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Wednesday 23 November 2011

Patricia Covarrubia

Brazil's GI: pride or products true name?

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The Brazilian Instituto Nacional da Propiedade Indistrial (INPI) announced the approval of two applications of Geographical Indication (GI): i) handcrafted tin of São João del Rei and ii) wines of the Valley Grape Goethe. From the publication date, to issue the certificate they do have 60 days to prove payment of the fee at the INPI.

What are the products?
Sao Joao del Rei produces pieces of tin in its region which posses characteristic of the eighteenth century, but which was incorporated in the 60's, when the Englishman John Somers applied European techniques in the manufacture of this products. The said products are used as household items and also as sacred pieces of colonial design.{ more on this project here]

Grape Goethe is the grape variety created by botanist Edward Roger, from the mixture of American and European grapes. The name is a dedication to the German thinker Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, as a great wine lover. The variety was introduced in the region of Urussanga by Giuseppe Caruso, who found in Brazil the ideal conditions for development of this grape. The wine has special characteristics in terms of color, aroma and flavour.

The two new acquisitions are a GI in the form of Indication of Source. Brazil only has two Denomination of Origin on national products -- one been Litoral Norte Gaúcho for rice and the other Costa Negra for shrimps.

I cannot hide my contentment to see how Brazilians have been working to get their products recognised by way of GIs. I firmly believe that it is a matter of pride , GI gives the product a name that is truthfully, that it gives an attribute to a region, to its peoples, and to its traditions.

Source INPI.

Patricia Covarrubia

Patricia Covarrubia