Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, esteemed colleagues, and friends!

It is a privilege to address you at this Geographical Indications conference.

My sincere thanks to the organizations hosting todays event: AREPO, EFOW, and oriGIn.

It’s inspiring to see so many professionals united in preserving and promoting geographical indications.

Our GI system guarantees quality, origin, and authenticity, with over 3,660 registered names that reflect Europe’s true flavors.

GIs significantly benefit our producers, rural areas, and the economy, generating about €75 billion in annual revenue in the EU, with prices for GI products averaging 2.23 times higher than non-GI products.

In short, GIs are a remarkable success story for the EU.

However, there’s room for improvement in increasing their uptake.

As you may know, the Vision for Agriculture and Food outlines our future policy for farming and food in Europe, which promotes GIs among producers and consumers.

Let’s discuss how we can operationally enhance GI uptake.

Producers are concentrated in countries like Italy, France, and Spain, while others, such as Hungary and Romania, have untapped potential.

We need to encourage greater GI adoption, especially in lagging countries.

While 56% of Europeans recognize the organic farming logo, only 19% are familiar with GI logos, highlighting the need for better awareness.

We should utilize the new GI Regulation effectively to promote GIs without rushing changes.

Raising awareness among producers and consumers is essential, and we can support campaigns to highlight EU agricultural products with GI logos.

Additionally, organizing an annual EU GI Award could enhance visibility for GI products.

We should also explore partnerships with supermarkets to promote GI products on their shelves.

New market opportunities, including international markets, are crucial. We actively showcase Europes agri-food products at prestigious international fairs.

Protection and enforcement of GIs are vital, as we aim to prevent unauthorized use globally.

Some countries are more advanced in this regard, so sharing best practices is beneficial.

Investments in research and innovation for GIs are crucial for sector development.

The GI SMART project is one example, promoting sustainability strategies among GI producers.

We will consult stakeholders to develop ideas further.

The Vision for Agriculture and Food emphasizes that agriculture and food are vital sectors for Europe, aiming to create a competitive and fair agri-food system.

We must attract young people to agriculture and ensure farmers receive fair revenue to invest in resilient farms.

To conclude, I hope this conference yields impactful ideas for strengthening Europes GIs. Thank you for your dedication to this important cause.

I wish you productive discussions throughout the conference.