http://www.fao.org/in-action/quality-and-origin-program/en Définition des rôles institutionnels, J.P. Boutonnet, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA France), H. Ilbert, Institut Agronomique Méditerranéen (IAM Montpellier), Hubert Devautour (CIRAD Montpellier) English

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Labelling Quality linked to Origin and Tradition:
The Institutional Framework
Jean-Pierre BOUTONNET (INRA/SAD, Montpellier, France)
Hélène ILBERT (CIHEAM/IAM, Montpellier, France)
Hubert DEVAUTOUR (CIRAD/ES, Montpellier, France)
FAO – Ministère de l’agriculture et de la pêche maritime du Maroc
Les produits alimentaires de qualité liée à l’origine et aux traditions en
Méditerranée
Casablanca 8-9 novembre 2007

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Identification and differentiation of agricultural and food
products
Threshold Quality = rules :
definition of the product, sanitary requirements, etc.
Compliance to regulation cannot be certified.
Failure  persecution in front of penal Courts
Distinctive Quality : Voluntary Signs of differentiation of a
product on a particular market.
Failure  loss of market shares
•Brands (Private goods)
•Certification brands (collective or club goods)
•Standards (voluntary compliance)
•Geographical Indications (public goods)
FAO/MinAgMorocco-Casablanca nov 2007 – Boutonnet/Ilbert/Devautour : Institutional Framework

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Legal comparison : Brands vs. GI (1)
Brand Geographical
Indication
PROTECTION OF ORIGINAL NAMES
Type of law Regulating human creation and
property.
Regulating the links
between human
activities and nature.
Term Linked to the use made by the
owner: prescription if not used.
No prescription :
“terroir” and heritage
have no term.
Type of property • Individual, owned by a person
or an organisation.
• Asset of the firm : can be
evaluated and sold.
• Collective, even if
only one user.
• Not possible either to
delocalise or to sell.
Objectives Corporate Sign. The product and
process can be changed
immediately.
Codifying tradition and
constant processes.
FAO/MinAgMorocco-Casablanca nov 2007 – Boutonnet/Ilbert/Devautour : Institutional Framework

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Legal comparison : Brands vs. GI
BRAND GEOGRAPHICAL
INDICATION
PROTECTION OF ORIGINAL NAMES
Types of requirements
about characteristics of
the product and
process
Up to the owner. May
change without
informing the
customer.
Code of practices discussed by
the stakeholders and integrating
collective concerns. May change
after agreement of the relevant
collective organisation.
Everybody is informed of any
change. Transmission to future
generations.
Functions Income for the owner • Collective action with
redistribution of value added
to all stakeholders.
• Local and community
development
FAO/MinAgMorocco-Casablanca nov 2007 – Boutonnet/Ilbert/Devautour : Institutional Framework

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Characteristics of the geographical
indication
Factor of competitiveness
Open
Voluntary
Collective
Valorisation of a quality, a reputation, or specific
characteristics linked to a place:
Origin = a place + a public code of practices
Guaranty by the State
FAO/MinAgMorocco-Casablanca nov 2007 – Boutonnet/Ilbert/Devautour : Institutional Framework

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Example : pélardon
• A localized product
• An organisation for local development
FAO/MinAgMorocco-Casablanca nov 2007 – Boutonnet/Ilbert/Devautour : Institutional Framework

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pélardon
A small goat cheese from
Southern France
1980-90 1993 1997 1999 2000 2001
Crisis Decision to area OK code of French decree EU decision
apply for a PDO Practices OK.
The common objective:
Protection against misuse of the name.
The debate:
Dairy plants …. Develop their commercial
networks.
Cheese producers :
Image of a local and traditional know-how.
FAO/MinAgMorocco-Casablanca nov 2007 – Boutonnet/Ilbert/Devautour : Institutional Framework

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Livestock
Permanent indoor farming forbidden
210 days pasture - 0,2 ha per milk goat
Not more than 400g concentrate feed per
litre of milk
Cheese processing
Raw milk
Traditional handmade moulding and
dripping of curd
Freezing of curd forbidden
pélardon
The code of practices is the result of a compromise.
Main topics : a traditional localized cultural product.
A set of requirements more difficult for processors than for farmers.
FAO/MinAgMorocco-Casablanca nov 2007 – Boutonnet/Ilbert/Devautour : Institutional Framework

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Differentiation :
An access to national market
Retail price (euros per piece)
National level Regional level Local level
1
2
Local goat cheese
Pélardon PDO
Other PDO goat cheeses
(price equivalent for the
same weight)
FAO/MinAgMorocco-Casablanca nov 2007 – Boutonnet/Ilbert/Devautour : Institutional Framework

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A success resulting from a particular organisation
• A collective entity specifically dedicated to the
defence and management of the denomination,
the “syndicat des producteurs de pélardon” : 120
farmers of which 40 members of the co-operative
dairy plants, – 2 dairy co-operatives – 2 cheese
ripening firms.
• A certifier body.
• A public authority : INAO (French Institute for
Origin and Quality)
pélardon
FAO/MinAgMorocco-Casablanca nov 2007 – Boutonnet/Ilbert/Devautour : Institutional Framework

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Geographical Indications :
The objectives of the institutional framework
Reserve the use of the name
Strengthen collective action : free entry,
protection against opportunism (usurpation of
notoriety)
Guarantee the credibility of controls
Equity of constraints, protection against unfair
competition (individual appropriation of the
collective resource)
FAO/MinAgMorocco-Casablanca nov 2007 – Boutonnet/Ilbert/Devautour : Institutional Framework

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Geographical Indications :
The elements of the Institutional Framework
An institutional framework has to be built. Its fundamental
elements are :
A relevant public Authority
A Collective holder of the denomination
A Control body
FAO/MinAgMorocco-Casablanca nov 2007 – Boutonnet/Ilbert/Devautour : Institutional Framework

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The relevant public Authority(1)
 Coordination of the whole system
 Consistency with other rules:
Trade, frauds, price control, fairness of transactions
Agricultural Policy
Rural Policy
Public Health Policy
Trade and economic Policy
 Juridical Defence on the International Scene
FAO/MinAgMorocco-Casablanca nov 2007 – Boutonnet/Ilbert/Devautour : Institutional Framework

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The relevant public Authority (2)
 Recognition and definition of the procedures and
requirements for reaching recognition
 Registration and definition of the procedures and
requirements for obtaining the registration of the
product
 Definition of the rules and principles for the
organisation of controls and organoleptic tests
 Organisation of the control of specifications: by its own
staff or by a third party ; definition of the rules for the
agreement of the third parties
FAO/MinAgMorocco-Casablanca nov 2007 – Boutonnet/Ilbert/Devautour : Institutional Framework

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Collective holder of the denomination
(all the elements of the chain, from farmers to
consumers, through processors and distributors)
Writes the code of practices and proposes
an area
Designs the control plan
Applies for the recognition and
registration
Runs internal controls
FAO/MinAgMorocco-Casablanca nov 2007 – Boutonnet/Ilbert/Devautour : Institutional Framework

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Control Body (1)
 Obtains the agreement from the Competent Authority in view to undertake
external controls of the application of the code of practices :
 Certification of the product (Audit + retaliation) : withdrawal of a non
compliant group of designated products.
 Inspection (Audit only) : Information on the non compliant group of
designated products to the relevant authority, in charge of the retaliation
(withdrawal of the product, fine, …)
 Develops, in collaboration with the holder of the denomination, the code of
practices
FAO/MinAgMorocco-Casablanca nov 2007 – Boutonnet/Ilbert/Devautour : Institutional Framework

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Control Body (2)
Checks the application of the code of practices
Checks the traceability of the products along the
supply chain
Organises a control plan or an inspection plan with:
 Self-controls
Operated by each firm about its own activity
 Internal controls
Operated by the collective holder towards its members
 External controls
Operated by the third party control body (including the fair operation
of the two previous ones)
FAO/MinAgMorocco-Casablanca nov 2007 – Boutonnet/Ilbert/Devautour : Institutional Framework

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Conclusions (1)
Difficulties of Institutional
Framework building
Long term process (several years) due to the
necessity of collective agreement
Initial costs of building the schemes : heavy for
small and medium size communities
Choice of the relevant Authority
Identification of the collective holder (legitimacy,
motivation)
International recognition

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Conclusion (2)
Efficiency of the Institutional
Framework
Necessity of institutions to empower local
initiatives enabling economic actors to negotiate
Creation of an added value and equity of income
distribution, through collective frameworks
Possibility to register the geographical indication
under national laws and abroad (EU) ; access to a
wider market
FAO/MinAgMorocco-Casablanca nov 2007 – Boutonnet/Ilbert/Devautour : Institutional Framework

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Thank you
Jean-Pierre Boutonnet, Hélène Ilbert, Hubert Devautour
Casablanca, 8-9 novembre 2007