Protected Geographical
Indication
What is a Protected Geographical Indication?
They are distinctive signs that identify a product as originating in the territory of a country, a region or locality of that territory, when a certain quality, reputation or
other characteristic of the product is essentially attributable to its geographical origin.
Article 22 of the TRIPS Agreement
What is an Appellation of Origin?
¨The appellation of origin of a country, region or locality which serves to designate a product originating therein, the quality or characteristics of which are due exclusively or essentially to the geographical environment, including natural and human factors¨.
Article 2, Lisbon Agreement
Who can apply for a Geographical Indication in Venezuela?
Duly organized groups of producers directly engaged in the extraction, production, manufacture or processing of the products intended to be covered by the Geographical Indication; national, state, municipal, communal, indigenous peoples and other local communities with legal personality, chambers or associations of manufacturers or producers, whose territorial scope corresponds to the geographical indications or appellations of origin applied for.
Appellations of Origin granted by SAPI
Chuao Cocoa
Granted: Resolution 02006. Bulletin 443 dated November 22, 2000.
Renewed. Bulletin 568 November 14, 2016.
Product: Cocoa
Delimited geographic area
Hacienda Campesina de Chuao. Located in the town of Chuao, Santiago Mariño Autonomous Municipality, Chuao Parish, Aragua State. North latitude 10°, 29’46.8¨ and west longitude 67°, 31’58.7¨.
Internal Control Organ
Empresa Campesina de Chuao
Cocuy de Pecaya
Granted: Resolution 0287. Bulletin 445 of June 1, 2001. Renewal of resolution 238. Bulletin 568, November 14, 2016.
Product: Spirit drink Cocuy
Delimited geographical area
Town of Pecaya, Sucre municipality of Falcón state, located at 369 masl, with latitude 11°, 04’30¨ and longitude 69°, 51’37¨.
Internal control body
Cocuy de Pecaya Regulatory Council
Rum from Venezuela
Granted: Resolution 798. Bulletin 459, November 04, 2003. Renewed Resolution 161. Bulletin 596, August 28, 2019.
Product: Rum
Beneficiaries: Rum Companies
Delimited geographical area
States: Aragua, Lara, Miranda, Monagas, Sucre, Portuguesa and Yaracuy.
Internal control body
Civil Association Rum Promotion Fund of Venezuela (Fonpronven)
Protected Geographical Indications granted by SAPI
Cocuy Larense
Granted: Resolution 624. Bulletin N° 609, July 2021 Reprint. Resolution 731 Bulletin 610, 05 August 2021.
Product: Cocuy
Delimited geographic area
State of Lara
Initial beneficiary: Government of the State of Lara
Carenero Cocoa
Granted: Resolution 623. Bulletin 609. 02 July 2021.
Product: Cocoa
Initial beneficiary: Government of the Bolivarian State of Miranda.
Delimited geographic area
Barlovento Region
Cacao Caripito
Granted: Resolution 1046. Bulletin 612, November 15, 2021.
Product: Cocoa Seeds
Initial beneficiary: Sociedad Civil Consejo Regulador de la Denominación de Origen Cacao de Caripito (Regulatory Council of the Cacao de Caripito Denomination of Origin).
Delimited geographic area
Municipality Bolivar of the state of Monagas, capital Caripito (surface of 358 km2), bordered to the north and east by the state of Sucre, to the south by the municipality Punceres and to the west by the municipality Caripe.
Boconó Coffee
Granted: Resolution 1533. Bulletin 619, November 11, 2022.
Product: Coffee
Main beneficiary: Asociación Oro Verde C.A. (ASOVER), and Asociación Café de la Montaña y Alimentos Sociedad Agrícola (CAFEMSA).
Delimited geographic area
Parishes: Boconó, El Carmen, Mosquey, Burbusay, Guaramacal, Monseñor Jáuregui, Rafael Rangel, San Miguel, Ayacucho and San José de Tostós in the municipality of Boconó, Trujillo State.
Cacao de Choroní
Granted: Resolution 1534. Bulletin 619, November 11, 2022.
Product: Cocoa beans
Beneficiary: Corporación Socialista del Cacao Venezolano S.A. and Grupo Cacaoro C.A.
Geographically delimited area
Choroní Parish, Girardot Municipality, Aragua State.
Due to the particularities of the Geographical Indications, it is recommended to request an in-person or virtual appointment at the Directorate of Geographical Indications before submitting the required documents, in order to receive the appropriate guidance (indicaciongeografica@gmail.com).
The required documents are as follows:
- Articles of Incorporation of the association
- Minutes of the assembly where the president is appointed.
- Technical report or specifications Informe técnico o pliego de condiciones
- Draft of the Regulatory Council
- Draft of the regulations of use
- Completed and duly signed form
Agricultural PGI
- Soil studies.
- Climate data.
- Physicochemical studies: quality standards.
- Organoleptic properties studies.
- Product quality studies, according to some of the COVENIN or other standards.
Livestock PGI
- Parameters of productive character, carcass and meat.
- Physicochemical characteristics of meat pieces.
- Studies on the identification of raw material for food in the area.
- Studies on organoleptic properties.
- Product quality study, according to some of the COVENIN standards or others.
The role of the institute is to accompany the actors involved in the process of drawing up the specifications; to define the product with quality linked to its geographic origin; to provide food for thought, not only on acceptable practices, tools and qualities, but also on the impact of each agreement at the local level and on the chain.
It also facilitates the process of identifying the link between the product and the biophysical environment, the human environment and the interaction between the two, as well as serving as a mediator between actors with divergent visions to help overcome conflicts and reach agreements.
For the granting of Geographical Indications, the same procedure established for trademarks is followed, as indicated in the Industrial Property Law of 1955, with the difference that there is a technical and legal evaluation process.
The phases are as follows
- Application for the Geographical Indication before the SAPI with the required documents.
- Examination of form by SAPI.
- Order of publication in the Bulletin and publication in the press.
- Technical inspection by experts to verify the quality and reputation of the product.
- Publication in the Bulletin for opposition purposes.
- Substantive review:
-Technical evaluation of the specifications by three (3) experts in the field.
-Evaluation of the legal aspects of the Regulatory Council and the Regulations for use. - Declaration. In the event that the requirements are met, the evaluations are favorable, and if there is no opposition, the declaration of the Geographical Indication is published in the Industrial Property Bulletin, and if there is no opposition, the declaration of the Geographical Indication is published in the Industrial Property Bulletin.
In the implementation phase of the Granted Geographical Indications (GIs), after their official recognition, SAPI's participation is to:
- Establish synergy with other institutions for the formalization of commercial aspects at the producer level.
- To promote quality compliance.
- Define the product with quality linked to the geographical origin.
1.- To watch over the compliance of the quality of the product.
2.- To manage quality tests with public and private institutions.
3.- To supervise producers to verify technical conditions.
4.- Propose changes in the Regulation of Use of the product with PGI.
5.- Manage the Authorization of Use of the PGI before the SAPI.
6.- Register producers who comply with the Regulation of Use.
7.- Establish sanctions for non-compliance with the Regulation of Use.
8.- Attempt legal actions against third parties in case of inappropriate use of the PGI.
9.- To endorse the origin of the product with PGI.
