Thanks to this legislation, it will be possible to register the locally renowned names of handicraft and industrial products (such as natural stones, woodwork, jewelry, textiles, lace, cutlery, glass, porcelain as well as leather) throughout the European Union, obtaining a protection similar to the one already in place for Geographical Indications in the agri-food sector.
The registration process consists of two phases:
– the first phase takes place at a national level;
– the second phase takes place at an EU level before the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).
EU member states will be able to choose whether to set up a national authority to handle applications or to delegate the entire procedure to the EUIPO.
The new regulation will enter into force on November 16th, 2023, and it will be applicable starting from December 1st, 2025.
