Handicraft: Brazilian GIs

From Brazil, we would like to report the application for a Geographical Indication (GI) for a handicraft.

A GI is set to differentiate products due to their geographical origin; it could be environmental conditions i.e. natural conditions and or cultural conditions, which are present on a region that gives the product certain unique qualities.

In Brazil, The Normative Instruction (IN) No 25/2013 Article 2 defines as a GI an ‘Indicação de Procedência’ (Indication of Source) and a ‘Denominação de Origem’ (Denomination of Origin (DO)). DO is more valued because it depends on proof that the product has special characteristics due to its geographical environment, including natural AND human factors.

The application was for the ceramics and decoration of Porto Ferreira, in the form of Indication of Source. Porto Ferreira is located in the central region of the state of São Paulo. It is claimed that the ceramics and its decoration follow a century-old tradition. The handicraft pieces includes plates, bowls, cups, porcelain and others. The production of the ceramics involves around 80 local companies.

Photo: INPI

Some outside actors were present in the application, and this is common in developing countries. The rational is that they may assist in the GI recognition processes. In this particular case, the city's mayor, the president of INPI, the Secretary of Economic Development and Tourism, the head of the Innovation division, and the president of the local producers' union attended. Moreover, not only before the application or during the application the team is helpful, but also it is recognised that once a GI is documented, it can boost an entire economic system associated with a specific local resource. This means that the producers themselves benefit as well as the entire region e.g. tourism.