Geographical Indication and Regional Development: Cause or Consequence

The Geographical Indication is an instrument of protection to products and services that have intrinsic value. The cities of Bento Gonçalves, Flores da Cunha, Monte Belo do Sul, Farroupilha, Paraty, Urussanga, Salinas and Abaíra are highlights in the Brazilian agricultural sector. These regions have territorial demarcations with a Geographical Indication certification, where the producers live in the same region and can sell their own products with this seal of quality. An analysis has as a starting point the following study problem: Is the success of the implementation of a Geographical Indication linked to the development of the region? The results showed that only the Gross Domestic Product per capita is not sufficient to prove a record of Geographic Indication was actually implemented successfully in a certain region or not, however it can be observed that in the developed regions the trend is much higher.