The registration of protected geographical indications (PGI) takes place in two phases:

• a national phase, before the INPI,

• a European phase, before the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).

The new protected geographical indication system is defined by European regulation 2023/2411. It is comparable, in its broad outlines, to the European protection system available for agri-food products.

The current system, established by Law No. 2014-344 of March 17, 2014, concerning consumer affairs, will be definitively discontinued on December 1, 2025. Designations already recognized at the national level can be notified to the EUIPO until December 2, 2026, to become European PGIs (Protected Geographical Indications).

The details of the new registration procedure

The following products are eligible for protection:

• handcrafted products, whether made entirely by hand, with the aid of manual or digital tools, or by mechanical means, provided that the manual contribution is a significant component of the finished product,

• industrial products, manufactured in a standardized manner, including through mass production and by means of machines.

The protection scheme does not apply to agricultural products or foodstuffs covered by Regulation (EU) No 2024/1143 concerning geographical indications relating to wine, spirit drinks and agricultural products.

The products must meet the following conditions:

• the product originates from a specific place, region, or country,

• The quality, reputation, or other specific characteristic of the product is essentially attributable to its geographical origin.

• at least one of the production stages of the product takes place within the defined geographical area.

Filing with the INPI (national phase)

The demand

The following may submit an application for a protected geographical indication to the INPI:

• a producers' group, which is a private body with legal personality (called a defense and management body in the previous system),

• a single producer, if he or she is the only or last local producer.

The application must contain the following elements:

• The specifications, which are non-discriminatory, describe the production processes and the control and labeling procedures that producers commit to respecting.

• the single document, which summarizes the fundamental elements of the specifications,

• Supporting documentation, with additional information, for example, justifications in the case of a single applicant, the name of the selected certification body…

Examination and publication of the application for opposition

The INPI examines the application to verify that it complies with the requirements relating to the nature of the products and the applicant and that the required information is provided.

Once the application meets these requirements, the INPI publishes it, which opens an opposition period (which replaces the old public inquiry), during which any person established on French territory and having a legitimate interest can challenge the registration of the application.

If the INPI deems the oppositions admissible, it invites the applicant and the opponents to hold consultations within a period of three months, renewable once upon joint request of the parties, in order to reach an agreement. The outcome of these consultations, whether or not they result in an agreement, is transmitted to the INPI. The INPI then issues a decision on the application for a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) within a period set by decree.

Filing with the EUIPO (European phase)

If the INPI issues a favorable decision regarding the registration of the PGI application, it forwards this application to the EUIPO.

The EUIPO carries out a formal examination of the application by verifying that the application for registration does not contain any obvious errors, that the information provided is complete and that the single document is accurate and of a technical nature.

By publishing the application for PGI in the Official Journal of the European Union, the EUIPO opens a new phase of opposition, this time at the European Union level, allowing only persons originating from other Member States or third countries and justifying a legitimate interest to oppose the registration of the PGI.

If the EUIPO deems the oppositions admissible, it invites the applicant for the PGI (the producers) and the opponent(s) to hold consultations to reach an agreement. At the end of these consultations, the EUIPO decides on the application. If it considers that the application meets the established conditions, it registers the PGI and publishes the corresponding decision in the register of geographical indications of the European Union for artisanal and industrial products. Otherwise, it rejects the application.

For geographical indications already recognized

The new system provides for the possibility for Member States of the European Union to register as PGI at European level, via a simplified procedure, the names legally protected in their territory, relating to artisanal or industrial products.

In other words, from the 1ster In December 2025, France, through the INPI, has the possibility to "transform" existing national geographical indications into European PGIs, by communicating them to the EUIPO and the Commission before December 2, 2026.

To do this, the designations must comply with the definition of artisanal and industrial products, the requirements relating to geographical indications (origin, characteristics attributable to this origin and production stages) and must be submitted accompanied by the documents required by the regulation (the specifications, the single document and the accompanying documents).

Applications are then formally examined by the EUIPO, before being registered in the European Union register of geographical indications for handcrafted and industrial products, without an opposition phase at the European Union level.

Producers will then benefit from a European PGI from the day of registration by the EUIPO. 

Source: https://www.inpi.fr//en/in-one/the-new-European-protection-system-for-artisanal-geographical-indications