Geographical Indications and Sustainable Viticulture: Empirical and Theoretical Perspectives

Abstract

Wine production faces numerous sustainability challenges. The backbone of European wine regulations is the framework for Geographical Indications (GIs), which is currently being reformed as part of the EU’s Farm-to-Fork Agenda. An important aspect of the reform is to strengthen the sustainability performance of GIs by allowing the integration of “sustainability undertakings” in GI product specifications. Our paper evaluates this policy approach based on the assessments of stakeholders from the German wine region Franconia and the Italian region of South Tyrol. We use a mixed-methods approach, combining semi-structured interviews and a quantitative survey among wine producers. We interpret our findings through the analytical lens of Elinor Ostrom’s Design Principles for the sustainable governance of common-pool resources. Our results show that localized “bottom—up” regulation in the framework of GIs corresponds to many practical and theoretical demands regarding sustainability governance. However, GIs seem to address certain sustainability aspects better than others. Sustainability undertakings in GIs should also avoid adding administrative burden to the already quite rigid GI regime and must be sufficiently inclusive and gradual. Overall, sustainability undertakings in GIs can only be considered as part of a broader policy mix.