Opposition to the registration of Carne do Minho as a Protected Geographical Indication

The Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DGADR) has opened the national opposition procedure regarding the registration request for «Carne do Minho» as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). The opening was determined by a decree from the director-general dated September 24, 2026, and published in the Diário da República, 2nd series, no. 207, of October 26, 2026, via Notice (extract) no. 26468/2026/2. The opposition period is 30 days from the date of publication of the notice.

The registration request was submitted by AGROMINHOTA — Agrupamento de Produtores de Carne, Leite e Queijo da Raça Minhota, the entity representing the Minhota native breed sector. The notice is signed by director-general José Eduardo Reis, dated October 20, 2026, and is included in the Agriculture and Sea section of the official bulletin.

The legal basis invoked is twofold: paragraphs 4 and 5 of Article 10 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council of April 11, and paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 10 of Ordinance no. 123/2025/1 of March 21, which approves the Coordination Regulation for Geographical Indications of Agricultural Products, Foodstuffs and Spirit Drinks other than wine and Traditional Specialities Guaranteed.

Who can oppose and within what timeframe

The legitimacy to submit statements of opposition is recognized for any natural or legal person residing or headquartered in the national territory, provided they demonstrate a legitimate interest. The deadline is 30 days, counted from the publication of the notice in the Diário da República.

• Deadline: 30 days from the publication of Notice (extract) no. 26468/2026/2.
• Holders of the right to oppose: natural or legal persons residing or headquartered in Portugal, with a demonstrated legitimate interest.
• Opening decision: decree from the director-general of DGADR dated September 24, 2026.

Three ways to submit the opposition

The notice establishes three methods of submission, each with its own rule regarding the relevant submission date:

• Email: to dspaa@dgadr.pt, where the date of submission is the date of the respective dispatch.
• Registered mail: to Avenida Afonso Costa, n.º 3, 1949-002 Lisboa, where the date of submission is the date of the postal registration.
• In-person delivery: at the DGADR offices located at the indicated address, during normal public service hours, where the date of submission is the date of the respective delivery.

Product specification available for consultation

The Product Specification supporting the registration request can be consulted on the DGADR website, at https://www.dgadr.gov.pt/pt/dop-igp-etg. This document contains the technical elements of the product for which protection is requested, the subject matter upon which any opponents must base their statements.

Impact for the Minhota breed sector

The decision directly concerns livestock producers, processors, and agents of the Minhota breed sector, who now have a short deadline to contest the request with the DGADR. The registration of “Carne do Minho” as a Protected Geographical Indication, if realized, would reserve the designation for operators who comply with the product specification and are covered by the delimited geographical area, with effects on competition in the certified meat market.

Source: Diário da República, 2nd series, no. 207, of October 26, 2026, Agriculture and Sea (official reference: Notice (extract) no. 26468/2026/2).