The Act establishes the national legal framework for implementing European Union rules on the protection of geographical indications (GIs) and quality schemes for agricultural products, foodstuffs, wine, spirit drinks and traditional specialities in Germany. It defines the scope of “agricultural geographical protection”, incorporates and supplements directly applicable EU regulations, and clarifies its relationship with existing German product law, including the Wine Act and the Trademark Act. The Act allocates responsibilities among federal authorities—particularly the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE), the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL), and customs authorities—as well as the state authorities. In addition, the Act establishes substantive protection rules prohibiting misuse, imitation or evocation of protected names and regulates labelling requirements, including the use of EU symbols. It creates a comprehensive system of official controls covering production monitoring, bundled controls for small producers, market surveillance and customs oversight, with provisions on accreditation and delegation to private control bodies. The Act also governs enforcement mechanisms, including administrative measures, fines, confiscation rules, data processing, and reporting obligations.
ألمانيا · 2026-01-11