Geographical indication (GI) protection should be extended to regionally and locally manufactured goods and handicraft products rooted in traditional know-how so as to preserve local cultural heritage and boost growth, say Legal Affairs Committee MEPs in a non-legislative resolution voted on Tuesday. MEPs urge the Commission to propose a single European geographical indication protection system for non-agricultural products without delay.
“I welcome the support of the Legal Affairs Committee. This is a first step towards a European protection of European know-how. But it is now for the European Commission to take up the case, and I hope it will lead to a proposal for European legislation soon, already as part of Commission’s communication on the internal market expected for October”, rapporteur Virginie Rozière (S&D, FR) said after the vote.
The committee’s non-legislative resolution supporting extension of EU-level protection instrument from agricultural products and foodstuffs to non-agricultural products was approved unanimously (with 3 abstentions).
Preserving cultural heritage and traditional know-how
Legal Affairs MEPs urge commission to propose legislation with the aim of establishing system for geographical indication (GI) protection, which could be used to indicate a specific geographical origin, certain qualities and traditional techniques of non-agricultural products, such as Laguiole knives, Bohemian glass, Scottish tartan, Carrara marble and Aubusson tapestry. “A link with the territory of production is essential in order to identify the special know-how and designate the quality, authenticity and characteristics of the product”, MEPs stress.
In addition, geographical indications can have great economic potential and it can bring significant benefits especially for SMEs and EU regions, MEPs point out.
Assurance of product quality for consumers
The protection system could also help to enhance traceability and help consumers to make better-informed choices by eliminating the confusion caused by misleading names or descriptions. System could also help combatting counterfeiting, fraudulent use of names of geographical origin and other unfair practices, MEPs add.
Compulsory registration procedure
Mechanism for registration of products should be “most efficient, simple, useful and accessible”, Legal Affairs MEPs also propose and stress that the new system should keep costs and red tape for businesses to a minimum.
Next steps
The text approved by the Legal Affairs Committee still needs to be endorsed by Parliament as a whole. A plenary vote is scheduled for 6 October (TBC).
