Mountain products reflect the specific environment in which they are produced. In our regions, the quality of the resources used, in particular grasslands, and the traditional production and processing methods give them a particular nutritional and taste quality. Euromontana is therefore working to improve their promotion through quality and origin labels and is campaigning for their recognition in sustainable local food systems.
An EU-wide label for mountain products
Euromontana has long campaigned for the valorisation of mountain foods. Promoting these products benefits producers, consumers, and the regions where agriculture contributes to sustaining dynamic rural areas and preserving or rebuilding local value chains. Since the early 2000s, Euromontana has been demonstrating the benefits of a “mountain” labelling, which would guarantee the origin of raw and processed products and help to strengthen mountain value chains.
Euromontana therefore strongly supported the adoption of the Optional Quality Term “mountain products” by the European Union in 2012. 60% of mountainous Member States have implemented this label and Euromontana monitors the state of its uptake across the EU. Euromontana supports further implementation and closely follows related topics in the European Commission’s DG AGRI Civil Dialogue Group on quality & promotion.
We call for
- Better communicating with producers and consumers, in particular through the Promotion Policy.
- Collecting EU-wide data on the use of the Optional Quality Term “mountain products” and its impact on mountain value chains.
1/3 of Geographical Indications are produced in the mountains
Mountain farmers are essential providers of quality products. Covering 13% of the territory of the European Union, mountain areas produce 34% of the Geographical Indications on the market and are the leading producers of certain Geographical Indications, such as honey.
Euromontana is convinced that Geographical Indications play an important role in preserving traditional mountain production methods. In certain mountain areas, Geographical Indications make a major contribution to structuring mountain value chains and maintaining traditional economic activities. This also applies to non-agricultural products such as handicraft. For this reason, Euromontana supports the process of creating new Geographical Indications for craft and industrial products.
Contribution to sustainable food systems
The agricultural practices used to produce mountain foods, especially extensive livestock farming and pastoralism, provide many ecosystem services that are essential to achieving many of the Green Deal’s objectives. In particular, these practices help to store CO2 in grasslands, reduce the risk of forest fires and preserve habitats and water resources.
Euromontana therefore strongly defends the rightful place of mountain products within healthy, sustainable and resilient food systems. We believe that mountain areas have a role to play in the transition to more sustainable diets. This includes the supply of sustainable dairy and meat products derived from practices recognised for their positive environmental impact, such as pastoralism. We thus call for greater recognition of the quality and sustainability of mountain products, in particular through the Promotion Policy.
We call for
- Distinguishing the different methods of agricultural production and their environmental impact in all EU policies and the promotion of sustainable practices, in particular pastoralism.
- Promoting the quality foods produced by sustainable extensive livestock farming through the Promotion Policy.