Nearly 350 products and services have received in the last years the right of use of the Transyilvania Authentica trademark through the program with the same name run by the Environmental Partnership Foundation from Miercurea Ciuc.

According to the coordinator of the program, it's about 338 Transylvanian products that are sold under this brand, of which 269 are artisan and 88 are food. Also, four hostels and tourist services have obtained the right to use the Transylvania Authentica trademark. 

Craft products include ceramic and wood pots, decorative products and household of rush, creations of clothing, towels or rugs, leather goods. In terms of food, they are among the most diverse in honey and fruit syrups to gingerbread.

The last Evaluation Session took place this month, when a number of 22 products have obtained the right to use the trademark. Its bee products, stuffed cabbage rolls, syrups and leather goods.

Project coordinators are clarifying that Transylvania Authentica trademark is given to the product not to the manufacturer and that these products must meet very strict conditions.

The selection is organized once a year, and the Commission that decides which products receive the right to use the trademark is formed by specialists, specific for each branch, such as ethnographer, engineers in the food industry or specialists in ethno-tourism.

The right of use of the trademark is granted for three years, and each year it is verified that products or services comply with the quality criteria. 

Representatives of the Environmental Partnership Foundation are specifying that the Transylvania Authentica brand has great success in trade fairs abroad and is beginning to be appreciated in Romania even though here "continues to count the price".

Transylvania Authentica program aims to safeguard traditional agriculture, culinary arts, and tourism products and services specific to the area, by strengthening the relationships between small producers and artisans of the region. This mark, the "Transylvania Authentica", is registered at the Romanian State Office for Inventions and Trademarks and there has been elaborated a system of quality criteria that must be meet by the products and services which are applying for the right of use of this trademark.

Miercurea Ciuc, 26^th July, 2011- AGERPRES (AS-Gina Ştefan)