SMEOrigin - SMEs & European Original Geographical Indications

European countries offer a unique heritage of regional food traditions and a diverse landscape of specialties, reflecting their rich history of multi-ethnic and cultural development. Regional food is a common European cultural heritage and as such a major economic asset for the European regions. Regional food products have a tremendous impact on local development, are a cultural asset and generate cooperation between various sectors like tourism and agriculture. Moreover, the importance of a resilient food system became even more evident during the Covid-19 crisis. The overall objective of the project is to improve regional development policies and funding programmes to increase the competitiveness of SMEs in the food sector. More specifically the project has been designed to foster products with geographical indication in the involved regions by improving the quality standards of SMEs, support digitalisation and promote the authenticity of the products.