Since December 1, 2025, Regulation (EU) 2023/2411 has been in force, creating for the first time a specific European system to protect Geographical Indications (GI) for artisanal and industrial products. This is a historic advancement that recognizes the cultural, economic, and territorial value of craftsmanship, equating it to the level of protection already enjoyed by food and beverages such as wine, cheese, or oil with designation of origin.
This new legal framework is especially relevant for self-employed workers, artisan workshops, and small businesses, who will now have a European instrument capable of recognizing and protecting the distinctive quality of their products against imitations, misuse, and counterfeiting.
What is a Geographical Indication?
A Geographical Indication is a seal that certifies that a product possesses characteristics, reputation, or quality directly linked to the territory where it is produced. Until now, this system applied only to the agri-food sector, but the new regulation extends it to:
- Artisanal products: lace, ceramics, leather, weaving, metal crafts, blown glass, etc.
- Traditional industrial products: manufactures with a process or technique linked to a territory.
A Galician example would be Camariñas lace, whose manual production, tradition, and prestige are intimately related to its surroundings. With the new system, products of this type will be able to apply for official European protection.
What conditions must products meet?
To register as a GI, products must:
- Originate from a clearly defined geographical area.
- Have a quality or reputation attributable to the territory.
- Carry out at least one phase of production in the indicated area.
This means that both artisanal know-how and the link to the territory become protected assets at the European level.
The process to obtain this protection combines a national review with final validation by the EUIPO, the European body responsible for assessing whether the product truly represents the territory it claims. Only those who can demonstrate an authentic relationship, a unique technique, and part of the production in the place of origin will be able to register as a Geographical Indication. But for many artisanal or industrial producers, this system will represent a unique opportunity to strengthen their brand and access a market where authenticity is increasingly valued.
The advantage for self-employed workers and SMEs is clear: greater defense against copies, official recognition of their quality, and a boost to commercialization within and outside Spain. European protection can become a key element for generations that have spent decades keeping a craft alive and who now have legal backing worthy of their work.
Galicia, with a diverse artisanal fabric and a broad heritage of traditional manufactures, can find in this new framework a way to strengthen sectors that combine tradition, innovation, and local economy. The European Union not only recognizes products, it recognizes stories, and many of them begin in workshops, towns, and regions that now have the opportunity to claim their value with an official seal.
Having professional support, such as that offered by the Economic Office of Galicia, can be decisive for successful implementation. Take advantage of specialized advice and free resources at your disposal to strengthen your business project.
