How to register
To register the name of a product, EU producers or producer groups need to lay down the product’s specifications and link to the geographical area, if applicable. The application is sent to national authorities for scrutiny and then forwarded to the European Commission, who will examine the request.
For non-EU products to be registered, producers send their applications directly, or via their national authorities, to the European Commission.
For spirit drinks and agri-food products, the European Commission has respectively a maximum of 12 and 6 months to examine the application and decide if the product will be protected under the quality scheme requested. As for wine, there is no deadline for the application examination.
How to oppose
EU and non-EU producers, national authorities and the European Commission can oppose or cancel the registration of a product name under a quality scheme.
The opposition can be done from the moment the product is registered, and for a period of three months. If the opposition is valid, the two parties involved (the party opposing the registration and the group of producers registering the product) should consult each other to find a solution. If no agreement is reached, the Commission takes the final decision on cancelling or not the registration.
Cancelling the registration of a product name is a possibility when compliance with the product specifications are no longer ensured.
It is also possible to cancel the registration of a product name (only for food) when no registered product name (as PDO, PGI or TSG) has been put on the market for seven consecutive years.