The upcoming EU framework and national legislative changes create new opportunities for Bulgarian producers to secure broader protection for Craft and Industrial Geographical Indications, further consolidating Bulgaria’s leading position in the sector
Geographical indications (GIs) are intellectual property rights that protect names of products with specific geographical origin and qualities and/or reputation due to their particular origin.
Craft and Industrial Geographical Indications (CIGIs) are a designated product category of GIs designed to protect names of craft and industrial products whose qualities, reputation, or traditional production methods are rooted in a specific geographical region. Craft products are those produced either entirely by hand, with the aid of manual or digital tools, or by mechanical means, provided that the manual contribution remains a significant component of the finished item, while industrial products are those manufactured in a standardized way, including serial production and by using machines.1
A well-established illustration of CIGIs protection can be seen in internationally registered craft products, including Sarough Handmade Carpet (Iran), Bohemia Crystal (Czech Republic), etc.
On the global scene, Bulgaria has emerged as a leading country in the field of CIGIs. According to the latest international data2, the country ranks first in the EU and second worldwide (after Iran) in terms of CIGIs filings, reflecting the strong engagement of Bulgarian producers in protecting the unique qualities of their regional products. Notable examples of protected CIGIs are Bulgarian Troyan pottery (TROJANSKA KERAMIKA), Bulgarian sourder for yogurt (BALGARSKA ZAKVASKA ZA KISELO MLJAKO), Vrachan limestone (VRAČANSKI VAROVIK), which exemplify how traditional skills, regional heritage, and product authenticity combine to create distinctive value recognized through CIGIs.
The growing focus on CIGIs is reinforced by the new European regulatory framework. Regulation (EU) 2023/24113, which will enter into force on 1 December 2025, establishes a harmonised EU-level system for the registration and enforcement of CIGIs across the EU, providing similar protection to that already available for regionally produced foodstuffs and beverages.
The major change introduced by the Regulation is the centralized registration of CIGIs, which will be processed through a single EU-wide procedure while still involving national authorities in the assessment and examination of applications: first phase at national level in the Member State in which the product originates and second phase at Union level. Such approach is also aligned with the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement, which allows EU producers to protect their craft and industrial products internationally through a single registration procedure via the World Intellectual Property Organization.
The Bulgarian government has prepared amendments to the national Law on Marks and Geographical Indications to align with the new European framework. These amendments have been approved by the Council of Ministers and are pending consideration by the National Assembly, though they have not yet been officially enacted.
Once in force, the national-level phase of the registration procedure for CIGIs of products originating in Bulgaria will be conducted through the Bulgarian Patent Office (BPO). The procedure will include, most notably:
By 2 December 2026, Bulgaria shall inform the Commission and the EUIPO which of its legally protected names or it wishes to register and protect pursuant to the Regulation (as CIGIs). All unfinished national registrations or proceedings for CIGIs in Bulgaria by 2 December 2026 will be terminated, with national protection extended until the completion of the EU-level procedure, ensuring that Bulgarian producers can secure both national and EU protection.
Even though the legislative amendments have not yet entered into force, discussions are already well underway regarding which Bulgarian craft and industrial products will be eligible for protection under the new EU framework. Around 40 products (e.g. Chiprovtsi and Kotlenski carpets) are being actively considered.
In this context, if you are a producer of craft or industrial products and believe they meet the criteria for CIGIs, consider that registration can give legal protection against unauthorized use of protected CIGIs for goods falling outside the scope of the designation, as well as other misuse of the protected rights. At the same time, CIGIs recognition would help consumers identify and trust high-quality products, while enabling producers to position and promote their products more effectively.
1 Article 4 (1) of Regulation (EU) 2023/2411.
2 As shared during ECTA-organized Workshop: Crafting European Geography – News and Case Law in the GI World¸ (31 October 2025, Lyon, France).
3 Regulation (EU) 2023/2411 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 October 2023 on the protection of geographical indications for craft and industrial products, and amending Regulations (EU) 2017/1001 and (EU) 2019/1753.
