MEP Valentina Palmisano (The Left) has asked the European Commission to clarify the status and timeline for registering Capocollo di Martina Franca as a protected geographical indication (PGI), citing the product's cultural and economic importance for the Apulia region and a definitive Italian court ruling that confirms the legitimacy of the procedure.
The parliamentary question, submitted on 20 May 2026 under Rule 144, notes that Italian authorities sent the registration request to the Commission in February 2024, with additional supporting documents submitted in 2024 and 2025. Palmisano also highlights a definitive ruling by the competent Italian administrative court on 30 October 2025, which determined that the decision confirming the full legitimacy of the designation procedure has acquired the force of res judicata.
Concrete asks and policy direction
Palmisano's three questions seek concrete information: whether the Commission is still assessing the application, what the next procedural stages are, and an estimated timeline for completing registration and publishing the PGI single document in the Official Journal. The MEP's intervention signals impatience with the pace of the procedure, especially given that all requested documentation has been submitted and domestic legal hurdles have been resolved.
Expected follow-up
The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks. Its answer will indicate whether the application is nearing completion or faces further delays, and will signal the Commission's responsiveness to member-state requests for geographical indications that enjoy strong local legal and cultural backing.