Better protection for local craftsmanship

The EPP Group has successfully accomplished a harmonised European protection of traditional know-how. Today, the European Parliament will endorse new rules to protect geographical indications for craft and industrial products while increasing consumers’ awareness and strengthening producers’ competitiveness.

“Today is an important day for craftsmanship from the regions of Europe. For the first time, we are creating a Europe-wide protection that guarantees the authenticity, quality and origin of handicrafts such as porcelain, jewellery and similar products made in the EU”, said Marion Walsmann MEP, Parliament’s lead negotiator on the new law. Products like Murano glass, Solingen cutlery or Macael marble can then be protected EU-wide.

“I am particularly pleased that we have succeeded in implementing a quick and cost-effective registration process for this new protection. Micro, small and medium-sized businesses can receive support with the preparation of their applications and benefit from low fees”, Walsmann added.

Instead of filing different applications in different Member States, Europe-wide protection can be obtained with a single application. Customers who buy Bohemian glass, Limoges porcelain, Bolesławiec ceramics or Black Forest cuckoo clocks, for example, then have the certainty that the products they have purchased are not fake or imitations. The protection of geographical indications will apply to both offline and online trade. Domain names are also protected.

In the EU, it is estimated that around 400 artisanal and industrial products could benefit from such protection, complementing the existing EU protection for agricultural geographical indications like ‘Prosciutto di Parma’ or ‘Champagne’.