Intellectual property: Commission issues a Proposal for protection of European Union craft and industrial products
On 13 April 2022, the European Commission issued a Proposed framework regulation “to protect the intellectual property for craft and industrial products that rely on the originality and authenticity of traditional practices from their regions.” The proposal establishes intellectual property protections, creates a two-step application process for geographical indication (GI) involving approval from both the Member State (if applicable) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), integrates the European system with international GI protectors under the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and provides incentives for producers to invest in authentic materials and hone skills unique to geographic regions or individual Member States to boost their respective economies. This proposal follows the EU Intellectual Property Action Plan that was proposed in 2020 and is aligned with the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origins and Geographical Indications. The Regulation also aims to combat production of fraudulent goods, a key piece designed to streamline varying partial protections that exist at the national level. GI protections already exist for agricultural products, food, and wines. If adopted, this Regulation would extend GI protection for craft and industrial products. The European Parliament is conducting its first reading of the proposal and appointed the Legal Affairs Committee responsible for the Regulation on 17 May 2022.
