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Quality Schemes Regulation

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Abstract

As it was discussed in the previous chapter, the EU direct protection system covers IGOs in relation to agricultural products and foodstuffs and is divided in four parts each of them being regulated in a separate legal act in the form of a regulation. Due to that regulatory approach, each of these separate regulations will be discussed separately in this and the next three chapters. This chapter examines the Quality Schemes Regulation covering, inter alia, IGOs in relation to agricultural products and foodstuffs except spirits (examined in Chap. 7), wine sector products (Chap. 8), and aromatised wines (Chap. 9) (hereinafter all these types of goods (products) referred to as agricultural products and foodstuffs making a respective reservation if necessary).

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs. OJ, L 343, 14.12.2012, pp. 1–29 [Quality Schemes Regulation].

  2. 2.

    Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 of 14 July 1992 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs. OJ, L 208, 24.07.1992, pp. 1–8.

  3. 3.

    As it was indicated already in Sect. 5.1 of this book above, separate IGOs was subject to a unitary right as they were protected through their inclusion in EU legal acts as the IGO Champagne.

  4. 4.

    See Chap. 8 below.

  5. 5.

    Council Regulation (EEC) No 2082/92 of 14 July 1992 on certificates of specific character for agricultural products and foodstuffs. OJ, L 208, 24.07.1992, pp. 9–14.

  6. 6.

    See Evans (2013), pp. 177–178; see also: Evans (2012), p. 770.

  7. 7.

    Council Regulation (EC) No 509/2006 of 20 March 2006 on agricultural products and foodstuffs as traditional specialities guaranteed. OJ, L 93, 31.03.2006, pp. 1–11.

  8. 8.

    It arises from the legal definition of the concept ‘quality schemes’ [see Art. 3 (1) of the Quality Schemes Regulation commented below].

  9. 9.

    Traditional specialities guaranteed are outside of this book as they cover traditional specialties (practices) but not geographical designations. Fortunately, traditional specialties guaranteed covered by the Quality Schemes Regulation was subject to the recent study (see Tosato 2013, pp. 545–576); see also Evans (2013), p. 183.

  10. 10.

    Point 12 of the preamble of the Regulation 2081/92.

  11. 11.

    Point 11 of the preamble of the Foodstuffs Regulation (Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 of 20 March 2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs. OJ, L 93, 31.03.2006, pp. 12–25 [Foodstuffs Regulation]).

  12. 12.

    For discussion of different protection systems for IGOs, see Sect. 3.3 of this book.

  13. 13.

    Point 7 of the preamble of the Regulation 2081/92 (see also Point 6 of the preamble for the Foodstuffs Regulation).

  14. 14.

    Point 9 of the preamble for the Regulation No 2081/92.

  15. 15.

    See Hegnes (2012).

  16. 16.

    For analysis of the Proposal for the Quality Schemes Regulation, see Evans (2012), pp. 770–786.

  17. 17.

    Similarly as in the case of the previously effective Regulation [see Art. 1 (1) of Regulation 2081/92].

  18. 18.

    I.e. hay; essential oils; cork; cochineal (raw product of animal origin); flowers and ornamental plants; wool; wicker; scutched flax.

  19. 19.

    I.e. beers; beverages made from plant extracts; bread, pastry, cakes, confectionery and other baker’s wares; natural gums and resins; mustard paste; pasta.

  20. 20.

    For discussion of the specific concept, see Art. 2 (1) of the Quality Schemes Regulation and its commentary in Sect. 6.2 below.

  21. 21.

    The second subparagraph of Art. 2 (1) of the Quality Schemes Regulation.

  22. 22.

    See the third subparagraph of Art. 1 (3) and Art. 15 of Regulation No 2081/92; the third subparagraph of Art. 1 (3) and Art. 15 (2) of the Foodstuffs Regulation.

  23. 23.

    Neither Art. 2 (1) nor Art. 56 (3) of the Quality Schemes Regulation makes a reference to Art. 57 (2) of this Regulation envisaging a committee procedure. However, it does not mean that such a committee procedure is either abandoned in the EU law [now: Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 laying down the rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for control by Member States of the Commission’s exercise of implementing powers. OJ, L 55, 28.02.2011, pp. 13–18] nor non-applicable in other cases involving protected IGOs if a reference is made to Art. 57 (2) of the Quality Schemes Regulation in those cases.

  24. 24.

    For details, see Chap. 10 below.

  25. 25.

    See Annex I to the Foodstuffs Regulation.

  26. 26.

    See Sect. 3.1 above.

  27. 27.

    See Sect. 3.3 above.

  28. 28.

    See Sects. 5.3 and 5.4 above.

  29. 29.

    Directive 2004/48/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the enforcement of intellectual property rights. OJ, L 157, 30.04.2004, pp. 45–86 [Enforcement Directive]. For its brief commentary, see Sect. 11.7 below.

  30. 30.

    Statement by the Commission concerning Article 2 of Directive 2004/48/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the enforcement of intellectual property rights. OJ, L 94, 13.04.2005, pp. 37–37.

  31. 31.

    Art. 9 of the Enforcement Directive.

  32. 32.

    Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 of 22 October 2007 establishing a common organisation of agricultural markets and on specific provisions for certain agricultural products (Single CMO Regulation). OJ, L 299, 16.11.2007, pp. 1–149 [Single CMO Regulation].

  33. 33.

    Council Regulation (EEC) No 1601/91 of 10 June 1991 laying down general rules on the definition, description and presentation of aromatized wines, aromatized wine-based drinks and aromatized wine-product cocktails. OJ, L 149, 14.06.1991, pp. 1–9 [Aromatised Wines Regulation].

  34. 34.

    Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 January 2008 on the definition, description, presentation, labelling and the protection of geographical indications of spirit drinks and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1576/89. OJ, L 39, 13.02.2008, pp. 16–54 [Spirits Regulation].

  35. 35.

    For discussion of the effect of this judgment on national law of the EU Member States, see Sect. 13.2 of this book below.

  36. 36.

    See Chaps. 11 and 14 of this book below for additional legal acts falling within the indirect protection system by supplementing the direct protection system.

  37. 37.

    Directive 98/34/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 June 1998 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations. OJ, L 204, 21.07.1998, pp. 37–48.

  38. 38.

    For discussion of weaknesses of regulatory approaches in the EU law concerning IGOs, see Chap. 12 below.

  39. 39.

    Evans (2013), p. 183.

  40. 40.

    See, for instance, Art. 2 (2) of Regulation No 2081/92.

  41. 41.

    Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration. Available at: http://www.wipo.int/lisbon/en/legal_texts/lisbon_agreement.html.

  42. 42.

    Evans (2013), p. 185.

  43. 43.

    For the regulation of IGOs through the Community trade mark law, see Chap. 10 of this book below.

  44. 44.

    See Art. 54 of the present Regulation and its commentary below.

  45. 45.

    See the commentary of Art. 6 (2) of the Quality Schemes Regulation above.

  46. 46.

    For interpretation of generic names, see Case C-446/07 Alberto Severi v Regione Emilia Romagna [2009] ECR I-08041 – Salame Felino, paras. 45–49.

  47. 47.

    Case C-446/07 Alberto Severi v Regione Emilia Romagna [2009] ECR I-08041 – Salame Felino, para. 53.

  48. 48.

    The commented Art. does not limit the nature of that right as well, as it applies equally both to European and national plant variety rights.

  49. 49.

    As held by the CJEU, the concept of a trade mark with reputation should be considered broadly and it comprises also well-known marks in jurisdictions which regulate such marks (see Case C-375/97 General Motors Corporation v Yplon SA [1999] ECR I-05421 – Chevy). Such interpretation undoubtedly shall be exploited here in the light of this CJEU’s jurisprudence. As the commented Art. does not provide any limitations, it should cover both Community trade marks and national trade marks. This assumption is proved to be correct, for instance, in the registration process of the registered IGO Bayerisches Bier by allowing coexistence with the national trade mark Bavaria (see Case C-120/08 Bavaria NV v Bayerischer Brauerbund eV [2010] ECR I-13393 – Bavaria II). Therefore, national trade marks and, moreover, also Community trade marks should be considered.

  50. 50.

    See Art. 23 of the Spirits Regulation and its commentary below.

  51. 51.

    Case C-108/01 Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma and Salumificio S. Rita [2003] ECR I-5121.

  52. 52.

    Case C-469/00 Ravil SARL v Bellon import SARL and Biraghi SpA [2003] ECR I-05053 – Grana Padano I.

  53. 53.

    Case C-108/01, para. 50; Case 469/00, para. 83.

  54. 54.

    Case C-108/01, paras. 91–92; Case 469/00, paras. 95–96.

  55. 55.

    Case C-108/01, para. 99; Case 469/00, para. 103.

  56. 56.

    See its commentary below.

  57. 57.

    Case C-343/07 Bavaria NV and Bavaria Italia Srl v Bayerischer Brauerbund eV [2009] ECR I-05491 – Bavaria.

  58. 58.

    For comprehensive discussion of this problem, see the Trade Mark Study prepared by the Max-Planck Institute for the Intellectual Property Law and Competition Law (Max-Planck Institute for the Intellectual Property Law and Competition Law 2011).

  59. 59.

    Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 on the Community trade mark. COM/2013/0161 final. Available at http://ec.europa.eu/governance/impact/ia_carried_out/docs/ia_2013/com_2013_0161_en.pdf.

  60. 60.

    See Art. 2 of the Quality Schemes Regulation above.

  61. 61.

    Case C-446/07 Alberto Severi v Regione Emilia Romagna [2009] ECR I-08041 – Salame Felino, para. 44.

  62. 62.

    European Commission, Agriculture and Rural Development, Door. Available at http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality/door/list.html;jsessionid=pYT3SwvRz5Fz0qp48yG8x0McW622nxL22jJJcxvVb0vhRWwnqsFG!-1120839217?locale=en.

  63. 63.

    See Art. 118.n of the Single CMO Regulation commented below.

  64. 64.

    Concerning the definition of the concept ‘labelling’, see Art. 3 of the discussed Regulation and its commentary above.

  65. 65.

    See Art. 118.m (1) of the Single CMO Regulation.

  66. 66.

    Case C-469/00 Ravil SARL v Bellon import SARL and Biraghi SpA [2003] ECR I-05053 – Grana Padano I. For details of this case, see the commentary of Art. 7 above.

  67. 67.

    Case T-291/03 Consorzio per la tutela del formaggio Grana Padano v Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (OHIM) [2007] ECR II-03081 – Grana Padano II.

  68. 68.

    Case C-469/00 Ravil SARL v Bellon import SARL and Biraghi SpA [2003] ECR I- 05053 – Grana Padano I.

  69. 69.

    Particularly, the dispute was over the issue whether the word designation ‘grana’ should be treated as a generic name (Case T-291/03, paras. 57–87).

  70. 70.

    Case T-291/03, para. 88.

  71. 71.

    Case C-132/05 Commission of the European Communities v Federal Republic of Germany [2008] ECR I-00957 – Parmesan.

  72. 72.

    Case C-132/05 Commission of the European Communities v Federal Republic of Germany [2008] ECR I-00957 – Parmesan, para. 20.

  73. 73.

    Case C-132/05 Commission of the European Communities v Federal Republic of Germany [2008] ECR I-00957 – Parmesan, para. 20.

  74. 74.

    Case C-132/05 Commission of the European Communities v Federal Republic of Germany [2008] ECR I-00957 – Parmesan, paras. 29–30.

  75. 75.

    Case C-132/05 Commission of the European Communities v Federal Republic of Germany [2008] ECR I-00957 – Parmesan, paras. 21–31; see also paras. 58–59.

  76. 76.

    See generally Mantrov (2012), pp. 188–194.

  77. 77.

    Case C-87/97 Consorzio per la tutela del formaggio Gorgonzola [1999] ECR I-1301 – Gorgonzola.

  78. 78.

    Case C-87/97 Consorzio per la tutela del formaggio Gorgonzola [1999] ECR I-1301 – Gorgonzola, para. 25. Affirmed in the second—Parmesan—case (Case C-132/05 Commission of the European Communities v Federal Republic of Germany [2008] ECR I-00957 – Parmesan, para. 44).

  79. 79.

    Case C-87/97 Commission of the European Communities v Federal Republic of Germany [2008] ECR I-00957 – Parmesan, para. 27.

  80. 80.

    Case C-132/05, para. 48.

  81. 81.

    Case C-132/05, para. 48.

  82. 82.

    This issue is explained in detail in Sect. 13.3 of this book below.

  83. 83.

    For these principles, see Sect. 3.1 of this book above.

  84. 84.

    See Art. 23 of the Spirits Regulation.

  85. 85.

    Case C-120/08 Bavaria NV v Bayerischer Brauerbund eV [2010] ECR I-13393 – Bavaria II.

  86. 86.

    Case C-120/08 Bavaria NV v Bayerischer Brauerbund eV [2010] ECR I-13393 – Bavaria II, para. 23.

  87. 87.

    Council Regulation (EC) No 1347/2001 of 28 June 2001 supplementing the Annex to Commission Regulation (EC) No 1107/96 on the registration of geographical indications and designations of origin under the procedure laid down in Article 17 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92. OJ L 182, 5.7.2001, pp. 3–4.

  88. 88.

    Case C-120/08 Bavaria NV v Bayerischer Brauerbund eV [2010] ECR I-13393 – Bavaria II, para. 26.

  89. 89.

    Art. 118f of the Single CMO Regulation.

  90. 90.

    Art. 118.e of the Single CMO Regulation.

  91. 91.

    Art. 17 (2) of the Spirits Regulation except third countries where a group may submit an application [Art. 17 (3) of the Spirits Regulation].

  92. 92.

    For its substantiation within the context of legal subjectivity of IGOs, see Sect. 3.2 of this book above.

  93. 93.

    Art. 3 (2) of the present Regulation.

  94. 94.

    Art. 118.q of the Single CMO Regulation.

  95. 95.

    For indications of origin, the function of IGOs, and comparison of that function with function of trade marks, see Sect. 3.1 of this book.

References

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  1. Faculty of Law Riga Graduate School of Law Law office Rozenfelds and Partners, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia

    Vadim Mantrov

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Mantrov, V. (2014). Quality Schemes Regulation. In: EU Law on Indications of Geographical Origin. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05690-6_6

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