The Port and Douro Wines Institute (IVDP) announced that the designations of origin “Douro” and “Porto”, including the designation “Port”, are protected in the United Kingdom, after a registration application made following ‘Brexit’.
As said in a statement, following the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union (‘Brexit’), the application for registration as certification marks was submitted in March 2019 to the UK Intellectual Property Office.
Gilberto Igrejas, president of the IVDP, said that until the occurrence of ‘Brexit’ these designations of origin were protected in the United Kingdom under European regulations and the European geographical indications registration system (eAmbrosia).
He added that “the uncertainty, which at this date still remains, regarding the protection of designations of origin and geographical indications in that third country required preventive action on the part of the IVDP”.
“Regardless of the outcome of the ongoing negotiations and in this regard, Porto, Port and Douro are already protected in the United Kingdom”, stressed the organization that is based in Peso da Régua.
Registration was granted on August 10 for the “Douro” and “Port” certification marks and on August 11 for the “Porto” certification mark.
The United Kingdom is an important export market for wines from the Douro Demarcated Region.
According to data from the IVDP, between January and June around 10 million euros of Port wine and 1.9 million euros of PDO Douro wines were exported to that market.
The IVDP’s mission is to certify, control, protect and promote the Porto and Douro Designations of Origin and the Douro Geographical Indication in Portugal and worldwide.