Mercosur and European Union Association Agreement: An Approach to Geographical Indications and Positive and Negative Aspects

Abstract

Environmental certification is a topic that often stands out with its potential in times of consumerist demands from the national and international market. Products registered with the Geographical Indication, whether in the Indication of Origin or Denomination of Origin modalities, emerge as opportunities for valuing the small and medium-sized producer both in terms of qualities inherent to the unique products and in a policy of cultural, ethnic, labor and familiar. In 2019, the conclusion of negotiations for the Association Agreement between the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) and the European Union was announced. The document represents a major advance in economic, political, social and environmental relations between the members of Mercosur and the European Union. Among the topics addressed in the agreement, intellectual property, the protection of GIs, tariff reduction and commercial concessions between the two blocs stand out. Considering the complexity of the subject at the international level, the available information and the little transparency of the Agreement's negotiating process, the article presents an approach on the Geographical Indications system in Brazil, the European Union and Mercosur, and a preliminary analysis of the positive impacts and negatives of the Agreement. As a methodological approach, priority is given to exploratory, bibliographical and documentary research, with descriptive secondary data analysis. It was observed that the industrial, services and primary sectors will be largely affected. In the case of Brazil, agribusiness seems to be the economic segment that will be impacted by the greatest risks and opportunities, especially in terms of Geographical Indications for small and medium-sized producers.