About the project
The overall objective of GIFT -project is to enhance the competitiveness and visibility of local food, non-food and tourism SMEs in NPA area, promote their co-operation and contribute to wider visibility of the whole NPA geographical area by increasing the use of EU’s Geographical Indication (GI) and tools associated to it. The cross-border co-operation supports creating joint GI applications, increase using GI in marketing and links SMEs and other actors for new network approaches via GI concepts developed
The activities
The activities have been divided into three work packages (WPs): AWARENESS RAISING AND TOOLS TO SUPPORT GI PROCESSES (WP1) WP1 aims to increase the awareness, knowledge/capacities of actors to utilise GI labeling system and use it in their product development by using the expertise and experiences of the international partnership to inform on benefits, possibilities and challenges of using GI system regarding the food and non-food products. It also provides tools for the SMEs, such as an Code of Practise to analyse their potential for applying for GI system and help the application process. The aim in all activities is not to market EU’s GI system as such, but provide information for the SMEs and other actors on how to benefit from the system and use the process as part of their product development as well as network creation. PILOTING GI -APPLICATION PROCESSES (WP2) WP2 aims to collect together the most potential groups for application in piloting countries, commit them to the process, provide guidance and support for strategical planning of the label's use and mentor writing the application. The focus is on building food and craft producers' expertise and capability about the practicalities’ involved in the GI application process. It will include interaction with different regionally-based food/craft producers to encourage likeminded enterprises to come together, share experiences and offer an opportunity to engage with EU GI schemes in conjunction with national project partners' support and establish a geographic link between the product and the region. The aim is to have 10 piloting groups in total, who will end the process by submitting an GI application. USING GI IN MARKETING AND OPENING NEW MARKETS (WP3) WP3 has 2 main objectives: 1) to assist potential new and existing users of the GI´s in using the GI´s in their marketing and PR strategy at practical level and to support new users of GI on using the label in their communication to increase visibility, demand and value of their products. The WP also provides the basic knowledge and support in drafting an cross-border application for the EU's marketing resources for GI products (MULTI-REA application) and aims to build a network to take such an application process further to increase the competitiveness of SMEs. 2) to work with the pilots from WP2 during their application process and help them strategically consider their marketing activities during and after the project and pilot new ways to open markets for GI products, critical issue being able to define the common story for GI products used by all stakeholders in B2B and B2C communication.