A study undertaken for the European Commission by Chever et al (2012 at 4)
and published in October 2012 estimated the worldwide sales value of products
sold under geographical indications (GIs) registered in the EU was estimated at
€54.3 billion in 2010 and had increased by 12 per cent between 2005 and 2010.
Over that period wines accounted for 56 per cent of total sales (€30.4 billion),
agricultural products and foodstuffs for 29 per cent (€15.8 billion), spirit drinks
for 15 per cent (€8.1 billion) and aromatised wines for 0.1 per cent (€31.3
million). Domestic EU sales were the main markets for these products (60 per
cent), intra-EU trade accounted for 20 per cent and extra-EU trade accounted
for 19 per cent.Over the period, extra-EU trade increased by 29 per cent.
The leading Member State was France (€20.9 billion including 75 per cent for
wines, 15 per cent for agricultural products and foodstuffs and 10 per cent for
spirits), the second was Italy with a balance between the GIs registered in the
different schemes (€11.8 billion including 51 per cent for agricultural products
and foodstuffs, 48 per cent for wines and 1 per cent for spirits). The next two
Member States were Germany (€5.7 billion including 59 per cent for agricultural
products and foodstuffs, 40 per cent for wines and 1 per cent for spirits)
and the United Kingdom (€5.5 billion including 81 per cent for spirits and 19
per cent for agricultural products and foodstuffs).
This valuable trade is worth protecting and this book examines the detail of that
protection.