Origin and protected names
Also known as: EU protected names, geographical indications, origin labels, PDO PGI TSG
EU marks that tie a food to a place or a tradition — PDO, PGI, TSG — and national terms such as AOC, DOC, DOCG or DO.
Origin and protected names is the section about marks that tie a food to a place or a tradition. The European Union has three: protected designation of origin (PDO), protected geographical indication (PGI) and traditional speciality guaranteed (TSG). All three rest on Regulation (EU) 2024/1143.
PDO is the strictest: every step in the area, with quality due to the place. PGI needs at least one step in the area. TSG protects a recipe rather than a place, so the food can be made anywhere. PDO and PGI are compared side by side in a separate table.
National terms live alongside them. On wine you will more often see AOC in France, DOC and DOCG in Italy, DO and DOCa in Spain than the EU seal: these traditional terms express the same protected name in local words. The DOCG and AOC pages belong to this section.
Protected names appear in almost every theme of this site, and each theme has its own hub with a list: cheeses, wines, olive oils and olives, honeys, cured meats and pasta. The general rules are here; the specific products are there.
Why it matters to you: an origin seal is the quickest way to tell the genuine product from a look-alike. It says nothing about organic farming or taste, but it guarantees the place and the rules.
How it connects to Food labels & standards
Origin and protected names → kind of → 🏷️ How to read a food label
Links
- Part of
- 🏷️ How to read a food label
- In other topics
- 🏷️ Protected cheese names, Protected cured meat names
Frequently asked questions
Which origin marks exist in the EU?
Three: protected designation of origin (PDO), protected geographical indication (PGI) and traditional speciality guaranteed (TSG).
How is DOC different from PDO?
DOC is an Italian traditional term for a PDO wine. It is the same protected name written in a local word.
Does the UK still use PDO and PGI?
Great Britain runs its own UK GI schemes with their own logos since Brexit, while EU seals still appear on imported products.
Where can I see lists of protected cheeses or honeys?
In the theme hubs on this site: Protected cheese names, Protected honey names, Protected pasta names and others.
Is it true that PDO and PGI are the same thing?
No. PDO requires every step in the area, PGI at least one, so PDO ties a product to its place more closely.
What to read next
- 🏷️ Protected cheese names — Cheeses whose names are protected in the EU as PDO or PGI: made only in their region to an approved specification; the eAmbrosia register lists over 270.
- Protected cured meat names — 60 cured meats and sausages with EU protection: Prosciutto di Parma, Jamón serrano, Jambon de Bayonne, Schwarzwälder Schinken and Kabanosy, with country, animal and ageing time.
Similar
Quality marks on packs · Mandatory label information · Nutrition and additives on the label · Label words that guarantee nothing · Food laws and standards · Production method on the label
What it includes
Sources
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 — EUR-Lex
- Geographical indications and quality schemes explained, European Commission