{"id":1784,"date":"2025-12-16T16:43:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T15:43:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/?p=1784"},"modified":"2025-12-17T10:56:02","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T09:56:02","slug":"geographical-indication-for-craft-and-industrial-products-a-new-horizon-for-european-craftsmanship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/geographical-indication-for-craft-and-industrial-products-a-new-horizon-for-european-craftsmanship\/","title":{"rendered":"Geographical Indication for craft and industrial products: a new horizon for European craftsmanship"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"1784\" class=\"elementor elementor-1784\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6b42f1a e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"6b42f1a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1b4a956 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1b4a956\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The recent approval of the EU regulation on Geographical Indications (GIs) for craft and industrial products opens a transformative chapter for traditional manufacturing sectors across Europe. For the first time, non-agricultural products such as ceramics, glass, textiles, leather goods, and notably, furniture, can be protected and promoted through a framework that acknowledges their deep-rooted connections to territory, tradition, and craftsmanship.<\/p><p>This new regulation seeks to bring clarity, credibility, and competitiveness to artisan and industrial goods made in specific geographic areas. Just as Champagne or Parmigiano Reggiano evoke not only quality but a place, a culture, and a legacy, the same symbolic and economic value can now be attached to products like furniture from Yecla, a town in southeastern Spain that has developed a singular identity as a furniture manufacturing powerhouse.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-02c5786 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"02c5786\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h5 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Yecla: A case for a furniture GI<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3c214af elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3c214af\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"693\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2025\/12\/DSC00210-693x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1793\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2025\/12\/DSC00210-693x1024.jpg 693w, https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2025\/12\/DSC00210-203x300.jpg 203w, https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2025\/12\/DSC00210-768x1135.jpg 768w, https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2025\/12\/DSC00210-1040x1536.jpg 1040w, https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2025\/12\/DSC00210-1386x2048.jpg 1386w, https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2025\/12\/DSC00210-scaled.jpg 1733w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 693px) 100vw, 693px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ed39f1e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ed39f1e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u00a9CETEM<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d62cfae elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d62cfae\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Yecla\u2019s furniture industry is a remarkable example of territorial know-how, shaped by decades of innovation, family-based businesses, and a strong cooperative ecosystem. Rooted in woodworking and upholstery traditions, it has evolved into a specialized industrial cluster that balances craftsmanship with modern design and production techniques.<\/p><p>The potential Geographical Indication for Yecla furniture would:<\/p><ul><li>Protect traditional skills from imitation and misappropriation,<\/li><li>Support SMEs and workshops by enhancing the market value of origin-based products,<\/li><li>Promote sustainability, as Yecla\u2019s industry increasingly focuses on circular design and local supply chains,<\/li><li>And reinforce local identity, linking cultural heritage with economic resilience.<\/li><\/ul><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>In fact, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.euipo.europa.eu\/en\/publications\/eu-member-states-potential-for-protecting-craft-and-industrial-geographical-indications-\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Study on Member States\u00b4 potential for protecting craft and industrial geographical indications<\/a>, made by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), identifies 5 potential furniture GI\u00b4s in whole Europe, being Yecla one of them.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f236d8b e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"f236d8b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-78f1745 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"78f1745\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"452\" height=\"606\" src=\"https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2025\/12\/Captura.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1787\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2025\/12\/Captura.png 452w, https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2025\/12\/Captura-224x300.png 224w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 452px) 100vw, 452px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0fdd7f1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0fdd7f1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Source: European Commission: Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, ConPolicy, ECORYS, VVA, Winkel, A. et al., Economic aspects of geographical indication protection at EU level for non-agricultural products in the EU, Publications Office, 2020, <a href=\"https:\/\/data.europa.eu\/doi\/10.2873\/58493\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/data.europa.eu\/doi\/10.2873\/58493<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d996d2d e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"d996d2d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e851bf1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e851bf1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Furthermore, the director of CETEM,\u00a0 Technology Centre of Furniture and Wood of the Region of Murcia, Jos\u00e9 Francisco Puche, has been invited to the event \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.oepm.es\/es\/detalle-evento\/24-10-2025-Artesania-e-industria-con-sello-propio-las-nuevas-indicaciones-geograficas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Craft and Industry with their Own Seal: The New Geographical Indications<\/a>\u201d, hosted by the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office, together with the European Commission and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). During his intervention, Mr. Puche addressed the \u201cChallenges and Opportunities of Geographical Indications for Artisanal and Industrial Products\u201d, highlighting how this new legal framework can strengthen the protection of craftsmanship, enhance the value of regional production ecosystems, and open new avenues for innovation and competitiveness in traditional industries such as furniture manufacturing.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-04eab1d elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"04eab1d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"494\" src=\"https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2025\/12\/3-1.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1788\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2025\/12\/3-1.png 802w, https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2025\/12\/3-1-300x185.png 300w, https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2025\/12\/3-1-768x474.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1bc10c1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1bc10c1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h5 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Challenges of implementing GIs for craft and industrial products<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4f5a95d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4f5a95d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>While GIs offer many advantages, several key challenges must be addressed to ensure their success and relevance in today\u2019s context:<\/p><ol><li><u> Innovation vs. Authenticity<\/u>. Balancing tradition with innovation is critical. Producers may wish to incorporate new materials for sustainability, such as recycled wood, bio-based finishes, or low-impact adhesives, while still maintaining the essential identity of the product. The challenge is determining how far innovation can go without compromising the product\u2019s authenticity.<\/li><li><u> Technology as Preservation, Not Substitution<\/u>. New technologies like 3D scanning, digital modeling, and CNC machining can help preserve and reproduce traditional techniques, yet there&#8217;s a fine line between enhancement and replacement. It&#8217;s essential to ensure that technology supports artisans rather than replaces their know-how.<\/li><li><u> Global Market Pressures<\/u>. GI-certified products must adapt to changing design trends and international standards while staying within the boundaries of traditional practices. This tension between market adaptability and heritage preservation can be difficult to manage.<\/li><li><u> Collective Management<\/u>. GIs are collective rights, requiring collaborative governance among stakeholders. Defining what counts as \u201cauthentic\u201d or \u201ctraditional\u201d and agreeing on permitted innovations can lead to internal conflicts or slowdowns in decision-making.<\/li><li><u> International Recognition<\/u>. Although the new EU framework strengthens GI protection, gaining international recognition and protection remains a challenge, especially in sectors where counterfeiting or imitation is common.<\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bbb94f2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"bbb94f2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h5 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Join the Conversation!<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-15c2500 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"15c2500\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>As Geographical Indications begin to shape the future of non-agricultural products in Europe, we invite you to share your thoughts.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-46ffd33 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"46ffd33\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li>What craft or industrial products in your region would deserve a Geographical Indication?<\/li><li>How can GIs help younger generations reconnect with traditional skills and local industries?<\/li><li>How can new sustainable materials be integrated into traditional crafts without compromising authenticity?<\/li><li>What role should digital tools and technology play in preserving vs. transforming craft heritage?<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The recent approval of the EU regulation on Geographical Indications (GIs) for craft and industrial products opens a transformative chapter for traditional manufacturing sectors across Europe. For the first time, non-agricultural products such as ceramics, glass, textiles, leather goods, and notably, furniture, can be protected and promoted through a framework that acknowledges their deep-rooted connections [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":1797,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1784","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economics-and-innovative-business-models","category-authenticity-and-safeguard"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1784","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1784"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1784\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1798,"href":"https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1784\/revisions\/1798"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1797"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1784"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1784"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.madineurope.eu\/craeft-community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1784"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}