On May 26, 2025, within the European GI SMART project, the first meeting of the Italian Multi-Actor Platform (IT-MAP) took place, coordinated by the University of Parma and University of Firenze, with the support of AREPO.
A multitude of stakeholders actively participated in the meeting, including GI producer groups, associations of PDO and PGI producers, representatives of control bodies and public authorities (both national and regional representatives), alongside researchers and university professors.
The meeting was divided into two main sessions:
- Presentation of the GI-SMART project and the Community Platform: during this first part the GI SMART project and its main objectives were presented, together with its 4 Research Focus areas and the project expected results. Furthermore, the function of the National and Community Platforms, and the importance of GIs stakeholders’ involvement within the project were illustrated.
- Dialogue with participants: the second part of the meeting was dedicated to dialogue with the participants regarding expectations and perspectives on the GI-SMART project. Their reflections/opinions regarding the new European regulation (EU) 2024/1143 on GIs were then collected. Finally, there was a discussion on current and future potential sustainability practices in GIs production systems.
Ultimately, the project was positively welcomed by the various participants, who highlighted their willingness to participate actively and contribute with their considerations and ideas.
The Platform aims to be an important tool for involving as many interested stakeholders as possible within the GIs system, in order to capture the different points of view on the issue of the sustainability of Geographical Indications.