In Europe certain agricultural products and foodstuffs are labelled with an EU origin and quality logo. This logo indicates that the foodstuff exhibits special characteristics derived from the geographical location in which it is produced or from its traditional composition or production method. Under European policy on quality agricultural products, producers can register and protect the names of certain agricultural products and foodstuffs under three different schemes:

Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)
This applies to food produced, processed and prepared within a geographical location and possessing qualities or characteristics exclusive to that geographical location.

Protected Geographic Indication (PGI)
This is similar to the PDO except the geographical link is not as strong, i.e. at least one of the stages of production, processing or preparation must occur within that geographical location. Furthermore, it must possess a specific quality or reputation or characteristic attributable to the geographical location.

Traditional Specialities Guaranteed (TSG)

This applies to food that has a traditional character i.e. has proven usage on the EU market for at least 30 years and specific characteristics which distinguish it from other foodstuffs belonging to a similar category, made to the traditional specification.

Registered products must be labelled with the relevant logo. The requirements which must be met before an agricultural product or foodstuff can be registered under one of the schemes are set down in legislation. Application for registration must be made to the relevant national authority of a European Member State. If the application is deemed acceptable, it is sent to the European Commission for approval.

Registration under PDO and PGI gives exclusive rights to the producer(s) who made the original application, plus any other producer who can meet the requirements of the scheme, to use the registered and protected product name. To date over 1000 agricultural products and foodstuffs in the EU have been registered across the schemes (Ireland has four products registered to date). Of this total, 97% have PDO or PGI status. A full list of all registered products can be found on the EU Database of Origin and Registration (DOOR).