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Under the Australia-European Union Free Trade Agreement (A-EU FTA), Australia will protect 34 EU meat and smallgoods geographical indications (GIs).
Many of these EU GI terms are not used by Australian producers in Australia. This means protecting these EU GIs will have minimal impact on Australian industry.
Overview
Australian use of certain GI terms will remain unchanged, whereas the use of others will be phased out. In some cases, producers with an established history of making and labelling products with these terms will be grandfathered, enabling them to continue their use.
Australia will protect the Hungarian GI Csabai Kolbasz. Australian producers of csabai face no change.
Australia will protect the Italian GI Finocchiona. Australian producers of fennel sausage face no change. Existing Australian producers who have a continuous history of making and labelling finocchiona can continue to do so.
Australia will protect the Slovenian GI Kranjska klobasa. Australian producers of kransky/kranski face no change.
Australia will protect the Italian GI Mortadella Bologna. Australian producers of mortadella, baloney or paloney face no change. Those who have a continuous history of making and labelling bologna can continue to use the term to describe their sausage.
Australia will protect the German GI Nürnberger Bratwürste / Nürnberger Rostbratwürste. Existing Australian producers of Nurnberger bratwurste and Nuremberg sausage face no change. Those who have a continuous history of making and using these terms can continue to use them to describe their sausages.
Australia will protect the German GI Schwarzwälder Schinken. Australian producers of black forest ham face no change.
Australia will protect the Croatian GI Slavonski kulen / Slavonski kulin. Existing users will stop using the term(s) 5 years after entry into force of the A-EU FTA.
Australia will protect the Hungarian GI Szegedi szalámi / Szegedi téliszalámi. Existing users will stop using the term(s) 5 years after entry into force of the A-EU FTA.
Australia will protect the Austrian GI Tiroler Speck. Existing Australian producers of tiroler face no change. Those with a history of making and labelling tiroler ham or bacon can continue to do so.
Common names
For greater certainty, the EU has confirmed examples of where it is not seeking protection of certain terms, including:
- bratwürste
- mortadella
- cacciatora
- prosciutto
- jambon
- speck
Conditions of GI protection
Protection extends to use of the GI in translation or transliteration, where the translation or transliteration conveys the meaning of the GI. It also extends to use of the GI even where the true origin of the good is indicated or accompanied by expressions such as "kind", "type", "style", "imitation" or the like.
Australian smallgoods may benefit from a new Australian GI system
Australia will develop a new GI system which, in addition to protecting the list of EU GIs, will provide the opportunity for the protection of Australian GIs, including for Australian smallgoods producers who may wish to seek a GI. The system will offer a high standard of protection and enforcement.
An Australian GI may add value to products sold in Australia and exported to other markets.
Once protected in Australia, there will be opportunities for Australian GIs to be protected in the EU.