The draft law of the FSA concerning the products of Protected Designation of Origin, Protected Geographical Indication and Guaranteed Traditional Unique Products (PDO, PGI and EPIP) was posted for consultation.

Specifically, with the draft law posted for consultation, which concerns the institutional framework for control procedures, administrative measures and sanctions in the field of agricultural products and food with PDO/PGI/EPIP, the issues that make it difficult to monitor the implementation of the national and EU framework, concerning the specific PDO/PGI/EPIP products.

The law clarifies the responsibilities of each control authority, in order to make controls more effective and efficient. In addition, obligations are foreseen for those who wish to produce, distribute, package for the purpose of marketing, agricultural products or PDO/PGI/EPIP food, as well as for companies producing, packaging, marketing agricultural products.

Register of PDO/PGI/EIP companies

The clarification of the obligations of natural persons and businesses engaged in the field of agricultural products and food and the provision of a Register of Approved Businesses and Beneficiaries of Use of PDO/PGI/EPIP Indications in the draft law is deemed necessary for the proper execution of the audit work of ELGO – DIMITRA .

As noted by the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Lefteris Avgenakis, “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, which will contribute decisively to the correct controls” .

Also, with the bill, the administrative compliance measures imposed by ELGO – DIMITRA in the event of irregularities or violations of national and EU legislation are dealt with in a coherent manner, concerning:

– in the registered names of agricultural products or foodstuffs, as well as

– the administrative fines imposed by the Ministry of Rural Development and Food per case of irregularity or violation to enhance deterrence.

Sanctions Committee

In order to deal more rationally with the above infringements, measurement criteria, coefficients of the measurement criteria and the range of prescribed fines are established following the evaluation and grading of specific parameters, as well as the establishment of a Sanctions Committee, its operational framework and its work.

ELGO – DIMITRA’s responsibilities include in particular:

– conducting production controls,

– of quality and

– the sale of agricultural products.

The aim is to define the checks to verify compliance with the specifications of each PDO, PGI or PGI product, which are on-the-spot, regular and/or ad hoc and to ensure that they are carried out in a transparent, fair and impartial manner.

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.

Producer Groups PDO/PGI/TIP

With this bill, the legal gap that exists regarding the recognition of groups of producers for each PDO/PGI product is simultaneously addressed. 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 may carry out market checks and/or internal checks on its members and inform ELGO – DIMITRA of these results.

Finally, issues related to food, which are used as PDO/PGI component products and administrative measures and fines for violations in this area are regulated and obligations are provided for the control authorities who find non-compliances during the control in a sector that does not belong in their jurisdiction.

“Protection net”

As noted by the Minister of Anti-Corruption, Lefteris Avgenakis, “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 area, and to ensure better information for consumers about the products that buy by cracking down on illegal Greekizations. We have pledged to support Greek products, especially those that are a trademark for our country abroad, but also to protect consumers and that is what we are doing with the bill we have submitted. We put a barrier to illegal actions and raise a protection net for Greek PDO/PGI and EPIP products, which are unique in terms of quality and nutritional value.”