09.10.2024 Aydın Memecik Zeytinyağı with EU Registration Celebrated with a Plaque

The Local Products Fair YÖREX, organized for the 13th time under the leadership of the Antalya Commodity Exchange (ATB) with the support of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), has opened its doors this year. Cengiz Ülgen, Vice Chairman of the Aydın Commodity Exchange Board of Directors, and Mehmet Ali Avcu, a member of the Assembly, attended the opening ceremony of YÖREX held at the ANFAŞ Fair Center.

At the YÖREX Fair, where products unique to various provinces and districts of our country are promoted and where efforts are made to increase their brand value, marketing, and recognition on both a national and international scale, the Aydın Commodity Exchange displayed Aydın's geographically indicated products in a shared stand area with other chambers and exchanges from Aydın province.

President of the World Chambers Federation and the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey, M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, stated that products unique to Anatolia come together at YÖREX. He noted that chambers and exchanges have made great efforts in obtaining geographical indications for local products across the country. Mr. Hisarcıklıoğlu emphasized that approximately 45% of the country's products have received geographical indication certificates thanks to these efforts and added, "The way to make money is through branding. The path to branding is through patents. Branding is not possible without a patent. You need to apply to the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office and obtain a patent for your product. The second step is to register it with the European Union (EU). We are a bit behind in this regard; so far, 27 of our products have received geographical indication registration from the EU, and 70 products are currently awaiting registration."

The Success of Aydın Memecik Zeytinyağı with EU Registration Celebrated with a Plaque at YÖREX

Following the opening speeches, plaques were presented to organizations that received geographical indication registration from the European Union by TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Antalya MP Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Antalya Governor Hulusi Şahin, Antalya Metropolitan Mayor Muhittin Böcek, ATB President Ali Çandır, and President of the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office Muhammed Zeki Durak.

President of the World Chambers Federation and the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, presented a plaque to Cengiz Ülgen, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Aydın Commodity Exchange, in recognition of the success of Aydın Memecik Zeytinyağı in obtaining geographical indication registration in the European Union.

After the opening ceremony, President of the World Chambers Federation and the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Antalya MP Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, and the accompanying delegation visited the Aydın Commodity Exchange stand. The delegation was welcomed by Cengiz Ülgen, Vice Chairman of the Aydın Commodity Exchange Board of Directors, and Mehmet Ali Avcu, Member of the Assembly.

Fevzi Çondur, Chairman of the Aydın Commodity Exchange, highlighted the significance of the YÖREX Fair and stated:

“As Aydın Commodity Exchange, we continue our efforts to enhance the value of all our products that have received or have the potential to receive geographical indications and to make them more visible in the global market. Showcasing the richness of our country on international platforms contributes significantly to the economy, not only of Aydın but of Turkey as a whole. In this respect, fairs like YÖREX allow us to properly promote our products and help them gain the value they deserve. We know that obtaining a geographical indication is a challenging process, but the successful completion of this process is vital for the development of our region and for our producers to receive fair compensation for their hard work. In this regard, I would like to extend my gratitude to the Antalya Commodity Exchange, which organizes the Local Products Fair YÖREX, and to everyone involved.”