Scotch Whisky, Welsh Lamb, Lough Neagh Eels and Stilton Cheese have two things in common: they are among the 86 UK products registered under the EU’s Geographical Indications (GIs) scheme and they are significant export earners, worth over £5 billion to UK trade figures.
The EU rules provide legal protection from imitation for both regional and traditional specialties, whose authenticity and origin can be guaranteed.
Producers of GI products value the schemes for the collective protection they bring from imitation and evocation and, in some cases, the premium it allows them to charge for products.
The various GI designations – Protected Designation of Origin (PDO); Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) – can take several years to earn and are considered to be of real value to producers and exporters.
The question therefore arises, what happens to this protection after the UK leaves the EU?
It is possible that some form of mutual recognition will be built in to a trade agreement with the EU – maintaining protection on European products such as Gorgonzola, Champagne and Münchener Bier – but it remains unclear as to if and when this might happen.
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has accordingly launched a consultation seeking views on establishing UK GI schemes after Brexit.
“The mechanism for bringing the schemes into UK law will ensure that we have UK GI schemes in place from Exit day which meet our World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations,” Defra said. “It does not, however, allow the UK GI schemes to be changed substantially from the EU schemes.”
Full details can be found at consult.defra.gov.uk and the deadline for responding is 1 November 2018.
