Component 3 for Intellectual Property Rights, implemented by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), launched in April in Minas Gerais (Brazil) a new mentoring event for Brazilian producers of coffee with Geographical Indications (GIs). The event brought together representatives from several GI coffee producing regions across the country, together with key partners of the Brazilian GI ecosystem, such as the Brazilian Service for the Support of Micro and Small Enterprises (SEBRAE).

The most recent mentoring under the AL-INVmentor initiative aims to strengthen the governance, strategy and sustainability of Brazil's GI coffee sector through targeted support and knowledge sharing. This is the second mentoring in the framework of AL-INVmentor, following the success of the first one, which focused on GIs from MERCOSUR countries and concluded in March. The first face-to-face mentoring session for Brazilian GI coffee producers focused on strategic positioning and governance, as well as on setting priorities and defining shared and individual objectives.

The mentoring will run from April to September 2025 and includes the participation of the Origin-Linked Products (OLP) of the "Plataforma Origem Controlada Café".. The first mentoring session involved producers from thirteen Brazilian GI coffee producing regions: 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 mentoring 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 sound GI management. This initiative reflects the EU's ongoing commitment to promote sustainable local development and strengthen the global recognition of quality and PLOs. This support is also in line with the EU's No Deforestation Regulation, which places increasing emphasis on traceability and sustainability in agricultural supply chains, especially for commodities such as coffee. Effective GI systems are thus crucial not only for market access, but also for creating value around EUDR-compliant products.

The EUIPO is an international GI registration authority with decades of experience at the forefront of the EU's international cooperation activities on intellectual property rights, including geographical indications. The EUIPO has recently been entrusted with managing the registration of artisanal and industrial GIs at EU level. The first applications can be submitted from 1 December 2025.