Italy has officially joined the European Union’s Geographical Indications system for craft and industrial products. At the end of July, the country submitted its first four applications: Murano glass, Burano lace, and both cameo and coral work from Torre del Greco.
The filings bring the total number of European applications to 85. With Italy’s entry, 8 member states are now in the offical registry at the EUIPO.
To date, 30 products have completed the examination process and achieved full registration. Together, they form a precise map of regional making across Czechia, France, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.
The register continues to document the continent’s material heritage. It now protects Limoges porcelain and Alsace pottery from France, alongside Vamberk lace from Czechia and traditional Kyjatice wooden toys from Slovakia. Portugal has secured status for its Molelos black pottery and Terra de Sousa embroidery. Elsewhere, Spain has registered Córdoba jewellery, and Slovenia has added Idrija lace.
1 December 2025 marked the arrival of a massive shift in European policy. For the first time, craft and industrial products across the EU fall under a harmonised legislation for Geographical Indications. It is an official recognition in the market for origin-based products once reserved mainly for cheeses, wines, and agricultural icons. This is a recognition that place, technique, and local knowledge matter, and that crafts deserve safeguarding in a global market crowded with imitations. ECA Guide on the GIs>>
photo: Michal Bednarek, Photocreo