GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS AND APPELLATIONS OF ORIGIN

You may ask yourself what is the difference between an A.O. and a G.I

Basically, while in a Protected A.O. the production, processing and preparation must be carried out in the SAME geographical area and this would include the raw materials used, in a Protected G.I. product it is not compulsory for all these stages to be carried out in the same geographical area or for the raw material to come from that area as well.

Let’s think, for example, about the method of elaboration of the chorizo from La Rioja, which is protected by a PGI “CHORIZO RIOJANO”. However, its regulatory regulations do not consider it an essential requirement that the chorizo used comes from La Rioja.

The management of one or more PAOs or PGIs is carried out by management bodies called Regulatory Councils (Consejo Regulador). These Councils are responsible for overseeing, controlling and guaranteeing the origin, quality and characteristics of the products assigned to that particular PAO or PGI.

SPANISH FRUITS WITH A PROTECTED APPELLATION OF ORIGIN

Avellanas de Reus

Cerezas del Jerte

Chirimoya de la Costa Tropical de Granada-Málaga

Kaki Ribera del Xuquer

Manzana Reineta del Bierzo

Melocotón de Calanda

Nísperos Callosa d’En Sarriá

Pasas de Málaga

Pera de Jumilla

Pera de Lleida

Peras de Rincón de Soto

Uva de mesa embolsada de Vinalopó

SPANISH FRUITS WITH PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION

Almendras de Mallorca

Castaña de Galicia

Cerezas de la Montaña de Alicante

Cítricos Valencianos

Clementinas de las Tierras del Ebro

Manzana de Girona

Melón de la Mancha

Melón de Torre Pacheco-Murcia

Plátano de Canarias

The European Union, and therefore Spain, protects Geographical Indications (PGI) and Appellation of Origin (PAO) as industrial property rights and as such they receive special protection:

If your product is covered by a Protected Geographical Indication, this means that you can prevent its use by a third party in products that do not meet the requirements, standards and codes of practice established for that particular Geographical Indication.

This protection extends to the production and all stages of marketing, product presentation, advertising, labeling and commercial documents of the products concerned.

You may therefore prohibit third parties from using in their advertising that PGI combined with expressions such as “type” or “style” or “imitation”, “produced in” or “from” another PGI or PAO. There will be infringement of the protection even if the true geographical origin of the product is indicated.

A PAO or PGI name cannot be used as an internet domain name if the holder has no rights or legitimate interests in the name.

Furthermore, names that are the subject of a PAO or PGI cannot be registered as trademarks, trade names or company names.