New European Union system for the protection of geographical indications for craft and industrial products in force from 1 December

Regulation (EU) 2023/2411 on the protection of geographical indications for craft and industrial products has been applicable since 1 December 2025, establishing a uniform system of protection at European level for geographical indications for craft and industrial products, following the example of a similar system already established for agricultural and food products.

This system also enables or facilitates the acquisition of international protection of geographical indications in third countries (outside the EU) that are signatories to the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications established under the auspices of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), with the simultaneous possibility of protecting geographical indications from third countries on the territory of the EU.

Applications for registration of craft and industrial GIs can be submitted to national authorities or directly to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), depending on the type of procedure.

For EU Member States, registration is carried out according to the standard or direct procedure.

Applications for products originating in non-EU countries must be submitted to the EUIPO, either directly by the applicant or through the competent authorities of their respective countries.

A single registration provides permanent protection throughout the European Union.

Detailed information on the application process is available on the GIportal information page and on the European Commission's website dedicated to the protection of craft and industrial geographical indications (CIGI system).

You can also read more about geographical indications and the protection procedure at the following link: https://www.ipr.gov.ba/en/intellectual-property/indication-of-geographical-origin