UE

IP protection for EU produced craft and industrial products

pottery
photo: © Eneida Nieves, pexels.com

Agricultural products are specially protected by European Union law. This geographical indications (GI) system so far has not applied to craft and industrial products that are created using traditional practices from a specific region, such as certain ceramics, clothing, jewellery or furniture. Building on the success of the existing GI system, the European Commission (EC) is now putting a complementary protection system into place.

EUIPO: 6.8% of EU imports are counterfeits

  • Counterfeit products can pose serious health and safety risks
  • 6.8% of EU imports – worth EUR 121 billion – are counterfeits
  • EUR 4 billion worth of counterfeit pharmaceuticals are traded worldwide

According to the study European Citizens and Intellectual Property (IP) carried out by the European Union Intellectual Property Office, consumers still find it hard to distinguish between genuine and fake goods.