The European Commission has published a decision today defining new rules for using the optional quality term "mountain product" for food products coming from mountain areas. This is the first optional quality term to be introduced, as provided under the 2012 "Quality Regulation" aimed at highlighting to consumers products which have an important added value, but are not covered under other EU quality labels. The Commission has also adopted two other legal acts today which clarify and simplify applications for protecting names as designations of origin (PDO) or geographical indications (PGI) for foodstuffs. "I am happy to confirm that the detailed rules for using the term "mountain product" on food labels are now in place. I hope this will facilitate the uptake of this new tool. I strongly believe it has the potential to provide an extra boost to farmers in mountain areas – for example in the dairy sector, but not only – and it will also help inform consumers about the added value of such products. With the other decisions today the rules for registration and effective protection of geographical indications for foodstuffs are now complete", said Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Dacian Cioloş.
For more information, see: http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/newsroom/164_en.htm
