Thinking about registering your product as a geographical indication?

Let’s walk through the process, step by step.

How you apply depends on the EU country where your product originates.

In most cases, you’ll follow the standard two-phase procedure:

First, the National Phase, handled in your Member State.

Then, the Union Phase, handled at EU level by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (the EUIPO).

National Phase

You start by submitting your application to your national competent authority, in your own EU official language.

Depending on your country, you’ll submit it either directly to your national authority or via the EUIPO’s Geographical Indication portal (or GIportal).

Applicants must create an account to use the GIportal before submitting their application.

If your application passes the initial review, it will be published and a national opposition procedure may begin.

At this point, anyone with a legitimate interest and established or resident in the Member State in charge of the national phase can oppose.

If there’s an admissible opposition, the parties can try to reach an agreement—

and, if needed, adjust the content of the application.

If the changes are substantial, the application may need to be published again.

Union Phase

If your application is approved at national level, it is forwarded to the EUIPO for review.

If the assessment is positive, the application is published again – this time for an international opposition procedure— excluding national opponents.

If an opposition is filed and no agreement between the parties is reached, the EUIPO will take a decision on the dispute.

The EUIPO Mediation Centre offers the parties the possibility of reaching a friendly settlement of their dispute through mediation.

If approved, your product name is entered into the Union register of geographical indications for craft and industrial products...

giving it full protection across the EU.

Special cases

There’s also a Direct Procedure, but it only applies if the product originates in Denmark, Finland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, or Sweden.

In these cases, you apply directly to the EUIPO via the GIportal, and the EUIPO takes over the entire process...

with assistance from a single point of contact appointed by the Member State where the product originates.

If the product originates outside the EU, you also apply directly through the GIportal.

That’s it—you now know how the registration process works.

It’s a powerful way to protect the name of your product, promote your activity and strengthen your competitiveness.

Ready to get started? Apply for a geographical indication today.