Appellation Contrôlée

July 24, 2009
Intellectual Property News and Interesting Facts

The system used in France from the early part of the twentieth century is known as the appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC).

Items that meet geographical origin and quality standards may be endorsed with a government-issued stamp that acts as official certification of the origins and standards of the product to the consumer.

Examples of products that have such ‘appellations of origin’ include Tequila (spirits), Jaffa (oranges) and Bordeaux (wines).