More than 200 national products with protected geographical indication.

What do the garlic of Graciosa, the white cajoleira of Portalegre, the capao of Freamunde, the cherries of Óbidos and Alcobaça, the caralhota of Almeirim and the honey of the Monchique mountains have in common?

They are all part of a list of more than 200 Portuguese products that the EU protects as geographical indications (GIs). The list includes products and regions as diverse as port or Madeira wine, soft eggs from Aveiro, pastel from Chaves, olive oil from Moura, medronho from the Algarve, cheese from Serra da Estrela or pineapple from the Azores. The latest Portuguese designation to be added to the register was Madeira sweet potato, which includes traditional local varieties, a month ago.

EU Geographical Indications establish intellectual property rights for specific products whose unique qualities and characteristics are linked to their region of origin and traditional local production methods. GIs protect against abuse and counterfeiting, provide guarantees and information to consumers, facilitate marketing and promote local development. They also play an important role in EU trade negotiations with third countries by certifying the origin of products.

The Geographical Indication system includes Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (IGP) for both food and wine. The difference lies in the amount of raw material for the product that comes from the region, as well as the part of the production process that must be local. DOP products are most closely associated with the regions of production. For PGI, at least one of the stages of production, transformation or preparation must take place locally.

In addition, there are also indications protecting certain spirits, as well as the “Traditional Speciality Guaranteed” label, which highlights aspects related to tradition and production methods. Some products from the most remote regions of the EU also receive the logo.

GIs are a real European treasure. Almost 3,500 community products are currently protected, with a total sales value of around €80 billion. A study by the European Commission published in 2020 showed that the sales value of GI products is, on average, twice that of similar products without certification. By 2020, geographical indications already accounted for 15.5% of EU agri-food exports. According to a study by the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, since 2019, the total value of PDO/GI production in Portugal was estimated at around €184 million.

In the business sector, the Minister of Agriculture, José Manuel Fernandes, stresses the importance of GIs. “They are not just a seal of quality for a product, they are differentiation, heritage, history and the preservation of traditional values. And let’s not forget that the protection granted to Portuguese products covered by Protected Geographical Indications means the protection of producers and consumers.” “A PGI is an evaluation tool that increases the economic value of a product, which benefits producers and supports the local economy.”