New EU Protection Scheme for Geographical Indications Extends to Craft and Industrial Goods
In December 2025, the European Union expanded its system for protecting the names and reputations of products tied to specific places. The European Intellectual Property Office, known as EUIPO, will oversee the administration of this new regime from its Alicante base. The regulation creates a single, EU-wide framework that safeguards craft and industrial goods whose value rests on regional origin and traditional production methods. This mirrors the existing protections already used for foods and beverages that carry an origin or region-based reputation. Examples of products anticipated to benefit include bohemian crystal, Murano glass, Limoges porcelain, Donegal tweed, Solingen cutlery, and Boleslawiec pottery, among others. This approach aims to preserve regional heritage while promoting high-quality goods across the EU and beyond.
Although the regulation becomes effective on a Thursday, the registration process will open on December 1, 2025. Records under the new regime will begin from that date, with a transitional period closing on December 2 of the following year. Member states are required to nominate their existing national names by that closing date so they can be recognized under the EU system. Projections estimate that hundreds of applications will be filed, reflecting strong interest from producers across diverse sectors.
According to the EUIPO leadership, the new framework will help consumers identify genuine, high-quality local products. It reinforces a strong link to cultural heritage and provides incentives for manufacturers, especially micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, to invest in new products and create market niches. This approach is seen as a way to elevate regional brands while safeguarding traditional production methods that define a region’s character.
From Specialized to Broad Protection
Since 1992, the European Union has safeguarded the geographical indications of agricultural products. This system has helped preserve and promote foods, wines, and spirits with distinguished regional origins, such as champagne from the Champagne region of France or Parmigiano Reggiano from Italy. The new regulation extends this protection beyond agricultural goods to include craft and industrial items—natural stone, textiles, jewelry, porcelain, and carpentry—areas that had not previously benefited from EU-wide protection. Producers will be able to use the right in the same way as before, and an official symbol for protected geographical indications will denote compliance with relevant specifications. By increasing transparency around origin and production techniques, the regime aims to boost regional visibility, support traditional crafts, and sustain related businesses.
EUIPO will oversee the entire registration process for this EU intellectual property right at the Union level. The registration system comprises two stages: a national filing aligned with local objectives and an examination by EUIPO at the EU level. This two-tier process keeps evaluation close to producers while ensuring consistency across the Union. Access to this service will be public and free at the EU level, with any fees applying only to the national phase when applicable.
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In related discussions, it is noted that certain regions do not yet have a national system in place. Entities that can demonstrate limited local interest in protecting geographical indications may request exemption from establishing national procedures. Groups of producers in those member states may apply directly to EUIPO through a direct registration procedure, though this path carries a fee. The goal remains to streamline protection while ensuring fair access for producers.
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EUIPO is expected to develop and maintain several IT tools to manage and promote geographical indications for artisanal and industrial products. The tools include a digital filing system called GIPortal, a Union register for artisanal and industrial geographical indications, and the GIView database, which currently covers agricultural products. A dedicated geographical indications platform will provide up-to-date information about the new protection right and help users navigate the registration process more easily.
Overall, the EU’s expansion of geographical indication protection seeks to safeguard regional craftsmanship and establish clear, recognizable signals of origin for consumers across Europe while offering a pathway for producers to expand into new markets. The approach recognizes the importance of traditional techniques and regional identity in today’s global marketplace, a stance that resonates with markets in North America that increasingly value authentic, locally rooted products.