Geographical Indications (Gis) as a Tool to Reach the Socio-Cultural Development: A Prospection of the Brazilian Territory

Abstract

Geographical Indications are inserted in the intellectual property and are distinctive signs. In Brazil, the Geographical Indications are granted by the National Institute of Industrial Property and constitute one of the forms of protection of the products or services provision regions, which mainly aim to highlight their distinctive aspects through the identification and use of natural or human factors. In Brazil, it's relatively new theme in the country, therefore lacking dissemination. This research had as objective to carry out a survey on the Geographical Indications granted in the Brazilian territory, analyzing aspects of the protection of products coming from the traditional cultural practice of this country. In order to carry out this research, the Geographical Indication documents and the intellectual property literature were analysed. The information searches contained in the documents were made through consultations with the database of the National Institute and Intellectual Property with respect to the geographical indications granted until May 2016. The search totaled a number of 56 Geographical Indications, eight of them from foreign countries and 48 for the Brazilian territory. This number refers mostly to the Geographical Indications of the species "Indication of origin" (representing 70% of the total) and the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Minas Gerais are leaders (19% and 17% respectively). Compared to the geographical indications granted in other regions, such as Europe, this number is not representative, showing that in Brazil there is still no culture of protection of its traditional products and services.