The protected designation of origin (PDO) is a type of geographical indication of the European Union aimed at preserving the designations of origin of food-related products. The designation was created in 1992 and its main purpose is to designate products that have been produced, processed and developed in a specific geographical area, using the recognized know-how of local producers and ingredients from the region concerned.

Features

The characteristics of the products protected are essentially linked to their

terroir (; ; from ''terre'', ) is a French language, French term used to describe the environmental factors that affect a crop's phenotype, including unique environment contexts, farming practices and a crop's specific growth habitat. Collectively, th ...

. The European or UK PDO logo, of which the use is compulsory, documents this link. European Regulation 510/2006 of 20 March 2006 acknowledges a priority to establish a community protection system that ensures equal conditions of competition between producers. This European Regulation is intended to guarantee the reputation of regional products, adapt existing national protections to make them comply with the requirements of the

World Trade Organization The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an intergovernmental organization headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland that regulates and facilitates international trade. Governments use the organization to establish, revise, and enforce the rules that g ...

, and inform consumers that products bearing the protected designation of origin logo comply with the conditions of production and origin specified by the designation. The Regulation applies to certain agricultural products and foods for which there is a link between the characteristics of the product or the food and its geographical origin: they may be

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...

cheese Cheese is a type of dairy product produced in a range of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk (usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats or sheep). During prod ...

ham Ham is pork from a leg cut that has been preserved by wet or dry curing, with or without smoking."Bacon: Bacon and Ham Curing" in '' Chambers's Encyclopædia''. London: George Newnes, 1961, Vol. 2, p. 39. As a processed meat, the term '' ...

sausage A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs, may be included as fillers or extenders. ...

olive The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'' ("European olive"), is a species of Subtropics, subtropical evergreen tree in the Family (biology), family Oleaceae. Originating in Anatolia, Asia Minor, it is abundant throughout the Mediterranean ...

beer Beer is an alcoholic beverage produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches from cereal grain—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), rice, and oats are also used. The grain is mashed to convert starch in the ...

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propaga ...

vegetable Vegetables are edible parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. This original meaning is still commonly used, and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including edible flower, flo ...

bread Bread is a baked food product made from water, flour, and often yeast. It is a staple food across the world, particularly in Europe and the Middle East. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cu ...

s or

animal feed Animal feed is food given to domestic animals, especially livestock, in the course of animal husbandry. There are two basic types: fodder and forage. Used alone, the word ''feed'' more often refers to fodder. Animal feed is an important input ...

. Foods such as

Parmigiano Reggiano Parmesan (, ) is an Italian hard, granular cheese produced from cow's milk and aged at least 12 months. It is a grana-type cheese, along with Grana Padano, the historic , and others. The term ''Parmesan'' may refer to either Parmigiano ...

Gorgonzola Gorgonzola (, ) is a famously pungent Italian blue cheese made from unskimmed cow's milk; believed to have been created in the 9th century; now with use of its name controlled under the criteria of a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). Gorg ...

Asiago cheese Asiago ( , , ) is a cow's milk cheese, first produced in Asiago in Italy, that can assume different textures according to its aging, from smooth for the fresh Asiago (called , which means "pressed Asiago") to a crumbly texture for the aged che ...

, Camembert de Normandie, and

Champagne Champagne (; ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, which demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, spe ...

can be labeled as such only if they come from the designated region. For example, to be marketed under the ''

Roquefort Roquefort () is a sheep milk blue cheese from southern France. Though similar cheeses are produced elsewhere, European Union law, EU law dictates that only those cheeses aged in the natural Combalou caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon may bear the na ...

'' designation of origin, a cheese must be processed from raw milk from a certain breed of sheep (Lacaune), the animals must be raised in a specific territory and the cheese obtained must be refined in one of the cellars at

Roquefort-sur-Soulzon Roquefort-sur-Soulzon (; , ) is a commune in the Aveyron department, in the region of Occitania, southern France. Roquefort is located on the Causse du Larzac and is famous for its ewe derived products including milk, wool, and meat. Much ...

in the French department of Aveyron, where it must be seeded with mold spores (''Penicillium roqueforti'') prepared from traditional strains endemic to these same cellars.

PDO in different languages

The PDO logo is available in all languages of the European Union and companies are free to use the logo and abbreviation of any of the versions. Examples of different language versions are shown below:

European register

The protected names are entered in the European "register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications", or "EU Quality Register" for short, which is maintained by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development. The applications, publications, registrations and any changes are recorded in the DOOR (Database of Origin and Registration) database and can be accessed online by anyone. Starting on 1 April 2019, the online database eAmbrosia was put into operation by the European Commission, which lists information about protected wines, spirits and food in the European Union and the previous three different databases: E-SPIRIT-DRINKS, DOOR and E -BACCHUS replaced on 31 December 2019.

Lists of PDO products by country

References

{{Geographical indications Country of origin European Union food law Food product brands Geographical indications Geographical indications law of the European Union

Products with protected designation of origin Product may refer to: Business * Product (business), an item that can be offered to a market to satisfy the desire or need of a customer. * Product (project management), a deliverable or set of deliverables that contribute to a business solution ...

Features

PDO in different languages

European register

Lists of PDO products by country

See also

References