Activities of Francesca BARRACCIU related to 2013/2098(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on regional quality branding: towards best practice in rural economies
Amendments (12)
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Points out that regional quality branding is particularly important for local territories and rural economies, as it highlights the connection to a specific and exceptional territory in terms of the origin of products and services; is of the opinion that at a time of globalised economies, regional quality brands can serve as significant promoters of regional, territorial and local identity, as well as contribute to regional development and territorial marketing, and help improve the competitiveness of rural territories; (Stresses the importance of quality branding as a geographical concept in order to better convey the importance of specific connections to local territories.)
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Highlights the cross-cutting nature of regional quality brands which support specific agricultural products as well as handicrafts and craftsmanship, and specific production processes; believes that regionally branded products may serve as good companion products tovectors for other services provided rurally, such as tourism, accommodation, catering services etc.; stresses, in this connection, that an integrated and holistic approach to the promotion of regionally branded products at; (It is important to stress the shift in the consumer’s attention from the product to associated services, which is a concept better expressed by the term ‘vector’. The reference to the local, regional, national and European levels is essential;superfluous in respect of branding which has already been defined as European.)
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Calls on the Local Action Groups within the framework of the Leader + Programme to foster the creation of networks for cooperation between local and regional producers, service providers and cultural institutions such as universities, libraries and research centres, so as to enable the cultural and historical aspects of territories to be combined in regional brands through which lasting links can be forged between training, research and production, thereby also generating employment; (Pinpoints the Leader+ Programme and Local Action Groups as reference bodies for the creation of regional brands through the forging of partnerships between producers, cultural institutions and service providers. This will facilitate a bottom-up approach, bringing branding closer to producers and consumers.)
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Is of the opinion that regional quality branding, based on a territorial bottom-up approach, promotes synergiescooperation between various local economic actors and socio- professional organisations,: thanks to which theyis could result in an improvement of their products and services and the introducetion of more environmentally-friendly processes; (Points to the need for the players involved to be actively commited to engaging in new cooperation, and not just to exploit existing synergies; it is also worthwhile pointing out that products can be improved, but that this is not a logical consequence of the process.)
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Points out, however, that the concept of regional branding needs to be clearly defined; highlights in this connection the positive experience with existing quality marks (PDO, RDO, PGI); considers therefore that coordinated strategies are needed to avoid duplication and overlaps; (It is important to emphasise that the idea here is not to abolish or complicate the existing framework of quality marks, but to cover new ground: that of regional quality aspects not necessarily connected with existing definitions.)
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Invites the Member States and sub- national entities to take due account of regional quality branding and the role the brands play in rural territories by including them in their local and regional development strategies; nevertheless emphasises that a common approach should be taken to the introduction of regional quality branding, based on a common framework for the whole EU; (It would be impossible for any new branding system to be introduced without confusion and imprecision arising unless a common pan-EU approach is adopted to guarantee uniform implementation of the rules.)
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Is of the opinion that in order to be successful, regional brands need a necessary critical mass of professionals and funding, and that they should, therefore, be bettersuitably supported byunder the European Structural and Investment Funds; invites the Member States and other relevant bodies to provide for theirlend that support in their programming documents for the next programming period 2014-2020; (Financial support for the new branding system must be such as to meet the need to invest in the sectors concerned. It cannot be symbolic, and must be based around the projects of the players concerned.)
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Believes that in order to provide for the increased success of traditional regional quality brands, the exchange of experience, networking and partnerships are essential; recognises the role of representative bodies, such as associations, at local, regional, national and European level which provide for the promotion of regional brands and enhance their visibility; calls for greatersuitable attention to be paid to regional branding initiatives as a possible common theme inin the context of European territorial cooperation and European funding initiative. (Emphasises the importance of the concept of the traditions associated with products, without which products are generic, and the importance of the local level in the cooperation needed to promote brands.)
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Recital H a (new)
Ha. whereas traditional products of European territories need to be properly promoted, so as to ensure that local/regional products will not be designated by imprecise indications of origin that might draw different regions into pointless competition over the same product and cause confusion among consumers;
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Urges the Commission to ensure that future rural development programmes earmark sufficient resources to facilitate these forms of territorial governance by drawing on and strengthening the measures concerning cooperation, coordination, exchanges, networks, innovation and training provided for in the new rural development regulations; calls on local action groups under the Leader+ programme to provide the support necessary to set up cooperation networks linking local and regional producers, service providers, and cultural institutions such as universities, libraries, and research centres, so as to enable the cultural and historical aspects of territories to be encapsulated in regional brands serving to forge lasting links between training, research, and production, thereby also creating sustainable jobs;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the Commission to develop an approach to the official recognition of regional quality branding based on an objective assessment of the governance of the territorial development process, focusing in particular on the steps taken to incorporate the social, economic and environmental dimensions, the diversity of the economic and social actors involved in promoting regional quality branding and the quality of the set of specific goods and services which they can offer; maintains that the concept of regional branding should be clearly defined, taking into account the favourable experience with existing quality labels (PDO, AOC, PGI), and that coordinated strategies should be drawn up to avoid duplication and overlapping, proceeding from a shared common approach based on a framework to be laid down at EU level;