70 WINE LAW particularly Veneto, with its famous Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG. Similarly, Tuscany has also tried to promote the characteristics of its famous productions through a specific strategy, consisting in developing different geographical areas. An example would be the Chianti DOCG, one of the most valuable Tuscany’s DOs, which has been divided into several subareas, corresponding to small geographical areas, giving the products different characteristics: among the most famous subareas are the hills of Florence and the hills of Siena. This strategy’s effectiveness, followed at national and regional levels, has also caused a significant growth of international export, where Italian Geographical Indications and Designations of Origin are now known and appreciated8. 3. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DESIGNATIONS OF ORIGIN, GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS, COLLECTIVE TRADEMARKS AND CERTIFICATION TRADEMARKS Geographical Indications and Designations of Origin are not the sole legal instruments foreseen for the protection and identification of qualitative productions and the consumers’ protection. Especially after the recent reform of the Italian Intellectual Property (IP) Code, by Law Decree No. 15, of 20 February 2019, the rules on DOs and GIs have to be considered alongside collective trademarks and certification trademarks. Collective trademarks, as ruled by articles 11 of the Italian IP Code and 74 of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001, are distinctive signs, registered by associations of producers and Consortia, whose primary function is to guarantee certain characteristics, in terms of quality, origin and production. These collective bodies may grant the right to use the sign to producers, who respect the requirements established by the use Regulation of the Collective Trademarks. It is rather clear that collective trademarks significantly differ from traditional trademarks, whose primary function is to indicate the product’s entrepreneurial origin and guarantee its recognition among consumers. In this sense, collective trademarks do share some features with DOs and GIs. The resemblances are deeper in case of geographical collective trademarks, ruled by articles 11(4) of the Italian IP Code and 74(2) of Regulation (EU) No. 2017/1001. These 8 For a more detailed analysis of the most recent trends of the export of Italian wine productions, see: https://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/vino-italiano-cresce-l-export-36-stati-uniti-primo-mercatoACNJOjCB.
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