The European quality scheme for agricultural products (registry of protected product names along with product descriptions) is a good scheme and if a producer gets their product registered in the scheme then they can use EU origin labels. Participation and interest of producers to get their brand registered in the system has grown greatly: In 2015, around 1,100 names were registered in the system, which was established in its current form in 2012 with EU Regulation No 1151/2012. The beginnings of the scheme were a registration system that was instituted in the late seventies, then later a regulation on certifications for agricultural products on the grounds of uniqueness in 1992. Now there are around 3,353 names registered through the scheme. There are three types of registration: PDO, PGI, and TSG certifications which have differing requirements regarding the product’s link to origin and production.
The criteria for application are that the name enjoys protection in its home country via a comparable scheme. Information on all protected names, production methods, etc. can be found on the EU website. Our application for PDO registration for Icelandic Lamb is currently waiting approval.
In 2014, the Icelandic parliament passed legislation on the protection of product names modelled on the EU regulation. It authorises special reference to the origin of the products enjoying such protection, the region from which they come, or their traditional uniqueness. The objective of the legislation is to provide the products that fulfill the standards and criteria that are set for such products the necessary legal protection in addition to supporting increased consumer protection and preventing unlawful commercial practices.
