Op­por­tu­ni­ty to no­ti­fy na­mes es­tab­lis­hed by usa­ge du­ring a tran­si­tio­nal pe­riod

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As part of the introduction of the EU system for geographical indications for craft and industrial products, producers have been given a time-limited opportunity to notify product names established by usage that are linked to a geographical area for registration at EU level.

Notifications may be submitted until 2 December 2026. Please note that this procedure applies to names of craft and industrial products only, and not to agricultural products or foodstuffs.

Requirements for registration

A name may be registered as a geographical indication if the product meets the following conditions:

  • The product originates from a specific place, region, or country.
  • The product’s given quality, reputation or other characteristic is essentially attributable to its geographical origin.
  • At least one of the production steps of the product takes place in the defined geographical area.

In addition:

  • Products contrary to public policy cannot be protected.
  • Generic names are not eligible for registration.

Advantages of the transitional period procedure

Notifying names established by usage during the transitional period offers several advantages:

  • No opposition procedure is carried out.
  • No application fee is charged.
  • Third parties may not lodge a notice of comments on the application.

Protection takes effect from the date on which the Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH) submits the notification to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), provided that registration is approved.

Names established by usage — notification instructions

The notification must contain the following information:

  1. Name and contact details of the applicant (address, telephone number, and email).
  2. Nationality (if the applicant is a natural person).
  3. Name of the product.
  4. Product specification.
  5. Single document.
  6. Information on how the applied-for name has become established by usage.

Documents may be submitted in Finnish, Swedish, or English.

Product specification

For the name of a craft or industrial product to be protected as a geographical indication, the product shall comply with the product specification.

The product specification shall demonstrate that the following requirements are met:

  1. The product originates in a specific place, region, or country.
  2. The product's given quality, reputation, or other characteristic is essentially attributable to its geographical origin.
  3. At least one of the production steps of the product takes place in the defined geographical area.

The product specification shall also be objective and non-discriminatory, and shall indicate the production steps taking place in the defined geographical area.

The product specification shall include the following:

  1. The name to be protected as a geographical indication, which may be a geographical name of the place of production of the product, or a name used in the course of trade or in common language to describe or to refer to the product in the defined geographical area.
  2. The type of product.
  3. A description of the product, including, where appropriate, of the raw materials.
  4. The specification of the defined geographical area and information establishing the link between the geographical area and a given quality, the reputation, or other characteristic of the product.
  5. Evidence that the product originates in the defined geographical area, including by stating the production steps that take place in the defined geographical area.
  6. A description of the production methods and, where appropriate, the traditional methods and specific practices used.
  7. Information concerning packaging, where the applicant determines that the packaging has to take place in the defined geographical area; in such a case, the applicant shall give a sufficient product-specific justification as to why the packaging has to take place in that area.
  8. Any specific labelling rule for the product.
  9. An indication of any individual production step that is carried out by one or more producers in a Member State or third country other than the Member State or third country in which the name of the product originates, and of any specific provisions for the verification of compliance in that regard.
  10. Other requirements provided for by Member States or by a producer group, as applicable, on condition that such requirements are objective, non-discriminatory, and compatible with Union and national law.

Single document

The single document may not exceed 2 500 words. It shall comprise the following information:

  1. The name to be protected as a geographical indication.
  2. Member State.
  3. A description of the product, including, where appropriate, information concerning packaging and labelling:
    1. Type of product.
    2. Description of the product.
    3. Specific production steps that must take place in the defined geographical area (justifications must be provided for any restrictions or derogations).
    4. Specific rules concerning the packaging of the product (where applicable, product-specific justifications must be provided for any restrictions).
    5. Specific rules concerning the labelling of the product (where applicable, justifications must be provided for any restrictions).
  1. Concise definition of the geographical area (where appropriate, insert a map of the geographical area).
  2. A description of the link between the product and the defined geographical area. (Indicate the link between the geographical area and the given quality, reputation, or other characteristic of the product. To that end, indicate the factors on which the link is based, including, where appropriate, elements of the product description or production method justifying the link.)

How to submit a notification

Notifications are submitted to the PRH by post or email:

  • Postal address: Finnish Patent and Registration Office, 00091 PRH
  • Email: CIGI@prh.fi

Please note that the final day of the transition period is 2 December 2026, by which date the PRH must have forwarded the notifications to the EUIPO and the European Commission. To ensure timely submission, we recommend sending your notification to the PRH no later than 18 November 2026.
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