Icelandic lamb is a partner in a prepatory project co-financed via Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic 2021-2027 programme. This preparatory project aims to build up a successful main application for Interreg NPA-programme focusing on enhancing the use of GI recognition in northern areas to increase competitiveness of the businesses.
Short title of the project: GIFT – Status: Active – Hafliði Halldórsson (partner)
Effective start/end date: 01/12/2023 → 31/05/2024
Description (abstract)
The operating environment is challenging for food and handicraft SMEs in rural areas markets outside the local area and challenges in obtaining an adequate price for quality products. EU’s quality scheme of geographical indication (GI) could offer some solutions to these problems: it protects the names of specific products (food and non-food), promotes their uniqueness, enables a better price and links the products to their geographical origin, thus safeguarding the local production. With GI products the local tourism SMEs can also highlight better their local or regional specificity. In addition, GI products bring local traditional knowledge visible. Despite these advantages, GI recognition is still largely underutilized in northern European countries compared to other parts of Europe. Icelandic Lamb is the first Icelandic product to be recognised within the GI system as a Protected Designation of Origin.
Goals
This preparatory project aims to build up a successful main application for Interreg NPA-programme focusing on enhancing the use of GI recognition in northern areas to increase competitiveness of the businesses. The aim is also to use GI application processes to support cooperation, transfer of knowledge and to create and support innovation in and between food, handicraft and tourism sectors. During the process, also the potential of new GI products in NPA area are mapped out.
Partners
The partnership of the preparatory project consists of University of Helsinki Ruralia Institute, Finland (lead partner), Icelandic Lamb, Iceland and Enterprise office of Donegal County Council, Ireland. The partnership will be complemented during the preparatory project. The preparatory project is co-financed via Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic 2021-2027 programme.
Funding
- European Regional Development Fund Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme: €8,445.12
- ICLA: €5,635.00
Geographical Indication in Iceland
Icelandic lamb is so far the first and only Icelandic produce recognized in EU´s geographical indication quality scheme. As a protected designation of origin PDO, which is the highest level of geographical indication. We hope to inspire more to follow and use the GI system for increased attention and value.
Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme https://www.interreg-npa.eu/