| July 13, 2005,
as reported by just-food.com: The United Kingdom
has mounted a campaign to add more of its own regionally
distinct foods to the European Union’s Protected
Designation of Origin (PDO) or a Protected Geographical
Indication (PGI) lists. Backers of the proposal hope the
titles will add credibility and perceived quality to the
UK’s traditional foods before visitors start flooding
the region for the 2012 Olympics.
"We should celebrate and champion our regional
food in the same way that France, Italy and other European
countries recognized and protect their distinctive products
and produce," said Mark Hudson, of the Country
Land and Business Association (CLA) president.
Once on the list only foods meeting the regional criteria
can use the region to market their product. For example
under the EU law sparkling wine can only be labeled
champagne if its grapes were grown and the wine produced
in the Champagne region of France. Many European countries
have already taken advantage of the lists’ marketing
advantages, listing a whole variety of products including,
wines, cheeses, hams, sausages, olives, beers and even
regional breads, fruits and vegetables.
To kick start the campaign, member of parliament Alan
Duncan, whose constituency includes Melton Mowbray,
home of the renowned Melton Mowbary Pork Pie, has tabled
a parliamentary motion calling on the government to
actively engage with the food industry to raise awareness
of this opportunity to protect regionally distinctive
food and to promote regionally distinctive British food
in Europe. Already, MPs from all parties have signed
the motion to indicate their support.
“The UK has some of the finest quality food in
the world but we need to be much smarter about safeguarding
the names of these foods and in promoting them to UK
consumers, visitors to this country and to the rest
of Europe,” said Hudson. “Not enough food
producers are aware that they can apply to have the
name of their wonderful sausages, smoked fish or traditional
cakes secured in this way – helping them to get
across to the consumer just what it is that makes their
product great.”
There is a potential downside to the strict definitions
included with a PDO or PGI listing. Just ask Britain’s
own, “Newcastle Brown Ale” which applied
and received a PGI distinction restricting brewing of
the beer to the city of Newcastle. However, in 2004,
when the Brewery announced it would be closing the Tyne
Brewery and moving the operation across the river to
Gateshead it got a rude PGI wake-up call—either
get the PGI status revoked, change the name, or stay
put.
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