The certification of Romanian agri-food products remains one of the industry’s major challenges. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR, 2024), Romania has registered 12 products with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and 19 with Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), compared to over 300 in Italy and 250 in France. The difference does not lie in product quality, but in the complexity of the administrative process and the lack of collective promotion structures.

The European Commission estimates that PDO/PGI-certified products achieve prices 30–50% higher than conventional ones, and that around 70% of the added value remains within the region of origin. In Romania, only a few cooperatives — mainly in the dairy and meat sectors — have succeeded in turning certification into an economic tool.

In 2024, the Agency for Financing Rural Investments (AFIR) introduced a new funding line for certification and promotion, providing non-reimbursable support of up to €200,000 per project, aimed at producer groups and local marketing organizations. Nevertheless, bureaucracy, lack of specialized consultancy, and high initial costs remain major barriers.

Certification should be viewed not as an administrative burden, but as a strategic investment in reputation. In a competitive European market, consumer trust becomes the main currency. Romania has high-quality products — but to fully capitalize on them, it must learn to prove it.

(Photo: Freepik)