It took more than two years of negotiation, but now the agreement between the European Union and China for the mutual recognition of 100 PDO and PGI products will finally see the light. The European Council has in fact authorized the signing of the agreement, which sees Italy at the forefront. With 26 PDO and PGI foods and beverages that will be protected on the Chinese market, Italy comes in first place.

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Once signed, the agreement must receive the final consent of the European Parliament before it can enter into force. China is the second largest market in the world for European agri-food products, with imports amounting to 12.8 billion euros a year.

THE LIST OF ITALIAN PDO AND PGI PRODUCTS TO BE PROTECTED IN CHINA

This is the complete list of the Italian products covered by the agreement:

Balsamic vinegar of Modena PGIAsiago PDOAsti PDOBarbaresco PDOBardolino Superiore PDOBarolo PDOBrachetto d'Acqui PDOBresaola della Valtellina PGIBrunello di Montalcino PDOChianti PDOConegliano-Valdobbiadene Prosecco PDODolcetto d'Alba PDOFranciacorta PDOGorgonzola PDOGrana Padano PDOGrappa IGMontepulciano d'Abruzzo PDOMozzarella di Bufala Campana PDOParmigiano Reggiano PDOPecorino Romano PDOProsciutto di Parma PDOProsciutto di San Daniele PDOSoave PDOTaleggio PDOToscano PGIVino Nobile di Montepulciano PDO

Among the 100 Chinese products that will enter the EU quality register are Panjin rice, several fine varieties of tea, and Chaidamu goji berries. The agreement provides for an extension of the list to protect a further 175 products four years after the agreement enters into force.