Kick-off of EUIPO Mentorship for Brazilian GI Coffee producers in Minas Gerais
The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), in the context of the EU-funded IP cooperation project AL-INVEST Verde IPR, launched a new mentorship in April in Minas Gerais, Brazil, for Brazilian coffee producers with geographical indications (GIs). The event brought together representatives from various GI coffee-producing regions across the country, alongside key partners of the Brazilian GI ecosystem, such as the Brazilian Support Service for Micro and Small Enterprises (SEBRAE).
The newest mentorship under the AL-INVmentor initiative aims to strengthen the governance, strategy, and sustainability of Brazil’s GI coffee sector through targeted support and knowledge exchange. It is the second mentorship under AL-INVmentor, following the successful implementation of the first mentorship that focused on GIs in the MERCOSUR countries and concluded in March. The first in-person mentoring session for Brazilian GI coffee producers focused on strategic positioning and governance, as well as priority mapping and defining shared and individual goals.
The mentorship will run from April to September 2025 and includes the participation of the Origin Linked Products (OLPs) of the ‘Plataforma Origem Controlada Café’. Producers from thirteen Brazilian GI coffee producing regions participated in the first mentorship session: Alta Mogiana, Campo das Vertentes, Canastra, Caparaó, Cerrado Mineiro, Chapada Diamantina, Mantiqueira de Minas, Matas de Minas, Montanhas do Espírito Santo, Região de Garça, Região de Pinhal, Sudoeste de Minas and Vale da Grama. The next virtual collective mentorship sessions are scheduled for May and July.
By supporting these GI coffee-producing regions, the EUIPO contributes to enhancing the value, reputation, and international positioning of Brazilian GI coffee through robust GI management. This initiative reflects the EU’s ongoing commitment to fostering sustainable local development and reinforcing the global recognition of quality and OLPs. This support also aligns with the EU’s Deforestation-Free Regulation, which places increasing emphasis on traceability and sustainability in agricultural supply chains—particularly for commodities like coffee. Effective GI systems thus become key not only for market access but also for building value around products that comply with EUDR requirements.
The EUIPO is an international GI registration authority that builds on decades of expertise leading the EU’s international cooperation activities on IP rights, including geographical indications. The EUIPO was recently entrusted with managing the registration of craft and industrial GIs at EU level. The first applications can be filed from 1 December 2025.