PGO PGI EU

QUALITY SCHEMES

PDO PGI EU

PDO and PGI products are epitomes of European agri-food production excellence. They are the result of a unique combination of human and environmental factors that are characteristic of a given territory.

For this reason, the European Union has set out precise rules to protect these products, by establishing specific regulatory quality schemes to safeguard the good faith of the consumers. These rules also aim to provide the producers with concrete tools to better identify and promote their products with specific characteristics, in addition to protecting them from unfair practices.

• The PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) label identifies a product that originates from a place, region or country whose quality or characteristics are essentially or exclusively due to a particular geographical environment and its intrinsic natural and human factors. Furthermore, its production, preparation and processing stages are carried out in the defined geographical area, in compliance with the strict production rules established in the product specification.
• The PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) label designates a product that originates from a specific place, region or country whose geographical origin is essentially attributable to a given quality, reputation or any other characteristics. Furthermore, at least one of its processing stages takes place in the defined geographical area.

• The PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) label identifies a product that originates from a place, region or country whose quality or characteristics are essentially or exclusively due to a particular geographical environment and its intrinsic natural and human factors. Furthermore, its production, preparation and processing stages are carried out in the defined geographical area, in compliance with the strict production rules established in the product specification.

• The PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) label designates a product that originates from a specific place, region or country whose geographical origin is essentially attributable to a given quality, reputation or any other characteristics. Furthermore, at least one of its processing stages takes place in the defined geographical area.

Only those productions that demonstrate a consolidated and codified production tradition, an inseparable bond with the territory of origin, a suitable socio-entrepreneurial fabric and manage to attain high quality standards that are certified by third-party control bodies, can aspire to obtain and retain this coveted European recognition and simultaneously become registered on the European register of PDO and PGI products.

Why choose cured meats with the quality label?

• Consumers are provided with a guarantee that they are buying typical, high-quality, authentic products that are part of the EU food heritage.

• They promote the producers’ work by creating an added value that acts as a safeguard for the producers themselves, by protecting them from imitations, counterfeits and unfair competition.

• They boost the maintenance and development of the territories and local economies, in addition to agricultural and food diversity.

• Consumers are provided with a guarantee that they are buying typical, high-quality, authentic products that are part of the EU food heritage.

• They promote the producers’ work by creating an added value that acts as a safeguard for the producers themselves, by protecting them from imitations, counterfeits and unfair competition.

• They boost the maintenance and development of the territories and local economies, in addition to agricultural and food diversity.

PDO and PGI in figures (excluding wines, spirits and aromatised drinks)


In 2019, the European Union had a total of 1421 PDO and PGI registered products.

The European country with the highest number of agri-food products that have a EU-recognised designation of origin or geographical indication is Italy. This is further proof of the high quality of the country’s domestic productions, but above all, demonstrates the strong bond that ties Italian food excellence to its territory of origin. There are 299 denominations in Italy; 167 of these are PDO products, 130 are PGI and 2 are TSG (this count was last updated in April 2019 and excludes wines and spirits). Just like all the other EU countries, these denominations are awarded to numerous agro-food products (dairy products, meat, poultry, cured meats, fish products, fruit and vegetables, cereals, pasta, olives and olive oil, condiments, honey and confectionary products, etc.):

167 PDO products

Examples: Salamini Italiani alla Cacciatora, Prosciutto di Parma, Prosciutto Toscano, Patata di Bologna, Parmigiano Reggiano, Asiago, Gorgonzola, Grana Padano, Pecorino Toscano, Piave, Montasio, Pistacchio verde di Bronte, Arancia di Ribera, Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena.

130 PGI products

Examples: Mortadella Bologna, Zampone Modena, Cotechino Modena, Agnello di Sardegna, Bresaola della Valtellina, Speck Alto Adige, Arancia Rossa di Sicilia, Mela Rossa Cuneo, Ciliegia di Vignola, Cipolla Rossa di Tropea, Limone di Siracusa, Nocciola del Piemonte, Pasta di Gragnano, Aceto Balsamico di Modena.