Protected for posterity?

Where is the PFN scheme heading? PATRICK McGUIGAN took soundings among experts at the European Commission and Defra.

With over 700 PFN products already registered across Europe and 400 in the pipeline, the burgeoning interest from producers can be read as an endorsement of the scheme. But how much further can it grow? After all, only products with genuine tradition and provenance can be registered.

Gesa Wesseler, policy officer at the EC’s Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development in Brussels, who deals with applications from around the EU, believes there is still plenty of mileage in the scheme.

“If you think of the wines and spirits sectors [which are covered by separate schemes] there are thousands of registered names. Why can’t it be the same with this? Of course at some point, all eligible products and names will be covered, but we are a long way from that.”

There is now a global future for “geographical indications”, with PFN applications coming in from countries outside the EU after the rules on who could apply were relaxed. The changes were implemented in 2006 after complaints from the US and Australia to the World Trade Organisation that the scheme was a form of protectionism. The WTO dismissed most of the complaints but the EU was forced to simplify its rules to allow direct applications from producers in third countries. Café de Colombia was the first non-European product to receive protected status, and applications from tea producers and others in India and China are being considered.

“Under the EU regulation, PFNs are open to every country but protection will only apply in the EU,” explains Wesseler. Outside the EU, WTO rules provide for protection of geographical indications, but some countries are reluctant to enforce them. “We have a problem with Parma ham in Canada, for example,” says Wesseler. “Real Parma ham [from Italy] cannot be sold as such because a company has the name as a trademark. The only way this could be resolved would be to go to court, but this would be a long and difficult process. In the meantime, we are concerned that Canadian consumers are being misled.”

The PFN scheme will be bolstered in May 2009 when legislation is introduced to make it compulsory for registered products to either carry the logo or make a reference on pack.

Funding to promote the scheme is also available, but at both European and UK level will be aimed at producers rather than directly targeting consumers.

According to Simon Johnson, policy adviser on regional and local food at Defra, the EU is particularly keen to see producers from different member states working together in joint promotions. Match funding is available from the EU’s €50m annual budget for supporting agricultural products and food.

“Many member states are ahead of the UK when it comes to accessing funding,” says Johnson. “France, Spain and Italy are looking to work together to do promotions in the US. There is a lot of support for producers in these countries from their local authorities.”

In France, for example, communications and marketing company Sopexa – formerly a state-funded quango but now a

French producers.

“There is a tradition of producers working together for the common good in Italy and France,” says Johnson. “Britain is a nation of individuals. Producers tend to be protective and secretive, but that is slowly changing. They recognise that they have to work together.”

As well as EU promotional funds, UK producers can apply for grants from the Regional Development Agencies. Defra is also committed to supporting the scheme and is currently looking for another organisation to take over Food from Britain’s promotional role. The size of the budget for promoting geographical indications in the next financial year is still being discussed.

“I would be lying if I said there was lots of money to promote it,” says Johnson. “Defra is confronted with big issues such as climate change and flood defences, and funding for regional food is being reduced. I think the focus will switch to helping producers tap into funding streams. There is a growing responsibility for producers themselves to promote the scheme and think about how they work together.”

Defra is also keen to work with UK retailers and restaurants, he adds. “I would like to see a PDO/PGI corner in shops with, say, Greek olives, Italian cheese and Cornish clotted cream. Some of the big retailers have been supportive of such an idea.” Other measures designed to engage retailers include pointof-sale material for Guild of Fine Food members and menu stickers for restaurants.

There is little on the horizon in terms of funds for marketing PDO, PGI and TSG products directly to consumers, but Johnson says the efforts of the trade should lift awareness. Sometimes the act of applying for protected status is enough in itself. Objections from Northern Foods over the PDO application for Melton Mowbray pork pies, for example, sparked several articles in national newspapers. “We are not looking to encourage controversial applications, but the Melton Mowbray pork pie case did as much as anything to publicise the scheme,” says Johnson. “There is still a lot to do, but as more producers become registered you begin to reach a critical mass, where promoting the scheme becomes easier.”

PRODUCERS & DISTRIBUTORS

Anthony Rowcliffe & Son

Unit B

Paddock Wood Distribution Centre

Paddock Wood

Tonbridge

Kent TN12 6UU t: 01892 838999 w: www.rowcliffe.co.uk

Wholesaler of cheese, meats and other delicatessen products

Avilton Foods

Malvern House

Matford Court

Yeoford Way

Exeter

Devon

EX2 8LB t: 01392 822200 w: www.avilton-foods.co.uk

Importer of foods from Europe. Italian foods a speciality

Borough Market

8 Southwark Street

London SE1 1TL t: 020 7407 1002 f: 020 7403 9162 w: www.boroughmarket.org.uk

Bradbury & Son

Staden Lane Business park

Staden Lane

Buxton

Derbyshire

SK17 9RZ t: 01298 23180 w: www.bradburyandson.co.uk

Distributor of white Stilton as well as other Euopean and UK cheeses

Cropwell Bishop Creamery

Nottingham Road

Cropwell Bishop

Nottinghamshire

NG12 3BQ t: 0115 989 2350 w: www.cropwellbishopstilton.com

Multi-award winning producer of Stilton

Foodhouse (UK)

Paul Anthony House

724 Holloway Road

London

N19 3JD t: 020 7263 9170 w: www.foodhouse.co.uk

Long-established Italian food specialist supplying restaurants and retailers in London and the South-East

Grana Padano

Via XXIV Giugno, 8 San Martino della Battaglio

25015 Desenzano del Garda BS, Italy w: www.granapadano.com

Consortium that represents Grana Padano

– Italy’s oldest PDO cheese

Idiazabal Cheese

Granja Modelo de Arkaute

Apdo 46

01080 Vitoria

Spain t: 00 34 9 45 289 971 w: www.quesoidiazabal.com

Consortium representing Idiazabal Cheese

Isigny Ste Mere

2 Rue Du Docteur Boutrois

14230 Isigny sur Mer

France t: 00 33 (0) 231513330 w: www.isigny-ste-mere.com

French producer of PDO dairy products

Le Gruyère AOC

Case Postale 12

CH-1663

Gruy res-Pringy

Switzerland t: 00 41 26 921 84 10 w: www.gruyere.com

Consortium for Le Gruyère AOC cheese

Marine Harvest

Kindrum Letterkenny Co. Donegal t: 00353 749159805 w: www.marineharvest.com

Organic farmed salmon

Products From Spain

Unit 18

Cumberland Business Park

Quenby Stilton

Quenby Hall

Hungarton Road

Hungarton

Leicestershire

LE7 9JF t: 0116 259 5224 w: www.quenbystilton.co.uk

A PDO Stilton producer

Shirevale Unit 7

Kinoulton Road

Cropwell Bishop

Nottingham

Nottinghamshire

NG12 3BE t: 0115 989 9888

Producer of white Stilton

Von Muhlenen

Bonnstrasse 1

CH-3186

DŸdingen

Switzerland t: 00 41 26 492 93 30 w: www.vonmuhlenen.com

An affineur, part of the Le Gruyère AOC consortium

Whalesborough Farm Foods

Whalesborough Farm

Marhamchurch

Bude

Cornwall

EX23 0JD t: 01288 361317

Producer of Cornish cheeses

Other Useful Contacts

Guild of Fine Food Guild House Station Road

Wincanton

Somerset BA9 9FE t: 01963 824464 w: www.finefoodworld.co.uk

Representative body for UK delis, farm shops food halls and their suppliers. Organiser of the Great Taste Awards and World Cheese Awards and publisher of Fine Food Digest and Artisan magazines.

Entremont Alliance

76C Acre Lane

London

SW2 5QN t: 00 33 450 337555 w: www.entremont-alliance.com

A cooperative of cheese-makers supplying PDO cheeses such as Comte and Beaufort

17 Cumberland Avenue

Park Royal

London

NW10 7RT t: 020 8965 7274 w: www.productsfromspain.co.uk

Spanish importer with a large range of delicatessen products

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)

Nobel House

17 Smith Square

London SW1P 3JR w: www.defra.gov.uk e: protectedfoodnames@defra.gsi.gov.uk