Webinar on the launch of the EU Geographical Indication (GI) protection system for craft and industrial products (CIP)

It is surprising that after decades of positive impacts on agricultural Geographical Indication (GI), the Union still does not have a protection system for craft and industrial products (CIP). Some EU Member states have regulations on specific crafts (e.g. ceramics), on a certain category of product (e.g. Solingen knives), or have a fully-fledged system with regional or national laws that protect all non-agricultural GI products (e.g. in France). Unfortunately, this is not enough to provide legal safety in all the EU and way too costly for producers which are most often micro and small enterprises from rural areas. The European Commission is about to remedy this situation by publishing a proposal for an EU-wide system. How can the European Parliament craft a market-friendly and an open protection system in line with the Green Deal? Will it meet the expectations from the fields?

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14:30 Opening remarks

• Mr Thierry Breton, Commissioner for Industry and Single Market
• MEP Stéphane Séjourné, President of the Renew Europe group

14:45-15:20 Launch of the GI protection for craft and industrial products: A new asset for the EU (Moderator: MEP Nicola Danti)

• MEP Nicola Danti (former EP negotiator on GI during the 8th legislature): A strong demand for EU CI GIs
• Mr Kamil Kiljanski (Deputy Director DG GROW, European Commission): A flexible and efficient EU CIP GI scheme
• Mrs Martine Pinville (Rapporteur on GI, Committee of the Regions): For the regions: growth and opportunities in the aftermath of COVID19
• Mr Christian Archambeau (Executive Director of the European Union Intellectual Property Office - EUIPO): The benefits of moving from a national system of IGIA to a European one

15:20-15:40 Q&A

15:40-16:30 GI protection for craft and industrial products: A new asset for SMEs at European and international levels (Moderator: MEP Dita Charanzová)

• Mr Michael Niejahr (Deputy Director General DG AGRI, European Commission) CIP GI protection: complementing the AGRI reform & a new asset at international
• Mr Fabrice Descombes (President of the French Association for Industrial and Craft Geographical Indications - AFIGIA, and producer of stones from Burgundy) Expectations and feedbacks from industry
• Mr Frithjof Michaelsen (Senior Research Manager at VVA Economics & Policy, Author of the Economic (2020) and Enforcement (2021) studies for the European Commission) An economic asset for consumers, producers and artisans: local job provider, reducing the problem of tourism seasonality etc.
• Mr Dario Costantini National President of the Confederazione Nazionale dell’Artigianato e della piccola e media impresa (Italy) – CNA
• Mr Muiris Kennedy (Marketing and business consultant working for Design & Crafts Council Ireland - DCCoI) Insights from the fields, a pathway to sustainability

16:30-16:45 Q&A

16:45 Closing Remarks

• Ms Maive RUTE (Deputy Director-General DG for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, European Commission)
• MEP Dita Charanzová (Vice-President of the European Parliament)
• MEP Adrián Vázquez Lázara (Chair of the Legal Affairs committee, European Parliament)