemes?

  • Single market
  • Transparency and credibility
  • misleading consumers
  • cost and burdens
  • reception from the market
  • impact on international trade

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