On 1° December 2025, the new European system for the protection of Geographical Indications for craft and industrial products, established by Regulation (EU) 2023/2411, had come into force in Italy. This marks a major turning point for Made in Italy, as it allows traditional non-agri-food products to be protected at European level, enhancing the link between quality and territory.
Index:
- Launch of the new European protection system
- Requirements for obtaining the new Geographical Indications
- The filing procedure
- Opportunities and critical issues
Avvio del nuovo sistema europeo di tutela
On 1° December 2025, the new European system for the protection of Geographical Indications for craft and industrial products (non-agricultural geographical indications), provided for by Regulation (EU) 2023/2411, has become fully operational in Italy. As anticipated last year, this represents a highly significant development: for the first time, names linked to traditional productions other than agri-food or wine products—such as glass, ceramics, textiles, leather goods, musical instruments, jewellery and more—can benefit from unitary protection throughout the European Union, similar to that long granted to agri-food PDOs and PGIs.
Requirements for obtaining the new Geographical Indications
Products eligible for protection under the new craft and industrial geographical dindications must, in summary, meet the following requirements:
- they must originate in a specific place, region or country;
- their quality, reputation or other characteristics must be essentially attributable to their geographical origin;
- at least one stage of their production must take place in the defined geographical area.
According to Article 4 of the above-mentioned Regulation, craft products are defined as “products made entirely by hand, or with the aid of manual or digital tools, or by mechanical means, where the manual contribution constitutes an important component of the finished product,” while industrial products are defined as those “produced in a standardised manner, including mass production and through the use of machinery.”
For example, eligible products may include “natural stones, wooden objects, jewellery, textiles, lace, cutlery, porcelain, leather and hides,” which could clearly benefit districts such as those in the jewellery, leather goods or footwear sectors.
Improper use of protected names may also be addressed online, including marketplaces and domain names.
The filing procedure
From a practical standpoint, as of 1 December 2025 producer associations may file applications via the online portal of the UIBM (Italian Patent and Trademark Office), following a two-stage procedure.
The first stage takes place at national level and involves the filing of the application, the product specification, and supporting documentation, together with payment of the stamp duty.
Once this phase has been successfully completed, the application is forwarded to the EUIPO (the European Union Intellectual Property Office), which is responsible for deciding on EU-level registration.
Opportunities and critical issues
The new system represents a very significant opportunity for Made in Italy, as it allows traditional skills and productions to be enhanced, protects the reputation of manufacturing districts, and enables effective differentiation from imitations, which are increasingly common in the global and digital market.
A potential critical issue lies in the coexistence with existing collective marks and regional certification schemes, which are often used for similar purposes. Nevertheless, the introduction of craft and industrial geographical indications offers a valuable opportunity to convert traditional products into genuine industrial property rights that can be exploited and enforced throughout the European Union.
To best navigate the filing process and draft product specifications that comply with the applicable legislation, it is always advisable to seek the assistance of professionals with specific expertise in this field.