Andean GI Mentorships Conclude with Tangible Results and Regional Collaboration
The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), through the EU-funded project AL-INVEST Verde IPR, held the final session of the mentorship programme for producers of geographical indications (GIs) in the Andean Community. Held on 16 September 2025, the final mentorship session of this edition of the AL-INVmentor initiative marked the successful conclusion of months of intensive collaboration, training, and knowledge exchange.
The closing event, attended by national and local authorities from Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, featured presentations by the three producer groups supported through the programme:
- Achira biscuits from Huila, Colombia
- Native potatoes from Ayacucho, Peru
- Galápagos coffee, Ecuador
Each group shared the progress made during the mentorships, including the submission or preparation of applications for GI registration, and steps toward the establishment of Regulatory Councils. These results reflect growing technical capacity and institutional coordination, as well as an increased awareness of the importance of intellectual property tools for rural development.
Government representatives from the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (SIC) of Colombia, the National Institute for the Defense of Free Competition and the Protection of Intellectual Property (INDECOPI) in Peru, and the National Service for Intellectual Rights (SENADI) of Ecuador, joined the session to highlight the importance of continued support for producers and local value chains through public policy and cooperation.
The AL-INVmentor mentorship programme of the AL-INVEST Verde IPR project promotes sustainable, inclusive growth through the strategic use of intellectual property rights (IPRs) across Latin America. It builds on earlier mentorships conducted in MERCOSUR and Brazil, as well as ongoing mentorships for artisanal producers in Chile and Colombia, and furthers the EU’s commitment to biodiversity conservation, social equity, and responsible trade.
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, for more information see: https://www.euipo.europa.eu/en/gi-hub.