Geographical Indications

European Commission Regulation 2023/2411

EU Regulation 2023/2411 changes the standards for Geographical Indications in craft and industrial products. With effect from 16th November 2023, this Regulation offers strong protection in the EU, safeguarding the intellectual property rights of registered Geographical Indications. The Regulation will enter full force in the EU on the 1st of December 2025.

The new EU Regulation includes:
-Products that are either entirely produced by hand or with the aid of manual or digital tools, or by mechanical means, in which case the manual input is a significant component of the final product, or

-Products that are produced in a standardized manner, including mass production and with the use of machinery. Such products include natural stones, textiles, jewelry, porcelain and carpentry, protecting their names.

Geographical indication protection for handicraft and industrial products includes protection against:

(a) any direct or indirect commercial use of the geographical indication for products not covered by the registration and where the use of the name exploits the reputation of the protected geographical indication.

(b) any misuse, or imitation of the name protected by the geographical indication.

(c) any false or misleading indication of the origin of the product used on the packaging; and

(d) any other practice that may mislead the consumer as to the origin of the product.

Do not hesitate to contact us if you need more information about how to proceed for GI registration.