Bill 619.

Summary.

The bill proposes an Artisan Seal as an official mark for specific artisanal food products made in the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá). Its purpose is to identify products that meet existing sanitary and production rules and to strengthen their traceability, quality and food safety. It would apply to individuals and legal entities, family businesses, associations and other artisanal production units making foods covered by the list approved by resolution, its annexes and subsequent updates. It defines the seal as evidence that a product has completed a minimum formalization path; traceability as the ability to follow its origin and production; and artisanal labeling as the required information on its package or container.

Use of the seal would be authorized separately for each product that completes that path and meets the applicable requirements. The State would promote the seal through coordination among institutions, commercial promotion and market access. Competent authorities could include products bearing it in public procurement programs under existing rules, facilitate participation by seal holders in fairs and business events, and provide consumer information about the products’ origin and traceability.

To obtain the seal, producers would have to meet the specified requirements progressively and in the stated order: a sanitary registration from the Ministry of Health (Ministerio de Salud), agroindustry certification from the Ministry of Agricultural Development (Ministerio de Desarrollo Agropecuario), an operating notice from the Ministry of Commerce and Industries (Ministerio de Comercio e Industrias), and recognition or registration as an artisan from the Ministry of Culture (Ministerio de Cultura). Once the competent institutions verify compliance, use of the seal would be authorized for the relevant product. Each certified product would display it visibly on its labeling, packaging or commercial presentation. The mark would identify the product and its responsible producer or association and could be issued through physical or digital means established by regulation.

The seal would be linked to a traceability system identifying at least the product’s origin, responsible producer and production batch. Regulations would set technical conditions, minimum information and requirements for institutional interoperability; they could also provide for QR codes or other verification methods accessible to consumers. The Ministry of Commerce and Industries would lead administration of the seal. The bill creates the Interinstitutional Committee (Comité Interinstitucional) as a consultative body for technical coordination, while preserving each institution’s statutory powers.

The Ministry of Health would assess sanitary risks, issue the operating permit and sanitary registration, and maintain oversight. The Ministry of Agricultural Development would certify artisanal agroindustry status and support good practices; the Ministry of Culture would validate the artisanal status of producers and products; and the Ministry of Commerce and Industries would facilitate commercial formalization. The Consumer Protection and Competition Defense Authority (Autoridad de Protección al Consumidor y Defensa de la Competencia) would oversee commercial information and assist with monitoring the seal. The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Authority (Autoridad de la Micro, Pequeña y Mediana Empresa) would provide business support. The Interinstitutional Committee, supported by the National Accreditation Council (Consejo Nacional de Acreditación), would promote training and capabilities in conformity assessment, auditing and certification.

Counterfeiting, reproducing, altering or using the seal without authorization, applying it to an unauthorized product, or failing to maintain the conditions for its award would constitute misuse. The competent authority could impose a written warning, proportional fine, suspension, cancellation or, where warranted, product withdrawal through an administrative procedure observing due process. The bill states that its provisions complement Ministry of Health resolutions and other existing rules: technical matters would continue to be governed by those instruments. The Executive Branch (Órgano Ejecutivo) would issue implementing regulations within no more than twelve months after promulgation. The bill would take effect upon promulgation in the Official Gazette. Its provisions would concern artisanal food producers, associations, artisanal agroindustry, trade and consumers.