Agricultural products and foodstuffs: designation of origin, geographical indication (amend. Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92)

PURPOSE : to amend Regulation 2081/92/EEC on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs. COMMUNITY MEASURE : Council Regulation 692/2003/EC. CONTENT : the Council adopted this Regulation by qualified majority, the Danish delegation voting against and the United Kingdom delegation abstaining. The Regulation includes wine vinegar within the scope of its provisions. It excludes from its scope mineral and spring waters after a transitional period of ten years - instead of five years in the initial proposal - with a progressive phasing out. It includes new products such as mustard, pasta, wool, and wicker and set provisions to end the coexistence between a registered designation and an identical geographical name after a fifteen years period. Producer groups now have the ability to indicate in their product specifications that packaging shall take place solely in the defined geographical area. At the request of the Italian delegation, a statement is added regarding the risk of conflict between rules for the registration of plant varieties and those relating to geographical indications and designations of origin. ENTRY INTO FORCE : 24/04/03.�