On September 12, 2023, the European Union approved new EU regulations for the purpose of protecting geographical indications (GI) of crafts and industrial products. The new rules extend the scope of protection to locally well-known non-food products such as lace, glass, natural gemstones, jewelry or porcelain, covering the EU and the world. The main objectives of the new regulations are to harmonize different national systems, improve consumer awareness and enhance the competitiveness of producers.
The new regulations stipulate that new geographical indications of industrial products will be reviewed starting at the national level and ultimately by the EUIPO. EU member states can choose whether to apply for national registration procedures. If they request to be exempted from national registration procedures, EUIPO will be responsible for the entire process. At the same time, member states will have one year to decide which geographical indications have been protected at the national level, register and protect them in the EU, and notify the Executive Committee and EUIPO.
The new regulations will come into effect 20 days after publication in the Official Journal of the European Union and are scheduled to be implemented 2 years from this effective date.
