The aim of these articles is to keep our Clients and Associates updated about developments in the sector of Intellectual Property in general and our firm in particular. In this way, we wish to provide a broader view of the tools that the field of trade marks, domain names, patents, designs and related rights offers to entrepreneurs to enhance and protect their efforts in researching and developing new solutions and ideas.
New EU Regulation on the Protection of Geographical Indications for Craft and Industrial Products
Here we would like to take a closer look at an increasingly relevant topic for businesses manufacturing unique, traditional and authentic goods: the protection of Geographical Indications (GIs) for craft and industrial products in the European Union.
First of all, it is worth recalling what is meant by Geographical Indication (GI).
Geographical Indications (GIs) protect goods that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
GIs, including PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) and PGI (Protected Geographical Indication), are a fundamental tool to enhance the authenticity of agri-food, craft and industrial products against counterfeiting and unauthorised use of local names and traditions. Among the best-known Italian agri-food PDOs and PGIs are Grana Padano (cheese), Parmigiano Reggiano (cheese), Prosciutto di Parma (ham), Gorgonzola (cheese) and Aceto balsamico di Modena (vinegar).
In the agri-food sector, PDOs and PGIs are governed by various EU regulations that provide for a centralised registration system, i.e. a system that allows food producers to apply for the protection of their PDOs and PGIs through a single administrative procedure managed at European level. In practice, there is no longer a need to initiate separate procedures in individual Member States, but rather a centralised system is now available, covering all EU countries and facilitating the registration and protection of Geographical Indications.
Until recently, however, this system was not provided for producers of craft and industrial products, who had to apply for registration in individual EU Member States.
However, thanks to Regulation (EU) 2023/2411 (approved on 18 October 2023), as of December 2025, companies manufacturing craft or industrial products linked to tradition and geographical origin will be able to register their GIs through a centralised procedure managed by the EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office), thus ensuring greater protection and visibility on the market. A harmonised system is thus introduced for the protection of Geographical Indications (GIs) of craft and industrial products in the European Union.
This new industrial property right will be valid throughout the European Union, will extend to craft and industrial products the same protection provided for protected geographical indications in the agri-food sector, and will enable the international promotion of local and regional territories and productions.
Products such as natural stones, wooden objects, jewellery, textiles, lace, cutlery, glass, porcelain, hides and skins will benefit from this new regime.
For this to happen, the products in question must meet the following requirements:
- they originate from a specific place, region or country;
- a specific quality, reputation or other characteristic is essentially attributable to the geographical origin;
- at least one of the production steps takes place in a defined geographical area.
Who Can Apply for PDO and PGI Registration?
Applications may be submitted by producer groups or producer associations, which must be representative of the geographical area and the production area. Applications may be submitted for both craft and industrial products that meet the requirements of geographical origin and link to the territory.
What Changes with the New Regulation?
- Centralised registration: The registration of GIs will no longer be split among different national jurisdictions, but will take place through a single procedure covering all EU Member States. This will ease the process for small and medium-sized enterprises, which often face high costs and administrative complexities in protecting their traditional products.
The standard filing, examination and registration procedure will consist of two steps:
- Producers will file their applications with the designated competent authorities of the Member States for evaluation at national level and management of the possible procedure of opposition to the relevant registration;
- The national authorities will then submit successful applications to EUIPO for further evaluation of competence, with a view to final approval or rejection of the application.
- Single evaluation process: Once the application is submitted, the EUIPO or competent body will proceed with the evaluation of the product according to the established criteria (geographical origin, link to the territory, production method, etc.). If the application is accepted, the GI will be registered and protected in all EU Member States.
- Broad territorial coverage: From December 2025, producers of craft and industrial products linked to local traditions will have a single protection covering the entire European market, which will reduce the risk of counterfeiting and improve competitiveness.
- Support for SMEs: The new regulation aims to facilitate the protection of GIs, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises, which often represent the heart of European craft and industrial traditions. This will give them access to a high level of legal protection without incurring prohibitive costs.
Benefits for Producers and Consumers
- Product valorisation: GIs help to enhance the value of craft and industrial products, giving them an identity linked to territory and tradition. This not only increases their perceived value but also facilitates access to international markets.
- Uniform protection against counterfeiting: GI registration makes it possible to protect products from fraudulent imitations and unfair practices, ensuring that only authentic products can use the protected name, and will offer Europe-wide legal protection. In practice, producers will be sure that only authentic and legitimate products can use the protected name throughout the EU.
- Protection of tradition: GIs preserve the link between product and territory, helping to keep alive local craft and industrial traditions, which are an integral part of the culture and economy of many regions.
- Access to new market opportunities: Thanks to this simplification, companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), will be able to access new markets more easily, benefit from greater visibility and protect their identity in an increasingly competitive global market. Registered products, in fact, will benefit from greater visibility, associated with the PDO or PGI mark, which identifies them as authentic and of high quality.
- Bureaucratic simplification: The elimination of the need to handle separate procedures in each EU Member State greatly simplifies the whole registration process for businesses.
The new European Regulation on the protection of GIs therefore marks an important step in the enhancement of traditional craft and industrial products, offering them greater protection and opportunities for growth on international markets. Geographical Indications are not only a guarantee of quality, but also a fundamental tool to protect the culture and economy of our regions.
Our professionals are available for further insights and to assess possible implications of the interference between trade marks and geographical indications – especially in oppositions proceedings – to which we will dedicate a special focus in future issues of our newsletter.