FAO convenes the Fifth Regional Consultation on Geographical Indications with a focus on sustainability

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) brought together governments, producer groups, civil society and international experts for the Fifth Regional Consultation on Geographical Indications (GIs). This year’s event was dedicated to advancing the economic, environmental and social sustainability of GI systems in Europe and Central Asia.

Geographical indications – quality labels that connect agricultural and food products to their place of origin – are increasingly recognized as powerful tools for rural development, the preservation of traditions and helping products stand out in the marketplace. Over the past decade, FAO has worked with countries across the region to strengthen legal frameworks, improve governance and raise awareness of the value of origin-linked quality products.

The Fifth Consultation built on ongoing regional discussions about sustainability in GI systems, linking them to global developments, including those outlined in the 2024 joint FAO–oriGIn publication on Developing a roadmap towards increased sustainability in geographical indication systems: Practical guidelines for producer organizations to identify priorities, assess performance and improve the sustainability of their geographical indication systems. Participants explored practical tools designed to assess and monitor sustainability performance, discussed how to integrate GI-specific needs into broader public policies and identified priorities for developing sustainability roadmaps.

“This year’s consultation is more relevant than ever as we face such global challenges as climate change, demographic pressures, transformations of value chains, and rising consumer demand for authenticity and sustainability,” said Raimund Jehle, FAO Regional Programme Leader for Europe and Central Asia, during the opening. “The success stories [from Europe and Central Asia] remind us that sustainability starts locally yet it has a global resonance.”

Experts from around the world – and particularly from Latin America – shared their experiences and highlighted innovations aimed at promoting sustainable GI systems in diverse contexts, further enriching discussions while reinforcing international collaboration.

The consultation emphasized the need to strengthen producer groups, improve control mechanisms and develop marketing strategies to enhance the performance of GI systems and make them more sustainable. It also showcased best practices and innovations from Europe, Central Asia and Latin America. Participating countries shared updates on new GI registrations, policy integration and support for producer organizations. 

Moreover, participants discussed the sustainability of GIs, identified areas where further assistance is needed and explored the potential for a regional framework to guide long-term sustainability efforts.

The consultation sought to reinforce the role of geographical indications as drivers of sustainable rural development, promoting responsible production and consumption patterns in line with SDG 12 and fostering resilient, inclusive agrifood systems.

Building on nearly a decade of progress

Since the first regional consultation in 2017, the series has coincided with significant growth in GI registrations across the region, including in Albania, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, the Republic of Moldova, Serbia, Uzbekistan and Kosovo.1 In Türkiye alone, FAO-supported efforts have contributed to revised product specifications, strengthened producer groups and new registrations.

Previous consultations placed the emphasis on strengthening legal frameworks, collective governance, producer organizations, control systems and marketing strategies, laying the groundwork for this year’s in-depth focus on sustainability.

The 2025 Regional Consultation on Geographical Indications brought together 100 participants, including representatives from ministries of agriculture and other line ministries, the European Commission, the World Intellectual Property Organization and the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD).


¹All references to Kosovo should be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).