Responsible partners :  3 (University of Florence),

Assistants : 4 (SRVA-AGRIDEA), 7 (University of Latvia) and 8 (University of Parma)

Activity type

RTD / Innovation activity

Objectives

Identification of a typology of GIs with respect to economic growth and income distribution, rural development dynamics, environment impact (biodiversity, pollution, landscape), culture and traditions; the typology will consider the different market structures and different quality and typical products.

Identification of methods of analysis aimed at assessing and measuring the impact of GIs and their conditions of success.

Description of work

Start up meeting during the first steering committee to enhance interdisciplinary exchanges and allow for final methodological validation jointly with WP1 researchers.

The outcomes from previous projects (PDO-PGI, DOLPHINS, SUS-CHAIN, etc.) will be analysed and the data bases will be updated.

Literature review on theoretical approaches applying to the production systems of agro-food typical products and to potential effects of GIs. In particular, embeddedness perspectives and conventions theory will be explored so as to shed light on the impact of GIs products on rural development.

Literature review on GIs experiences in non-EU countries, with special reference to developing countries.

Literature review on the role and the effects of GIs in the valorisation process of typical products (EU and non-EU countries)

Critical review of available evidence on GIs products in EU-countries, deducing explicative variables for diversity.

Survey processing regarding economic and social aspects and SWOT analysis of  country, product and stakeholders' situations

Desk analysis and systematisation of results according to the following main areas:

        1. supply chain aspects and international markets access (added value distribution, territorial distribution, exclusion/ inclusion effects, supply chain governance, innovation, market power)

        2. rural development dynamics and socio-cultural aspects (poverty alleviation, women participation, local actors participation, induced effects on other local economic and social activities, rural tourism, facilitation of multiple resource use at farm level, culture and traditions, synergy with other local cultural activities, strengthening of regional identities)

        3. environment (biodiversity, landscape, pollution, traditional farming systems, sustainable development)

        4. consumers / citizens aspects (information, consumers behaviour, preservation of food knowledge, reinforcing of consumer trust, promotion)

Elaboration of evaluation grid on the impact of GIs on socio-economic, environmental and cultural aspects

Work package Workshop at Month 9 (parallel with a WP2 Meeting)

All partners will gather information and analysis in this WP, on the basis of guidelines provided by the responsible partners. However, as most of the literature on the GIs’ field is produced in French and/or in French language countries, the partners 1, 2 and 4 have a working time suited to this. Partner 3 will devote time to comparisons and synthesis. Partner 7 must gather new information from Supply chains in new member countries, which requires time.

1. The association “ORIGIN” (partner 10) will

- provide the project with data concerning the GIs products, supply chains, markets , in relation to misuse and frauds on those products

- assess the economical situation of the jeopardized products and the losses incurred

- take part in the conclusions on the GIs’ socio-economical issues

2. The ENITAC  (partner 9) will :

- assess the present literature touching consumer’s attitudes and behaviour on the GIs’ markets the GIs markets,

- identify questions to be investigated in the WP5 , concerning consumer’s attitudes and behaviour on the GI’s markets

- design and carry on limited education programmes for having local teams to take part in additional research in this field

Inputs: WP1 inputs on short-case survey

Outputs:  Evaluation grid on social and economic dimensions.

                Short description of approximately 20 country and products cases

Deliverables

D2          WP2 Report containing the theoretical frames applicable to GIs products and the state of the art on the analysis of the effects of GIs in different EU and non-EU countries.  It will contemplate the evaluation grid. The Report gives also a basic support to EU for WTO negotiations process.

Milestones and expected result

M3 – Start up meeting (month 2).

M6 – WP2 Meeting on GIs social and economic aspects (month 9).

M8 –  Delivery of Report about the state of the art including bibliography and selected relevant issues (month 12)

Responsible partners : 1 (INRA)

Assistants : 3 (University of Florence), 2 (CIRAD) and 7 (University of Latvia)

Activity type

RTD / Innovation activity

Objectives

Scientific elaboration of the GIs transferability conditions and of a comprehensive analytical grid.

Characterisation of the diversity of GI situations and of GI impacts, and identification of theoretically grounded success differentiation factors.

Building indicators for monitoring and measuring impact of GIs and evaluating their conditions of success.

Description of work

Synthesis of literature review aspects developed in WP1 and WP2 that enlighten general trends in GIs implementation development.

Conception of the analytical grid integrating the evaluation grids elaborated in WP1 and WP2. The analytical categories derived from the theoretical literature review and incorporated in the evaluation grids will be used to identify an exhaustive list of criteria for characterising the legal, institutional, social and economic aspects of GIs implementation, and then formulate a comprehensive analytical grid which will serve as an input for the case studies methodology.

Identification of the drivers in GI approaches: producers, local SMEs, major firms, the public sector operators.

Characterisation of GIs arrangements, considering their costs and efficiency according to remuneration for all kinds of actors involved.

Analysis of the market segmentation generated by these GI arrangements and, besides product differentiation, the effect of GIs on differentiation between producers.

Evaluation of the extent to which the certification requirements (Code of practices) insure the valorisation of producers' know-how and local resources, and how these requirements are negotiated.

Assessment of guarantee systems (including setting up of rules, control enforcement and application of sanctions) decided in EU contexts and anticipate difficulties of implementation in non-EU contexts, given the diversity of situations, particularly regarding the States' financial and human resources.

International Meeting on GIs development (considering both juridical institutional and socio-economic aspects). In addition to WP1 and WP2 findings presentation, a preliminary version of the comprehensive conceptual frame and analytical grid will be submitted to discussions. These conceptual results will be confronted with illustrations through short GIs cases analysis presentation by partners and potential research associates, so as to identify key indicators for monitoring and measuring the impact of GIs and evaluating their conditions of success.

Inputs: WP1 and WP2 reports and evaluation grids

Outputs: comprehensive analytical grid, general GIs implementation general trends, relevant indicators

Deliverables

D3                Conceptual synthesis Report comprising, the comprehensive theoretical analytical grid and the identification of main policy stakes.  (month 16) / responsible partner : 1

D4                Proceedings of the International Meeting on GIs diversity and impacts.  (month 17) / responsible partner : 7

Milestones and expected result

M11 – International Meeting on GIs development (considered both as a means of collecting information and discussing first results of literature review) (month 16).  This meeting will actively involve potential research partners for case studies implementation.

M12 – Delivery of the Report D3 on the main policy stakes and the theoretical analysis frame

M13 – Delivery of the Proceedings of the international meeting on GIs development

Responsible partner : 2 (CIRAD)

Assistants : all partners

Activity type

RTD / Innovation activity

Objectives

Identification of the conditions of implementation and of the potential for development of GIs in different socioeconomic, juridical institutional and marketing contexts.

Identification of institutional arrangements more specifically appropriate in different contexts

Description of work

Take into account the selection procedure and implement it on the basis of the amount of potential cases identified in WP1 and WP2, to form a sample of 7 case studies

Identify an amount of several other cases, which could be studied by associated researchers (outside the project, with additional funds) and provide those researchers with the methodology.

Experts groups to design tools to account for the diversity of GIs implementation framework in conducting the case studies. Indeed, GIs can encompass different processes from formalised processes involving geographical delimitation, code of practices… to locally recognised products based on informal reputation and trust relationships.

For each case study, conduction of surveys in partnership with local scientific teams, in accordance with the guidelines produced before. The multidisciplinary and multi-institutional approach takes into account the fact that GI products quality and recognition result from multiple interactions of specific technical products and processes, with a large number of players in the local and legal environment and within the whole supply chain.  Intensive field studies are thus necessary and they will be conducted at different geographical scales.

Historical approach of the product /region /market interaction with characterisation of different stages.

The survey, according to the methodology defined in WP4, will get insights into technical and product characteristics, actors' strategies, resources characteristics, rules construction (code of practices. The collected information will inform the analytical grids elaborated in WP4 for assessing the impacts of GIs.

Special emphasis will be put on the precise description of the relation between local, regional and national contexts, in economic, legal and institutional terms.

Mid term case studies meeting that will permit to exchange over case studies findings. The general trends in GIs implementation identified in WP3 will be discussed and validated based on these case studies findings and diagnosis and an overview of the possible evolution of the national and international environments will be elaborated.

Partner 2 is in charge of this WP and will put  an intensive effort on the case studies. Partner 1, 2, 3 and 4 will supervise the field work, so as the results can be consistent. which requires time.

Association ORIGIN (partner 10) will :

• take part in the field work, with associate researchers from the involved countries,  especially identify systematically the cases of misuses and frauds on product names in developing countries
• check and validate the relevance of the analysis carried out

Inputs:

- selection procedure produced in WP4, to identify the case to be studied (out from table 7)

- guidelines for in depth case studies

- case study methodology including the operational analytical grid, GIs implementation general trends; critical check-list

Outputs:                 case studies analysis, revised GIs implementation general trends and overview of possible evolution of the national and international environments. Report of mid term case studies meeting.           

Deliverables

D8_{(1, .. 8)}  Reports on each of the case studies, containing the analysis based on GI advantages and impacts given precisely defined specific contexts. The report gives preliminary recommendations on GI implementation conditions and potential for development in the respective country and supply chain (month 30).

Milestones and expected result

M17 – General project meeting on Case Studies (month 24). This milestone at WP half-period will allow for inter-cases intermediary comparisons and eventual adjustments.

M22 - Delivery of the Report (month 30)

Responsible partners : 11 (University of Edinburgh )

Assistants: 5 (University of Newcastle), 1 (INRA) and 3 (University of Florence)

Activity type

RTD / Innovation activity

Objectives

Identification of realistic and context sensitive scenarios of GI implementation and evolution, incorporating the baseline scenarios developed in WP6, with the case study relevant knowledge generated from Task 2.

Identification of potential alternative strategies adopted by GI relevant actors in light of possible scenarios, and evaluation of the effects of these strategies on rural and regional development aspects, supply chain evolution; competition and trade; institutional support and juridical processes.

Formulation of policy recommendations on GIs, based on the developed scenarios and identified strategies, that will maximise the strengths and minimise the weaknesses of GI usage with respect to rural and regional development, and product valorisation, supply chain and competitive processes.

Description of work

The work will begin with a systematic review of key material from the case study analysis (Task 2) and the ‘invariant effects’ scenarios (WP6). A synthesis of this material will be performed, combining the firm parameters of the WP6 scenarios with the deep and context-sensitive information from the case studies, leading to more equilibrated scenarios than those previously characterised, based on identified success and failures factors for implementing GIs.  Frequent exchanges will take place between relevant partners in the development of scenarios in order to specify the most relevant axes.

The work will continue with identification of possible and likely strategies for action by actors involved in implementing and using GIs, in light of the identified scenarios. A matrix of factors influencing strategy choice will be developed, in consultation with partners and case study participants, to systematise the analysis. An evaluation will be made of the likely effects of the pursuit of different strategies by GI actors, on crucial aspects such as rural and regional development, supply chain dynamics, and competition and trade. The implications for institutional roles and juridical processes will also be identified.

The final part of the work will involve formulation of policy recommendations on GIs, designed to maximise the legitimacy and rural/regional development impacts, whilst minimising threats with respect to competition and trade. The recommendations developed through interaction with project partners will be refined via a consultation meeting with policy actors (Regional Workshops at Month 30) , where expert knowledge and feedback can be gained.

As assistant for this task  and in strong coordination with partners  11, 5 and 3, partner 1 will devote time to make up relevant recommendations for EU, which requires to keep being informed of the changes in the regulations and policy, to remain in close contact with officials and to end up the project in good conditions.

Inputs:          Baseline scenarios description. Proceedings of the Regional Meetings at Month 30.

Outputs:        Realistic and context sensitive scenarios, policy recommendations.

Deliverables

D10        Proceedings of the Meeting on policy recommendations (month 35)

D12        Strategies and policy recommendations Report (month 36)

Milestones and expected result

M20 – Regional meetings on case studies (month 30)

M21 – International meeting on policy recommendations (month 30)

M21 – Advisory Board Meeting on GI policy recommendations (month 30)

M26 – Delivery of the Report D10 on policy recommendations (month 35)

M28 – Delivery of the Report D12 about the recommendations (month 36)

Responsible partners : 4 (SRVA-AGRIDEA) and 8 (Parma)

Activity type

Management activity

Objectives

To ensure effective communication management and public relations with researchers outside the consortium and the community of practitioners and policy making community

To support successful dissemination of the results through publications, seminars, workshops, websites and training activities

Description of work

Creation and maintenance of  web pages

Organisation of project dissemination events and materials

Organisation of linkages with other projects and related stakeholders

Maintenance of consortium relations with external partners, in particular third countries

Representation and promotion and project within related fields and to other scientific programs.

Knowledge dissemination process will be ensured through the following activities:

• international meeting on GIs diversity and impacts at Month 16
• international meeting on policy recommendations at Month 30
• regional workshops at Month 30
• presenting  papers at scientific conferences
• meetings with stakeholders
• website with interactive information exchange mechanisms
• Organisation of a dissemination seminar

Inputs:           from all WPs +  from Advisory Board meetings

Outputs:        Web-site open from month 3. A CD-Rom with the STREP website state of the art will be communicated to Commission Services on month 11, 23 and 35

                     Scientific papers; communication documents adapted in adapted language, for different research end-users in different countries.

Deliverables

D5                Electronic Database on GIs world-wide available on-line (month 17) ; responsible partner : 4

D11                Geographical Indications Implementation and Assessment strategic guide  (month 35) ; responsible partner : 8

Milestones and expected results

M2, M10, M21 – Advisory Board meetings (month 2, 16, 30)

M14 – GI world database online (month 17)

M27 – GI implementation and assessment strategic guide (month 35)

Responsible partners : 1 (INRA)

Activity type

Management activity

Objectives

To ensure reliable administrative support for Consortium partners and compliance of administrative duties towards the EC.

To review and monitor deliverables.

To ensure information-sharing within the project and to manage its internal decision-making process.

Description of work

Project contractual administrative and financial management, including Consortium agreement ;

Implementation of Project Net Board system ;

Collect and analyse reports from WP managers ;

Production of audit certificates by each of the participants ;

Maintenance of fluent links and contacts with EC Commission Services ;

Establishment of the Project Advisory Board and organisation of its meetings ;

Organisation of Steering Committee Meetings and regular mail/phone co-ordination and follow-up;

Establishment of SINER-GI Intranet , which will make preliminary reports, internal meetings' proceedings and electronic forum for all project participants 

Organisational support for all project meetings ;

Conciliation of interests within consortium.

Inputs :               from all WPs

Outputs:             Project Intranet, Periodic and ad hoc meetings , Steering Committee and Advisory Board meetings reports.

Deliverables

D             Yearly financial and scientific reports

Milestones and expected results

M1 – 1st Steering Committee meeting (month 1)

M2 – 1^st Advisory Board meeting focused on methodological guidelines (month 2)

M4 – 2nd Steering Committee meeting (month 9)

M9 – 3^rd Steering Committee meeting (month 16)

M10 – 2^nd Advisory Board meeting focused on implementation of case studies (month 16)

M17 – 4^th Steering Committee meeting (month 24)

M18 – 5^th Steering Committee meeting (month 30)

M21 – 3rd Advisory Board meeting focused on policy recommendations (month 30)

M24 – 6^th Steering Committee meeting (month 34)