The city of Parma will host, the 8th of May, the second edition of the Origo Global Forum on Geographical Indications, a European and international event for the protection and valorization of quality agro-food products worldwide. This edition will be held in connection with Cibus 2018, the International Food Exhibition that will take place during the same week in Parma.
The idea behind the realization of this event descended from the need to raise a new and stronger awareness on the strategic value of our quality products, both within the European context and in the international markets. We face many global challenges that need to be addressed properly by all producers and EU experts in order to combine efforts and create new ways to promote cultural and economic relations.
For these reasons, the Italian Government and the Emilia Romagna Region, in partnership with the European Commission, Parma Industrialists’ Association and the Parma Exhibition Centre, decided to promote the first global forum dedicated to the challenges and opportunities of geographical indications (GIs) of the European Union. The first edition, held in April 2017, was a success, with over 350 participants from more than 20 countries. The forum has clearly shown that the global and multi-stakeholder approach meets the expectation to create an open and challenging environment where researchers, policy makers, representatives of farmer organization as well as food companies, cooperatives and consortia, international organizations and GI networks, can positively address very diverse topics related to the GI world.
The general aim of the second edition of Origo Global Forum is to strengthen the relationships among these different stakeholders, focusing effectively on some selected key issues that will be addressed. The first session of the event will focus on the crucial role of innovation in the agri-food sector: new needs and new opportunities are a challenge for the future of GIs. What kind of innovation is needed and/or useful for GIs in order to strengthen time, tradition, sustainability and competitiveness all at the same time? The second session will deepen the challenges and opportunities that link GI’s and sustainability, both in developed and developing countries. The third session will address the issues connected to trade agreements, presenting a comparison of different approaches followed in various bilateral international agreements (e.g. EU-China,CETA, EU/Japan, etc.) to mutually protect GIs, with the aim of evaluating their positive effects and limitations and to discuss the possibility to move towards a generalized and shared approach. This year Origo will see the presence and participation of Phil Hogan, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, which will give the conclusive speech.
