Commission Press Release (IP/11/154), 15 February 2011

QUALITY LABELLING - 1000th quality food name registered

The Piacentinu Ennese (PDO), a sheep's cheese from Italy, today became the one thousandth name to be registered under the Commission's agricultural product and foodstuff quality labels. Since their creation in 1992, the EU schemes have registered quality agricultural products and foodstuffs from across the EU and beyond. In recent years there has been a boost in applications due to enlargements of the EU and a growing interest from non-EU producers including from India, China, Thailand and Vietnam, among others.

Dacian CIOLOŞ, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development said, "The one thousandth name registered is a significant milestone for the quality schemes. There is still great potential for these schemes that give visibility to Europe's quality products and valorise agricultural traditions and rural heritage." The Commissioner added: "The EUs quality schemes are the cornerstone of the Commission's Quality Package currently in discussion in Parliament and Council. With this proposal we reinforce the PDO-PGI schemes in particular increasing the role and responsibilities of groups and breathe new life into the TSG scheme."

The quality registers for agricultural products and foodstuffs comprise:

• 505 Protected Designations of Origin (PDO): names of products that owe their characteristics exclusively or essentially to their place of production and the savoir faire of local producers. The agricultural product or foodstuff must have been produced, processed and prepared in a given geographical area using recognised know-how.
• 465 Protected Geographical indications (PGI): agricultural products and foodstuffs whose reputation or characteristics are closely linked to production in the geographical area. At least one of the stages of production, processing or preparation takes place in the area.
• 30 Traditional Specialities Guaranteed (TSG): product names that guarantee the traditional character, either in the composition or means of production. TSGs are not linked to any particular location, but must be produced in line with the specification laid down.

The Commission also manages two registers for geographical indications of wines and spirit drinks.

Piacentinu Ennese PDO is a cheese from the province of Enna in Sicily, Italy. The cheese is made from raw sheep's milk and saffron crocus (also from Enna), pepper and salt are used in its production. The sheep are grazed on uplands (between 400 and 800 meters) supplemented by fodder hay, straw and wheat stubble. The cheese owes its specificity to the use of saffron, the pastures and the savoir faire of the local producers.

For more information:

• on Piacentinu Ennese PDO: link given in the Commission's DOOR on-line database: http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality/door/publishedName.html?denominationId=10242
• DOOR database of registered PDOs, PGIs, and TSGs: http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality/door/list.html;jsessionid=pL0hLqqLXhNmFQyFl1b24mY3t9dJQPflg3xbL2YphGT4k6zdWn34!-370879141
• DG AGRI Quality Policy website: http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality/index_en.htm
• MEMO/11/84