Specialists say that the Moldovan companies working in the area of food industry insufficiently use such promotion possibilities as the geographical indications, designations of origin and traditional specialties guaranteed, Info-Prim Neo reports. “Given the stiff competition, the consumers give priority to the products of a high quality, especially those that have national specific features, are original and cannot be found elsewhere,” Emilia Cainarean, head of the Agriculture Ministry’s Foreign Economic Relations and Marketing Division, said during a thematic seminar. The Moldovan authorities and the European Commission are carrying out talks over an agreement on geographical indications. “Two variants are being examined – to make a separate agreement or include it in the new Moldova-EU cooperation agreement that will be negotiated soon,” Emilia Cainarean said. “What is important is that the economic entities realize that the geographical indications, designations of origin and traditional specialties guaranteed can contribute to a higher surplus value. They also make the country’s image known in the world and stimulate rural tourism,” the official of the Agriculture Ministry said. Svetlana Munteanu, adviser to the director general of the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI), stressed that a key element of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy, which Moldova is to join, is the protection of the signs that identify the origin and quality and of those that identify the tradition. “Moldova can produce wines and other goods with geographical indications, designations of origin and traditional specialties guaranteed (national dishes) owing to the geographical position, fertile soil and hardworking and skilled people,” Svetlana Munteanu said. She stressed the necessity of a system that would protect the registered names. “The law on the protection of geographical indications, designations of origin and traditional specialties guaranteed was adopted a year ago. There will be formulated the related normative documents and designated the authorities that will carry out the control procedures and will verify the set of requirements for different categories of products,” the AGEPI official said. Svetlana Mandru, representative of the National Association of Beekeepers of Moldova, considers that the launch of traditional products with designations of origin is very advantageous to producers. “These are food products and other kinds of products. Thus, more workplaces will be created in villages. As regards the beekeepers, the about 3,000 members of the Association have many ideas. We must yet take into account that the original products of a high quality cost a lot of money. In parallel, we should promote the culture of consuming them at least on the home market,” Svetlana Mandru said. Two designations of origin are now protected in Moldova by law. The Lisbon Agreement protects 803 appellations of origin of other states. The first designation of origin in Moldova was registered recently under the given agreement – the Romanesti wine. The products with geographical indications, designations of origin and traditional specialties guaranteed are registered in the same way as the trademarks.