GI protection for EU produced craft and industrial products - what about the UK?

The European Union proposes to protect EU produced craft and industrial products that rely on the originality and authenticity of traditional production practices from their regions. 

This framework will cover products such as Murano glass and Donegal tweed and is similar to the geographical indication (GI) system already in place for food and drinks, such as Parma ham. Consequently, for example, only glass produced in Murano (a series of islands linked by bridges in the Venetian Lagoon, northern Italy) and according to recognised production methods could be called Murano glass.

GI craft and industrial products would obtain protection in the EU's 27 countries and, outside the EU, in those (currently 32) countries that are signatories to the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications, as well as those countries where this form of protection will exist in bilateral trade agreements with the EU.

The protection proposed will extend to protection on the internet. For that purpose, the proposal clarifies the relationship between internet domain names and the protection of GIs by imposing conditions under which infringing and abusive domain name registrations can be revoked or transferred.

What about the UK?

UK and EU GIs, which currently only exist for food and drink products and which were in existence prior to 31 December 2020, are recognised in the UK and the EU. Post-Brexit, the UK has its own GI scheme for food and drink products produced in the UK. A UK food or drink producer with a UK GI can apply to the EU to have its product recognised with a GI in the EU. Different rules apply to producers in Northern Ireland. The UK has bilateral trade agreements and other agreements with third countries that address GI protection. For example, over 700 US-produced wines carry the AVA label and are protected in the UK under a GI-like scheme.

In relation to craft and industrial products, there is no similar protection in existence in the UK to that proposed for the EU. The UK is not a signatory to the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement.