Geographical indications for Andean countries

Successfully protecting and promoting geographical indications (GIs) – best practices were shared by important institutions and representatives of various GIs from Europe and Latin America at a webinar hosted by IP Key LA.

Norbert Gacki of DG Agri indicated that GIs can differentiate products, create added value and extend their benefits to product-related geographic areas. ‘They can also be considered instruments of differentiation in marketing strategies, as a means of preserving traditional knowledge and as a factor of rural development,’ he added in his speech.

Geographical indications, appellations of origin and traditional designations refer to products with specific qualities that originate from the geographical environment in which they are produced. Their economic justification depends on the specificity of the product and its link with the geographical territory and the human and climatic factors that give the unique characteristics to the product.

Peggy Dieryckxvisschers of DG Agri shared the most relevant information from a GI study in Europe. Two particularly important facts: GIs account for 7% of the food and beverage sector in the European Union and their sales value in 2017 exceeded EUR 74 billion. Another interesting fact is that the average price of a product with a GI is 2.11 times higher than one without a GI.

Representatives of Siracusa Lemon from Italy and Paipa Cheese from Colombia had the opportunity to present their experience, progress, and the work they did to achieve the recognition as products protected by a GI. For their part, spokespersons for Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese from Italy, Pisco from Peru, and Café de Colombia, as well as Massimo Vittori, managing director of OriGin, explained the measures taken to protect GIs in the Andean market and all the elements that had to be considered for their GIs to succeed in the market.

Finally, GIview, a tool containing the GI data registered in the EU, was presented.