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

The committee adopted the report by Jean-Claude FRUTEAU (PES, F) amending the proposal under the consultation procedure. It wanted a number of new products to be added to the registers, including vinegar made from the Corinthian grape, mustard paste, berry wine, wool and osier. Moreover, it argued that the regulation should also apply to products derived from tobacco which are typical of a given area (such as Tuscan cigars). Other amendments dealt with the following points: - protection for product names from WTO countries that are not members of the EU should be conditional upon those countries guaranteeing equivalent protection for EU products; - cancelled registrations should not be reattributable during a period of five years; - where appropriate, the right holders of a registered product should also be able to decide that packaging shall take place solely in the defined geographical area, thereby making it easier for stringent checks to be carried out on the products packaged and product quality and traceability to be guaranteed; - while agreeing that natural mineral and spring waters should be removed from the scope of the regulation, the committee wanted to allow a ten-year transitional period, rather than five years as proposed by the Commission; - the Commission should set up a database on all PDOs and PGIs already registered or for which an application has been lodged. �