EU-China Geographical Indications – "10 plus 10" project is now complete

A project aiming at ensuring protection of 10 famous EU food names in China, the biggest consumer market in the world, has now been finalised. "Grana Padano", "Prosciutto di Parma" and "White Stilton cheese" / "Blue Stilton cheese" were the last of 10 EU names that have been protected as Geographical Indications in China as part of the so-called "10+10 project". In parallel, the European Commission has examined and registered 10 Chinese food names with the last 2 Chinese names "Pinggu da Tao" (peach) and "Dongshan Bai Lu Sun" (asparagus) receiving protected status in the EU as Geographical Indications. These 10 Chinese names have been added to the more than 1000 names of agricultural products and foodstuffs, which are protected in the EU (among them 13 non-EU GIs). Not only does the GI system provide an important protection against imitations, but it is also known to be a useful marketing tool.

Commissioner Cioloş welcomed the completion of the project: "The EU and China have rich traditions in the production of quality products, and the GI system is a good way of highlighting these regional traditions to consumers. China is a key future export market for EU food products. The completion of the 10+10 is an important step in the process towards a better protection in China of EU Geographical Indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs. We are now looking to build on this success through negotiating a broader bilateral agreement on GIs, which we hope to conclude in the course of 2013."

What are the 10+10 products?

The 10 renowned European products registered in the official AQSIQ Chinese GI register are (for a photo of each product, just click on the name)

Comté	France	cheese
Grana Padano	Italy	cheese
Priego de Córdoba	Spain	olive oil
Prosciutto di Parma	Italy	ham
Pruneaux d'Agen/Pruneaux d'Agen mi-cuits	France	dried fruit
Roquefort	France	cheese
Scottish Farmed Salmon	United Kingdom	salmon
Sierra Mágina	Spain	olive oil
West Country Farmhouse Cheddar	United Kingdom	cheese
White Stilton Cheese/Blue Stilton Cheese	United Kingdom	cheese

In the EU the following 10 Chinese names have been added to the GI register.

平谷大桃	Pinggu Da Tao	peach	PDO	09/11/2012
盐城龙虾	Yancheng Long Xia	crayfish	PGI	17/08/2012
镇江香醋	Zhenjiang Xiang Cu	rice vinegar	PGI	14/06/2012
东山白卢笋	Dongshan Bai Lu Sun	asparagus	PGI	30/11/2012
金乡大蒜	Jinxiang Da Suan	garlic	PGI	01/11/2011
龙井茶	Longjing cha	tea	PDO	11/05/2011
琯溪蜜柚	Guanxi Mi You	honey pomelo	PDO	11/05/2011
陕西苹果	Shaanxi ping guo	apple	PDO	11/05/2011
蠡县麻山药	Lixian Ma Shan Yao	yam	PGI	11/05/2011
龙口粉丝	Longkou Fen Si	vermicelli/noodles	PGI	30/10/2010