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Origin food schemes (OFS) aim to protect and promote a unique product resulting from a specific place and know‐how whose qualities are objectified in the product specifications. This paper explores the standardisation effects of OFS on the diversity of local practices and knowledge by analysing the emergence of the specifications of four origin cheeses recognised as Geographical Indications and Slow Food Presidia (Chefchaouen goat cheese in Morocco, Piacentinu Ennese in Italy, and Béarn mountain cheese and Ossau‐Iraty in France). Results confirm that specifications directly preserve some genetic resources, taste, and know‐how, whilst they also show that traditional production practices are taken into account differently, depending on negotiations among stakeholders during which opposing motives, strategies, and forms of knowledge may emerge. We argue that paradoxically this process results in adapting and reducing existing diversity, including in OFS that are more oriented towards localising practices and promoting a diversity of tastes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Geographical Indications of India Act requires a detailed description of 'authorized users' and 'producers' without concern for how these 'producers'/ 'authorized users' are identified and what are the outcomes of such identification. Artisans identified as producers of GI registered 'Cheriyal Painting' of Telangana primarily belong to one genetically related family. Apart from members of the Danalakota household, GI also enumerates families of apprentices as 'producers'. This article will highlight two things. First, it will demonstrate the way in which identification of 'producers'/ 'authorized users' replicates not only the relational worlds within which producers exist but also the 'obligations and moral imperatives' embedded within those relations. Second, identifying oneself as a 'producer'/ 'authorized user' requires distinguishing and individualizing one's relatedness with the Danalakota family; promises of welfare by the state then become accessible only by becoming kin and distinguishing oneself as kin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article highlights Dr. Shelby Hunt's major contribution to the interminable discussions in the field of competition in general, and most specifically in the role of institutions and public policy promoting productivity and economic growth. The article specifically focuses on Hunt's legacy, Resource-Advantage Theory of Competition, and its core concepts to guide our understanding in one of the most heated debates in the international trade discussions: Geographical Indications (GI) and their impact on the competitive nature of global trade. Geographical Indications (GI) are collective intellectual property (IP) rights for agri-food products that highlight the unique tie between the quality of the GI product and the territory where it is produced and/or processed. This tie encompasses both physical (i.e. soil, climate, local variety and breed) and human-related factors (i.e. local know-how, specific skills, historical traces). The heated debate regarding the nature and scope of GIs policies and whether these policies foster or hinder competition takes considerable attention in global trade agreements. Founding my arguments on Hunt's Resource-Advantage theory, a dynamic theory of competition, I argue that GIs policies are pro-competition and provide the agrifood producers with productivity tools and, thereby, have the potential to foster regional economic growth and prosperity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographical indications (GI) certify the geographical origins of a product and delineate the specific area in which the certified product must be produced. Despite a large literature on the economics of GIs, few papers have explored the question of the optimal size of GI regions. This note presents a flexible conceptual framework to explore the economics and politics of the delimitation of a GI. The general framework describes the efficiency and distributional effects of the size of a GI and shows how this affects interest groups' incentives to influence government decision‐making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographical indications have played a central role in the protection of handicrafts, and agricultural and manufactured goods in India. Numerous goods are already registered as geographical indications and many more are in the pipeline to be registered. This article analyses the products which have been registered so far and finds that there are certain issues raised by Indian GI protection, to which it puts forward various solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we suggest that discussions about the identity of recipes should be based on a distinction between four categories of recipes. The central feature that we use to single out a category is the type of relationship that a recipe bears to its author. The first category comprises “open recipes” like wine, pizza, or salad, which come in taxonomic layers and are structurally open for new authors to reshape them. The second category comprises “institutional recipes,” namely those whose authors typically form consortium-like institutions, such as Champagne wines or Quebec maple syrup. The third category comprises “brand recipes” like Coca-Cola, Nutella, or Big Mac, whose names are elusive semantic devices and connote rather than denote recipes. Finally, the fourth category comprises “flagship recipes,” which include all the personal renditions of a recipe whose identity is strongly bound to individual authors; we suggest that their semantics follows a causal-reference model of proper names. Besides its theoretical value, the classification we put forward is offered as a ground for settling legal disputes about recipes, evaluating charges of cultural appropriation that concern recipes, and guiding consumers, producers, and policy makers when they think about foods and diets.

In recent years, the European Union is stressing the importance of monitoring and evaluating its policies, among which the common agricultural policy plays an important role. Policy evaluation, in order to provide reliable results on which to take important legislative decisions, should rely on robust methodological tools. A recent strand of literature casts some doubts about the reliability of the two-way fixed effect estimator when the effect of a treatment is heterogeneous across groups of units or over time. This estimator is widely used in agricultural economics to estimate the effect of policies where effect heterogeneity may be at stake. Using the European geographical indication (GI) policy, we compared the two-way fixed effects estimator with a novel non-parametric estimator that accounts for the issues created by effect heterogeneity. The results show that the two estimators, consistently with the concerns expressed by the technical literature, may lead to different estimates of the policy effect. This suggests that treatment effect heterogeneity is likely a concern when assessing the impact of GI-type policies. Therefore, the use of the standard estimator may lead to misleading conclusions and, as a result, to inappropriate policy actions.

Aim of study: How are successful applications for quality labels for food and agricultural products written? This research aims to answer this question through the study of the applications for three quality labels within the EU Scheme for Agricultural and Foodstuffs: Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG). The research focuses in determining the topics and narratives that describe the link with the geographical area for the two former and the traditional character for the latter. Area of study: Europe. Material and methods: Using a Qualitative Data Analysis, the research analyses 132 products registered on the scheme between January 2016 and April 2019. The researcher categorized a total of 1,724 excerpts and studied the sections on the link with the geographical area for PDOs and PGIs, and the key elements establishing the product’s traditional character for TSGs. Main results: Main results offer quantitative and qualitative outputs. They indicate that cultural and social issues make up the half of the story arguing about the products, and natural, space/place and time/history make up the second half in proportions that depend on the type of scheme. Topic and storytelling analyses revealed particular understandings of place, origins and traditions in narratives developing on agriculture, history and knowledge transference between generations. The applicants used socio-economic particularities, regional history, and environmental uniqueness to justify the special character of products. Research highlights: The results give practitioners, policymakers and institutions guidelines and recommendations about how to structure and write their applications for quality labels for food and agricultural products.

Food producers can define collective quality standards and legally protect the origin, characteristics, traditions and the reputation of a place-based product through geographical indications (GIs). Producers, processors and other relevant actors in the GI production system codify and adapt their production rules via the GI Product Specification and possible amendments. Based on the Management and Transition Framework (Pahl-Wostl et al. 2010), we developed a framework to analyze the role of social learning in food quality governance and adaptation. We analyzed as case studies two cheeses protected by a Protected Designation of Origin, Laguiole (France) and Bitto (Italy). They were selected according to diverse institutional contexts, existing amendments of the Product Specification, and access to documents and interviewees willing and capable to recall the amendment processes. A comparative case study approach served to analyze the amendment processes embedded in different arenas for social learning. Actors amended their Product Specification due to both system-internal (e.g., locally generated knowledge, negotiation processes) and external (e.g., market evolution, new breeds/varieties) pressures. In the two cases, there have been social learning processes among local producers, with diverging outcomes. The results shed light on the dynamic interactions of the drivers for amendments, knowledge generation and integration processes, social learning and negotiation, learning outcomes as well as re–evaluation and re-negotiation. The design of multi-level social learning arenas can help protecting the product identity of evolving social-ecological systems and may contribute to a consistent and long-term strategy going beyond short-term local pressures.

Kenya tea and coffee are major foreign exchange earners and have high reputation among consumers in the international market. Faced by declining prices and competition from other sub-sectors, production area under these commodities has been declining. Use of intellectual property (IP) rights to protect and market agricultural commodities has been on the increase. Geographical indications as IP have been successfully implemented in developed countries and increasingly in developing countries. The study assesses producers’ awareness and perceptions of territorial-based qualities and the influence on product profits from the two export beverage crops, tea and coffee. Factor analysis was conducted on Likert scale perception questions administered to producers of coffee and tea from Muranga and Kirinyaga, respectively, in the Central region of Kenya. Producers of the two products were aware of the uniqueness of their products and their geographical source. Only perceptions related to market access in coffee and tea, and policies and rules as well as role of county government in coffee positively influenced income. Rather than have GI as a certification trademark, a prescriptive sui generis law would provide the required streamlining needed for collective participation of various actors along the value chain of potential GI products.

The study assessed producers’ awareness and perceptions of territorial-based qualities and the economic potential of two potential origin-based geographical indications in two semi-arid counties in Kenya. Protection of the origin products as geographical indications is presented as an option for ecosystem approach in managing fragile semi-arid regions while providing producers economic incentives and social inclusion; key components of green growth. Factor analysis was conducted on Likert scale perception questions administered to producers of goats (Baringo) and mangoes (Makueni). The producers were aware of the uniqueness of their products and its geographical source. The resultant factors reveal the importance of public policies, institutions, market access and public sector actors as important to producers’ perception of the success of protecting their products as geographical indications. Clustering revealed producer heterogeneity in their perceptions of protecting their respective products as geographical indications. The constitution of the clusters was significantly different based on the number of years the producers had practiced farming in the region, their awareness of the uniqueness of their goats, income received from goat production and institutional factors. Enhanced collective action for both goats and mangoes in the semi-arid regions would ensure collective reputation in the product presented to the market. The producers’ perceptions emphasise geographical indications as a marketing tool rather than an environmental tool, agreeing with Principle 4 of the ecosystem approach on managing ecosystem in an economic context.

While, from a theoretical point of view, Geographical Indications (GIs) can be considered as club goods or common-pool resources (CPR), we argue that a key success factor is stakeholders considering them as territorial common-pool resources, through the implied coordination between actors and the articulation with territorial dynamics. However, building upon case studies in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, we show the difficulty of establishing an appropriate management mode, given the multiplicity of objectives assigned to GIs, the possible disinterest of actors if the value-creation attached to the GI is considered uncertain, and a contrario given the possible appropriation by a small group if this value-creation is proven.

Intellectual Property represents the creation that derives from the human intellect being materialized as an idea, expression, or device. As such, it is rapidly becoming one of the most innovative fields that is being given a particular interest. Apart from the Intellectual Property Rights which date to earlier times and are considered as the traditional IPRs including Trademarks, Copyrights, and Patents, there are also newer IPRs that have been developed more recently but still secured an important spot. A special emphasis in this latter category should be pointed to the Geographical Indications. However, a very complex, conflicting and intense relationship between Trademarks and Geographical Indications has traditionally developed throughout history due to many similarities the two share. By utilising mixed methods of qualitative and quantitative methods, this paper will mainly focus on the conflict between Trademarks and GIs in the European Union level concerning the refusal of trademarks registration that consist of geographical names and defining the criteria for acquiring a distinctive character by the mark. The key aspect of the paper will be to analyse the role and impact of the Court of Justice of the EU on solving this apparent issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents various collective instruments used in the labelling, certification and branding of cheeses in the southeastern Alps of Slovenia and Italy. Based on long term ethnography it discusses four case studies of Montasio, Bovec, Tolminc, and Mohant cheeses, that were awarded protected designation of origin at European Union level. The impact of geographical indications on the local dairy chains is compared to other instruments, ranging from top-down European and national quality schemes and inventories of traditional agricultural products and heritage, to grass-root initiatives such as Slow Food instruments and local brands. The study finds substantial difference in the use and impact of geographical indications in Italy and Slovenia, as well as several ambiguous and dissonant effects in all the identified instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European virgin olive oil with geographical indications are strictly regulated and are of importance for the producing member states, Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, France, Slovenia and Croatia. These products are consumed locally, or within the European Union but are also exported worldwide. The chapter stresses on the importance of combining origin indications with other certifications or opportunities raising from European legislation in the agri-food sector so that to tighten consumer loyalty for this category of products. Emphasis is given to the richness of virgin olive oil in bioactive compounds that are already covered by nutritional and health claims (oleic acid, vitamin E, "polyphenols") and to those compounds that can be exploited in the future toward the same direction (squalene, oleanolic and maslinic acids). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European Union (EU) policies have been evolving beyond the protection of consumers through food safety protocols to the promotion of healthy and sustainable diets. The European Commission’s Farm to Fork Strategy—the most recent step in this evolution— addresses challenges facing European agriculture and proposes measures for creating a more resilient as well as sustainable food system, which includes a plan for product labelling. The effort to improve information conveyed to consumers through product labelling is a longstanding and ongoing phenomenon, and different front-of-pack voluntary labels presently coexist across EU Member States. One objective of the Farm to Fork Strategy is to harmonize them; a second objective, no less important, is to add ‘sustainability’ as an additional quality to be certified through labels. Yet, adopting some of the current models of voluntary front-ofpack labels—in order to better promote both dietary health and sustainability—might conflict with already-established measures implemented by the Common Agricultural Policies, such as Geographical Indication protection for agri-food products. Furthermore, influencing consumers’ behaviour through labelling should not be regarded as equivalent to ‘empowering’ consumers in terms of nutrition and sustainable choices. Labelling needs to be complemented by higher levels of policy interventions—incentives/disincentives or even policies that limit or restrict choices—in order to rebalance power in the food supply chain and to induce a change in the complex social practices of food consumption. This paper examines the Farm to Fork Strategy through an analysis of EU policy documents, existing literature, and the discussion of a case study—with particular attention paid to the role of labels in promoting healthy and sustainable diets as well as the possibility of new sustainability criteria for products certified with Geographic Indications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of FTA negotiations with the EU, the Australian Government has indicated that it is actively considering introducing legislation to permit the registration of local Australian food Gis, adding to the existing protection for wine Gis, In this article, the authors consider regulatory design options for such legislation, focusing on local control, specifications that ensure genliine connection to place, clarity for consumers, low compliance cost, a clear infringement test and effective enforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The topic of food geographical indications (GIs) in Australia is crucial to the free trade agreement negotiations currently proceeding between Australia and the EU, as the latter is seeking exclusive rights to use European GIs in Australia. Australia does not currently have a sui generis GI registration scheme for food products (other than wine) therefore we sought to contrast the standard trade mark system in operation with a hypothetical food GI scheme. We identified King Island (KI), Tasmania, as a suitable case study because the KI provenance brand is well known in the beef, dairy and lobster industries. We conducted desktop research, and interviews with producers in all industries on the Island. Our analysis suggests that food GIs could provide base‐line certainty about provenance while allowing competition around individual trade marks to proceed to the benefit of consumers and the Island community as a whole. Our study tends to reinforce the case favouring Australian legislative changes which would enable local producers to seek registration of food GIs around uncontroversial specifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the contentious issue of the coexistence of cheese made from raw milk and cheese made from pasteurised milk in areas of protected designation of origin (PDOs). The French PDO system is held to be the benchmark of the international system of geographical indications (GIs). Drawing on the multi-level perspective framework of socio-technical transitions, we conceptualise PDO cheeses as a "niche" nested within a dominant regime that promotes pasteurisation as the standard technology to control pathogens in milk. Careful examination of statistical data and the specifications for PDO cheeses shows that raw milk is experiencing an upturn in domestic production, which we relate to the reinforcement of the regulatory frameworks governing protection of GIs. We investigate more fully the steady increase in raw milk use by studying two contrasting cases of PDO cheeses (Saint-Nectaire and Ossau-Iraty), in which the confrontation between technologies is internalised. Analysis of local innovation pathways highlights a series of key decisions that strengthen the position of raw milk from the farm to the marketplace, namely grass-feeding, limiting herd productivity, technology-specific identification marks, and redistribution of decision-making power among stakeholders. Regulatory mechanisms that counterbalance the pressures of the regime by strategic management of the "terroir" niche are identified and discussed. We argue that shifting the focus from niche/regime interaction towards the internal dynamics of niches sheds light on the conditions of a coexistence of apparently antagonistic models of production in agri-food networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Geographical Indications Act, 1999 clearly mentions four eligible applicants for the registration of GI. They are any association of persons or producers or any organization or authority established by or under any law for the time being in force. Out of them, the maximum registration has been done by organization or authority established by or under any law for the time being in force. It is equally important to focus that the Act clearly states the applicant can apply for the GI registration only if they can represent the interest of the producers. This paper includes an analysis on the true meaning of the clause 'representing the interest of the producers' and whether the GI Registry emphasizes on this clause while granting registration of GI. Further, the paper also addresses other proprietorship debates under the GI Act with fours on some of the GI products from Assam and tries to explore the ideal proprietor for registration of a GI product. Lastly, the paper suggests certain measures that could tackle the proprietorship concern and explores if there is a need to amend the law on proprietorship of GI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Confluências Culturais is the property of Fundacao Educacional da Regiao de Joinville - FURJ and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article gives a historical overview of cheese production and labelling of Tolminc cheese in the upper Soča valley in the Julian Alps (Slovenia). Three distinct approaches to Tolminc cheese are described: Tolminc cheese with Protected Designation of Origin, Tolminc cheese with a collective trademark, and non-certified and unregistered Tolminc-like cheese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Commercial & Intellectual Property Law (TFM) / Ticaret ve Fikri Mülkiyet Hukuku Dergisi is the property of Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Facult of Law and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Since June 18, 2018, the European Union (EU) and Australia have been negotiating an ambitious and comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA). This paper examines how geographical indications (GIs) are likely to fare in those negotiations, given that Australia and the EU have historically clashed over agricultural policy in international trade and have opposing legal approaches to protecting GIs, apart from wines. Specifically, this paper is concerned with the main challenges facing the EU and Australia on GI‐related matters, as well as the main areas of convergence between both Parties. It begins with an outline of the EU and Australia's current GI legislative frameworks, before exploring both Party's respective interests for including them in the intellectual property chapter of the FTA. Then, it identifies and analyses the main challenges confronting the GI discussions and concludes by determining the main potential points of convergence. This paper is relevant to understand the current relationship between the EU and Australia on GIs, the relative stakes for concluding ambitious GI provisions in the FTA, and the retrospective comparison of GI reform after this agreement has been implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographical indications (GIs) that identify products of origin were born in Southern Europe and extensively internationalized thanks to the World Trade Organization 1994 Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement. This paper investigates how GIs have developed in ASEAN and Asia, the most active new area for GIs worldwide. We explore the different legislations and their practical implementation in eight out of 10 ASEAN countries with a sui generis system (Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Singapore, Myanmar); and in India and Japan, two Asian countries with active GI policies. Building on a comparative analysis of these countries and the EU regulations on GIs, this paper focuses on the following aspects of the GI system: the sui generis institutional system and the kind of goods protected by GIs, the scope of protection against misuses, the nature of the applicants, and the nature of control of the GI before and after registration. The paper then identifies convergences and shared challenges and recommends some strategies to ensure the success of GIs in Asia. The main challenges shared by Asian countries concern the numerous registered GIs that are not used on the market, that is, they are Sleeping Beauties waiting to be awakened. This is explained by the convergence among ASEAN and Asian countries to a top‐down state‐driven approach. To move forward, we recommend more involvement of collective organizations to bring together value chain stakeholders who should play a central role in drawing up and managing GIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recognition of honeys with specific characteristics attributed to their territory (geographical origin) can enhance increased incomes to households in rural areas of Kenya, if protected and sold under Geographical Indications labels. This is mainly because product recognition can result in its demand, reputation, access to market and its protection from imitation and disappearance from the market. Initiatives undertaken by actors in the honey subsector and other sectors to promote recognition of Kenyan honeys and their territorial and local traits have not been documented. This study evaluated the existing value addition initiatives enhancing recognition of territorial or local traits of the three Kenyan honey, that is, honey from Kitui, West Pokot, and Baringo. Data collection methods used included literature review as well as interviews with relevant stakeholders in the honey subsector and other relevant sectors. Results showed that development of honey value chains, product certification, product promotional and marketing activities, and awareness on the link between product quality and geographical origin have greatly contributed to recognition of West Pokot, Baringo, and Kitui honey as well as their territorial traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the name of the production zone to differentiate agricultural products has a longstanding tradition. Theory suggests that some of these names have a market value as they represent the common reputation of the producers and thus may contribute to dissolving the information asymmetry between producers and consumers. This study takes the example of the Hungarian off-trade wine market to show that price premia are attainable by using some GIs. It is revealed that group homogeneity is an essential factor of collective decisions on higher quality standards, which are important drives of price premia. Moreover, barriers to entry and the quality of the demarcated area are al so related to the prices attainable by using GIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contrast with the position on agricultural products and specialty foods, sui generis geographical indication (GI) protection is not available for traditional and local non-agricultural products in the European Union (EU). As a result, the legislative framework regarding this sector displays considerable fragmentation. In order to overcome this problem, this article suggests incorporating non-agricultural products into the body of the current EU Regulations for GIs. It claims that such a solution would provide harmonisation of the framework of non-agricultural GIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses the question of the construction of distinctive market signals, particularly the geographical indications of agri-food products as an instrument for the development of essentially rural territories and / or regions. The approach takes into account two experiences regarding the state of Rio Grande do Sul from a comparative analysis that exposes their respective advances and weaknesses. The research was based on interviews conducted between 2008 and 2012 with various social actors linked to both initiatives. The study shows that these devices alone are not enough to widen horizons in regions marked by an individualistic rationality and little open to cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographical Indication protection is becoming an increasingly important issue for producers who consider that one of their main challenges is to secure a better legal protection for their product at the national and the international level. The purpose of this article is to assess and analyse the weaknesses in the protection system available for GIs in India, including difficulties in protection and enforcement of GI rights. The article further gives an analysis of data collected in a survey by the researcher relating to GIs in India and interaction with stakeholders. An analysis of the legal framework, data relating to GIs in India and interaction with stakeholders indicate that the legal framework available for the protection of GIs is quite insignificant in terms of scope, effect and protection. There is a loss of producers' revenues caused by selling counterfeit products. In order to strengthen the existing system of GI protection, there is a need of creating awareness about protection of geographical indication products across India. Although national legislation has paved its way in protecting geographical Indications, the government requires the producers and the stakeholders to realize their responsibilities and come up for the registration of their products under the GI Act. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differentiating wines by their place of production has had a longstanding tradition. The institution of GIs (geographical indication) first appeared in the French law and then became gradually part of the EU wine law and the Common Agricultural Policy. The EU quality schemes aim to protect origin and preserve high-quality production (despite higher costs) of wines by regulating the use of their traditional names. However, several studies pointed out that these goals were not always achieved. This study aims to reveal price premiums of Hungarian GI products in the Hungarian off-trade market. Hedonic price indices are calculated on a sample of 2,672 wines using quantile regression. The author formulates two hypotheses: 1. only some GIs have a price premium in the market and 2. an individual brand can also have a price premium. The results confirm both hypotheses as price premiums are usually shrinking as the percentiles rise. Positive price premiums are estimated for most of the GIs for the median; however, only 7 of them have a positive premium for higher percentiles. The study proves that segmentation within GIs by level of quality makes sense as the price premium is substantially higher for the wines in concern. Results also highlight that GIs may influence wine prices in general, however, this is not always true and the impact may be negative as well. This draws attention to the importance of GIs' right positioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food producers can define collective quality standards and legally protect the origin, characteristics, traditions and the reputation of a place-based product through geographical indications (GIs). Producers, processors and other relevant actors in the GI production system codify and adapt their production rules via the GI Product Specification and possible amendments. Based on the Management and Transition Framework (Pahl-Wostl et al. 2010), we developed a framework to analyze the role of social learning in food quality governance and adaptation. We analyzed as case studies two cheeses protected by a Protected Designation of Origin, Laguiole (France) and Bitto (Italy). They were selected according to diverse institutional contexts, existing amendments of the Product Specification, and access to documents and interviewees willing and capable to recall the amendment processes. A comparative case study approach served to analyze the amendment processes embedded in different arenas for social learning. Actors amended their Product Specification due to both system-internal (e.g., locally generated knowledge, negotiation processes) and external (e.g., market evolution, new breeds/varieties) pressures. In the two cases, there have been social learning processes among local producers, with diverging outcomes. The results shed light on the dynamic interactions of the drivers for amendments, knowledge generation and integration processes, social learning and negotiation, learning outcomes as well as re-evaluation and re-negotiation. The design of multi-level social learning arenas can help protecting the product identity of evolving social-ecological systems and may contribute to a consistent and long-term strategy going beyond short-term local pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific literature and regulation acknowledge the positive social and economic impacts of local food productions, especially for Geographical Indication products, but their relationship with environmental sustainability remains still to be better investigated. The current European reform of the Geographical Indications system is adopting environment protection as one of the main objectives, in conformity with the European Green Deal and Farm to Fork strategies. In this framework, the present paper is aimed to show how Geographical Indications food products are related to environmental sustainability by the means of a systematic literature review. Firstly, the relevant publications are analyzed and classified referring to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework. Results show a contradictory picture regarding the positive and negative implications of Geographical Indications production for the different components of environmental protection (e.g., SDG 9 or SDG 12). Secondly, the literature analysis identifies four features (namely products specification, producers' environmental consciousness, role of institutions and link with the territory) of Geographical Indications that may mitigate environmental pressures, when present. Finally, after the analysis of the current and emerging European Geographical Indications regulation, policy suggestions are advanced. In particular, to enhance the environmental sustainability of Geographical Indication products, explicit environmental objectives should be introduced in Geographical Indication specification, while consciousness of producers, multidimensional cooperation and link with the territory should be strengthened. [Display omitted] • Environmental impacts of GIs are investigated since controversial in the literature. • The SDGs-based classification of the contributions shows a focus on SDGs 2 and 12. • Four drivers to make GIs effective for environmental sustainability are identified. • New explicit criteria in GI specification should be defined accordingly. • GI mark could incorporate environmental features due to the new EU regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origin of a product is an indication of its quality and can also be an indicator of taste. Geographical Indications (GIs), one of the most important food quality instruments of the European Union, are based on the impact of origin as an important information stimulus in consumer behaviour. This study examines the feasibility of establishing GIs in Kosovo, based on consumer preferences for five artisanal cheeses from the five regions of Kosovo known for cheese production. The method used to assess the impact of origin on product evaluation is the Disconfirmation of Expectations Theory. The results show a contrasting behaviour for the most preferred origin, revealing at the same time high expectations for the Sharri and Rugova origins. Nevertheless, the low weight of origin (the highest is 11%) in the overall evaluation of products is due to the perception of low safety of artisanal cheese products. In this respect, GIs are an opportunity to reinforce the good taste of artisanal products while protecting traditional recipes, which are often compromised by industrially produced foods. • The geographical indications of origin, one of the most popular food quality instruments of the European Union, is based on the power of origin as important information stimuli in consumer behaviour. • The method used to assess the impact of origin on product evaluation is the Disconfirmation of Expectations theory. • The results demonstrate a contrasting behaviour for the most preferred origin, revealing the same time high expectations for the origins of Sharri and Rugova. Nonetheless, the low weight of origin (highest is 11%) in the product's overall evaluation is due to the shared perception of the low safety of artisanal cheese products. • Geographical indicators present an excellent opportunity to reinforce the good taste of artisanal products whilst protecting traditional recipes that are often harmed by industrially produced [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Current environmental issues have affected the logic for promoting development strategies and social construction processes of new ruralities. Therefore, rural territories start connecting their socio-productive settings to high demands that come from environmental issues. In this scenario, little attention has been given to relations that the Geographic Indications (GI) based strategies have established with environmental issues, whose strategic interest lies in the scope of multiple correlations of power that cross contemporary societies. Through a multiple case analysis, by contrasting contexts from Brazil and Spain, we used this theoretical approach to analyze how environmental issues, in face of conservationist approaches towards enhancing biodiversity, have permeated the production of senses, the narratives, the conflicts and positioning of the players involved in GI experiences in different Iberian-American contexts.