Linking protection of geographical indications to the environment: Evidence from the European Union olive-oil sector

A b s t r a c t The link between food and the environment constitutes a core issue from the consumer’s point of view and in the political debate. Geographical indication products, due to their association with specific territories and links to specific local resources, can improve economic, social and environmental sustainability. The present paper investigates the relationship between the legal protection of geographical indications and the environment, analyzing the Product Specifications of the 107 olive-oil geographical indications registered in the European Union. We performed the analysis using a set of indicators related to six thematic areas of potential environmental impact, including tree varieties, intensity of production, phytosanitary and fertilization methods, soil and water management, harvesting and post-harvesting techniques, and environmental awareness. Results indicate that environmental concerns are not considered to a great extent in the Product Specifications; indeed, they result more from the need to attain specific product qualities than from any direct interest in the environment. In any case, some relevant differences do exist between all six thematic areas (rules on the use of specific rare varieties and on maximum production limits are the most widespread ones in this sense) and between European Union countries (France and Italy are characterized by the highest levels of environmental care). We identified some cases in which producers recognize that territorial specificities are highly important in shaping the quality of the product, and they consequently pay specific attention to positive environmental effects. Moreover, the data analysis shows a ‘greening’ of Product Specifications over time, which evidences a trend towards a more comprehensive conception of typical products and GIs, related not only to organoleptic and hedonistic characteristics, but also to environmental and social ones. In conclusion, although protection of geographical indications cannot be considered to constitute an environmental tool per se, it can potentially play a positive role in environmental conservation, acting as a barrier to the increasing intensification of the olive-oil sector and thus preserving traditional farming systems. Indeed, geographical indications provide the opportunity for territorialisation of environmentalfriendly production rules, taking into account local specificities. The paper also argues that public policies can play a significant role in supporting the producers’ initiatives towards “greener” geographical indications.