The Morvan Christmas tree obtains a protected origin, a primary in France | EUROtoday

After almost ten years of efforts, the “Morvan Christmas tree”, the primary in France, lastly obtained a protected geographical indication (PGI) from the European Union, a primary of its type for a non-edible horticultural manufacturing.

“The geographical indication “Sapin de Noël du Morvan” (PGI) is entered within the Union register of geographical indications,” decreed the EU in an implementing regulation taken on March 24 and revealed in its official journal. This new PGI, the steps for which had been initiated in 2018, will come into pressure on April 20, specifies the EU.

The Morvan, a Burgundy semi-mountain massif with poor soils appropriate for this tradition, is the main French producer of Christmas bushes, with roughly 800,000 bushes, together with the one which adorns the courtyard of the Élysée every year. Somewhat over 5 million fir bushes are consumed in France, with Denmark taking the lion’s share.

According to the National Institute of Origin and Quality (Inao), solely 4 French merchandise, all edible, had been acknowledged as PGI in 2025, together with Cavaillon melon, Aquitaine caviar and pérail (sheep’s milk cheese).

Fight in opposition to “fir-bashing”

The certification of the Morvan fir tree is “the first French horticultural PGI in Europe”, Sylvie Robert, basic delegate of Plant Excellence, an affiliation of 320 gamers within the plant sector which defends official horticultural labels, advised AFP on Wednesday.

Until now, solely three non-edible horticultural merchandise benefited from a PGI in Europe: the Flanders laurel (Belgium), the Ghent azalea (Belgium) and the Szoreg rose bush (Hungary).

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“This is a major step forward,” defined Sylvie Robert. Because the IGP, along with the origin of the product, “requires us to engage in an environmental approach”. According to Inao, the IGP specs prohibit artificial mineral fertilizers particularly and impose “cultural practices promoting biodiversity (late mowing, limitation of chemical treatments)”.

The new PGI “encourages good practices”, agrees Christophe Bonoron, president of the French Natural Christmas Tree Association (Afsnn). “It’s going in the right direction, in particular with the elimination of chemical fertilizers” and an audit “by an independent organization which will control everything to be certified” IGP du Morvan, he welcomes.

These “very strong requirements” will set up “real environmental control” making it doable to battle in opposition to “fir bashing”, hopes Sylvie Robert.

With AFP