In addressing issues that make it difficult to monitor the implementation of the national and EU framework, in PDO / PGI / PGI products aims his draft law Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food against the “Hellenizations”, which was submitted to the c.g. of the goverment.

Through this, the responsibilities of each control authority are clarified, so that the controls become more effective and efficient.

Obligations are also provided for those who wish to produce, transport, package for the purpose of marketing, PDO/PGI/EPIP agricultural products or food, as well as for companies producing, packaging, marketing agricultural products.

For the better execution of his audit work ELGO – DIMITRA the obligations of natural persons and businesses dealing in the field of agricultural products and food are clarified, while the creation of a Register of Approved Businesses and Beneficiaries of Use of PDO/PGI/EPIP Indications is also foreseen.

As officials of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food told APE-MPE “in this way, the operation of a modern, efficient and information-rich registry of businesses that have joined the control system after the relevant certification is granted” is ensured.

At the same time, the aim of the draft law is to deal with the administrative compliance measures imposed by ELGO-DIMITRA in the event of irregularities or violations of national and EU legislation, concerning the registered names of agricultural products or foodstuffs, as well as the administrative fines imposed by the YPAAT per case of irregularity or violation to strengthen deterrence.

It also provides for the establishment of measurement criteria, coefficients of the measurement criteria and the scope of the prescribed fines after evaluation and grading of specific parameters, as well as the establishment of a Sanctions Commission, its operational framework and work.

ELGO – DIMITRA’s responsibilities include, among other things, conducting checks on the production, quality and distribution of agricultural products.

“Aim” according to the same executives “is to define the controls to verify compliance with the specifications of each product with PDO, PGI or EPIP, which are on-site, regular and/or extraordinary and to ensure that they act in a transparent manner, fair and impartial. The audited companies are obliged to allow the mandated audit bodies to sample raw materials, packaging materials and finished products, to provide accounting, tax information and certificates, contracts, etc.”

The legal “gap” that exists regarding the recognition of producer groups for each PDO/PGI product is also addressed.

It is noted that the identification system can be applied to all producer groups, whose members produce a product identified by a PDO or PGI or to producer groups that produce specific categories of products identified by a PDO or PGI. Among other tasks, the recognized group of producers of a PDO or PGI can carry out market checks and/or internal checks on its members and communicates these results to ELGO – DIMITRA.

Finally, the draft law regulates issues related to food, which are used as PDO/PGI component products and the administrative measures and fines for violations in this area and provides for obligations for the control authorities who find non-compliances during the control in a field outside their competence.

“So our goal is to protect agricultural products and food, to strengthen their quality through the establishment of a framework of controls and the imposition of sanctions for violations in this sector and to ensure better information for consumers about the products they buy by cracking down on of illegal Hellenizations” told APE-MBE officials of the YPAAT.