The taste of olive oil doesn’t just come from its soil; it blends the angle of the sun, the direction of the wind, the knowledge carried by the branch, and traditions passed down through generations. Every drop is a story. But many of these stories are in danger of being lost in the global marketplace. In a world standardized by globalization, the voice of the local is either ignored or appropriated by someone else. Precisely for this reason, “geographical indications” are not merely a marketing tool; they are a platform where local identity, cultural memory, and the right to production are protected.
However, protecting geographical indications at the international level hasn’t always been easy. For years, product names like “champagne,” “parmesan,” and “feta” have been used and commercialized by producers whose origins are unknown. Origin has become one of the civil platforms established to defend the rights of local peoples at the international level. This Switzerland-based organization aims to protect the rights of local producers in the global market. In this article, we embark on a journey through Origin’s work from its inception to the present day, its role within the international regime of geographical indications, and how Turkey has integrated into this system.
Protecting the local in a globalizing world is not merely a nostalgic endeavor; it is also the cornerstone of cultural identity, biodiversity, and local development. At this point, geographical indications (GIs) emerge not simply as labels or trademarks, but as unique structures where production methods, nature, and human labor come together. France’s Roquefort cheese, India’s Darjeeling tea, Türkiye’s Antep baklava… All of them signify a specific geographical resource, knowledge, and cultural heritage. However, the global recognition, protection, and marketing of these products according to fair trade principles requires an organized struggle beyond simple registration. Origin, headquartered in Switzerland, is among the leading organizations carrying out this struggle on a global scale and advocating for the rights of geographically indicated products. Founded in 2003, Origin (Organization for an International Geographical Indications Network) set out to ensure the global recognition, protection, and fair commercial evaluation of geographical indications. Its members include producer associations, government institutions, and civil society organizations, and to date, Origin has worked with actors from over one hundred countries. The organization’s primary goal is to prevent the international misuse of geographically indicated products and to ensure both economic and cultural sustainability for producing communities.
The concept of geographical indications first took shape in Europe. Applications by wine and cheese producers in France to protect their products eventually became a common policy at the EU level. While the “PDO (Protected Designation of Origin)” and “PGI (Protected Geographical Indication)” systems ensure both the origin of products and their production processes, this protection was difficult to find in countries outside Europe. The strong protection granted only to wine and spirits under the TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) Agreement led organizations like Origin to call for a more comprehensive system.
One of Origin’s campaigns, the GIs United initiative, was launched to address this inequality. The aim was to ensure that developing countries outside the EU could also protect their geographically indicated products. A Colombian coffee or a Thai jasmine rice was considered as valuable as a French brie. Origin carried out this effort not only through lobbying but also through training, digital resources, and policy analysis.
Origin’s work was not limited to Europe. GIs became a negotiating point in many agreements, including the Canada-EU Free Trade Agreement (CETA), the Mercosur Agreement, and the EU-Vietnam FTA. Countries were now bringing not only tariffs but also “value of origin” to the bargaining table. This demonstrated that GIs had become a commercial trump card, but also paved the way for producers to be supported by stronger legal instruments.
Turkey became a key player in this process. Initially registering only at the national level, Türkiye has now successfully registered many of its products with the European Union. In the EU registration processes led by TOBB, products such as Antep Baklava, Aydın Figs, Ezine Cheese, and Milas Olive Oil were recognized by the European Commission. The EU-FAO Geographical Indications Program also accelerated this process. At the same time, some institutions from Turkey directly contributed to the process by becoming members of Origin.
However, despite this success story, there are also aspects that deserve attention. Global South countries criticize the geographical indication system’s continued Eurocentric nature. Some local communities, however, see the commercialization of the system as the commodification of cultural values. For example, Darjeeling tea producers in India complain that large companies are using their registered names to dominate the market. Therefore, the geographical indication regime must develop within a framework that considers not only economic but also social justice.
New technologies represent a significant turning point in this journey. Blockchain-based traceability systems promise to prevent counterfeiting while ensuring product tracking from source to shelf. Origin is also striving to adapt to the digital transformation by conducting pilot projects in this area.
Ultimately, Origin’s story is one of advocacy that extends from the local to the global. In the face of the anonymizing impact of global trade, being the voice of origin is not easy. However, the value of geographical indications is not only economic; it also encompasses a historical, cultural, and social narrative. To ensure this narrative remains intact, it is necessary to protect producer communities, raise consumer awareness, and strengthen international collaborations.
Turkey has begun to take the right steps on this journey. However, it must not only register products but also establish an ecosystem that supports these products. Elements such as training, auditing, export strategies, and digital infrastructure form the cornerstones of this process.
The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) also plays an active role in the international promotion and registration of Turkey’s geographically indicated products. TOBB contributes to the preparation of Turkish products for EU registration processes, collaborating with producer associations, chambers, and cooperatives to assist in the preparation of registration applications, the establishment of quality control systems, and the documentation of product stories according to international standards. The institutional coordination and technical support provided by TOBB has been decisive in the registration processes of products such as Antep Baklava, the first Turkish product to be registered in the EU, as well as Malatya Apricot, Aydın Fig, and Milas Olive Oil. TOBB also leads efforts to promote the harmonization of Turkey’s geographical indication policies with EU legislation by liaising with relevant departments of the European Commission. These efforts have been further deepened through collaborations with international organizations such as Origin, paving the way for Türkiye’s more effective inclusion in the global geographical indication network. And perhaps most importantly, every geographically indicated product is not just a label; it’s a distillation of a community’s labor, knowledge, and memory. Organizations like Origin are fighting to ensure this memory isn’t lost. Heeding this struggle means supporting not only local producers but also the global conscience.
Sources
- Türkiye Odalar ve Borsalar Birliği. (yıl belirtilmemiş). Coğrafi İşaretler. TOBB KOBİ Araştırma ve Danışmanlık Merkezi; https://www.tobb.org.tr/KobiArastirma/Sayfalar/CografiIsaretler.php
- (2021). Oda ve Borsalar İçin Coğrafi İşaretler Rehberi. https://www.tobb.org.tr/KobiArastirma/Documents/CI/Co%C4%9Frafi%20%C4%B0%C5%9Faretler%20Rehberi.pdf
- Rangnekar, D. (2004). The Socio-Economics of Geographical Indications. UNCTAD-ICTSD Project on IPRs and Sustainable Development.
- Belletti, G., Marescotti, A. (2011). Origin products, geographical indications and rural development. European Commission Working Paper.
- Origin (2023). Annual Report. https://www.origin-gi.com
- WIPO (2021). Geographical Indications: An Introduction.
- European Commission (2022). GI View Database. https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/food-safety-and-quality
- FAO–EU (2020). Supporting GI systems in Turkey.
- Özdemir, M. (2021). “Türkiye’de Coğrafi İşaretler ve AB Uyumu”. Mülkiye Dergisi, 45(1): 87-110.
- Teubner, M. (2015). “Geographical Indications and the TRIPS Agreement”. Journal of International Economic Law, 18(4), 743–761.
She graduated from Çankaya University Faculty of Law in 2005. In the same year, she completed her master’s degree in Constitutional Law at Çankaya University, Department of Public Law. Until 2011, she worked as an ODY-ÜDY Instructor at Vocational Training Centers affiliated with the Ministry of Transport. For approximately 15 years, she has been working as a legal expert at the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB). Initially, she was involved in Foreign Trade and International Logistics at TOBB and represented the United Nations for nearly seven years. She is currently serving as a legal expert in the SME Policies Directorate within the TOBB Department of Real Sector R&D and Implementation.
Meanwhile, she is working on completing her doctoral dissertation in Administrative Law at Gazi University, Department of Public Law-Administrative Law. After completing her thesis on TOBB, which is recognized by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) in Turkey, she plans to publish it as a book.
Additionally, since 2023, she has been writing columns in the London section of “DÜNDAR HUKUK” and “DÜNDAR LEGAL SERVICE CONSULTANCY,” which have established themselves internationally, particularly in the field of energy and renewable energy.