New regulation on Geographical Indications and quality products

[20/03/2024]

On 28 February 2024, the European Parliament voted in favour of the new single regulation on Geographical Indications for agricultural products, wines and spirit drinks.

This regulation, which draws heavily on existing regulations, aims to strengthen and simplify the protection of Geographical Indications (GIs), particularly online and when used as ingredients.

The key points are as follows:

• Certain provisions specific to wine GIs remain in the Common Market Organisation (CMO) Regulation.
• Domain names or websites using GIs illegally will be shut down or access to them disabled via geo-blocking and an alert system will be set by the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).
• A GI designating a product used as an ingredient may be used in the name, labelling or advertising material of a related processed product only where the GI ingredient is used in sufficient quantities (the percentage will have to be indicated) to confer an essential characteristic on the processed product.
• “Producer groups” are recognised and may act more widely than before in defence of GIs.
• The notion of evocation of a GI such as defined by the case-law of the Court of Justice of the European Union has been taken over.
• The registration process of GIs will be simpler and a fixed deadline of six months will be set for scrutiny of new GIs.
• Consumers will have access to reports describing the economic, environmental and social sustainability of GIs.

Once the Council formally adopts the regulation, it will be published in the EU Official Journal and enter into force 20 days later.