2014-10-02
From 10 to 12 September, the protection of geographical indications as a tool for rural development was the object of debate between Brazilian and European experts gathered at a seminar held at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), in Brasília. Between the 12th and 13th, participants made technical visits to producers of cachaça (Brazilian rum), coffee and cheese in the town of Patos de Minas , Minas Gerais. The event also included a workshop on artisanal cheeses on the 14th.
The seminar featured four panels that addressed topics such as public policy for origin-related quality products, the legal aspects for the registration of geographical indications and management systems and control over the appelations. One of the speakers was the Portuguese intellectual property consultant Ana Soeiro, who presented a study sponsored by the EU-Brazil Sector Dialogues Support Facility, which is jointly coordinated by the Ministry of Planning, Budget and Management (MPOG) and the European Union Delegation in Brazil (Delbra). Case studies of two successful Brazilian products with appellations of origin were discussed: wines (especially in Rio Grande do Sul) and cachaça (in Minas Gerais).
The Director of Agriculture Intellectual Property and Technology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA), Mr. Hélcio Campos Botelho, stressed that Brazil is endeavouring to establish a dialogue with regions where geographical indication is certain. "Our goal is to consolidate such indications and ensure a better income for farmers," he said.
Delbras advisor for Economic and Commercial Affairs, Mr. Pedro Santos, said that geographical indications are a very important issue for the European Union in its trade relations. "We have a substantial interest in seeing Brazil advance in this field," he said. The agricultural advisor of the French Embassy in Brazil, Ms. Mylène Testut-Neves, said she was happy with the bilateral partnership. "We have developed a dynamic cooperation with Brazil, which has yielded benefits," she said.
The European Union is the worlds reference when it comes to geographical indications. Countries like France, Italy, Spain and Portugal, among others, invest massive resources to ensure that only goods produced in specified regions can carry names like champagne, Camembert, port, parmesan or brie, among many other examples.
Technical visits
On the 13th, the participants were in Patos de Minas, some 440 km from Brasília, to visit a cachaça producer and the region of the Cerrado Mineiro, where appellation of origin coffee is produced. On the 14th, the party visited producers of artisanal cheeses in the Cerrado and Salitre regions. Wrapping up the event, on the 15th participants were presented the Artisanal Queijo Minas Programme, geared to the production of fresh and standard cheeses, and learned about the organization experiences of producers of raw milk cheeses in the French department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques.
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