Section 2: Geographical indications protecting industrial and craft products

The application for approval or amendment of the specification is lodged with the Institut national de la propriété industrielle by a defence and management body, defined in article L. 721-4, representing the operators concerned.

The approval decision is taken after :

1° Verification of the content of the specifications and the representativeness of the operators within the defence and management organisation;

2° Completion of a public enquiry, the procedures for which are laid down by regulation;

3° Consultation :

a) Local authorities;

b) Interested professional groups;

c) The director of the Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité when the name of the geographical indication defined in Article L. 721-2 may give rise to a risk of confusion with a protected geographical indication or a protected designation of origin as defined by the Rural and Maritime Fishing Code, either already in existence or under examination by the National Institute of Origin and Quality;

d) Approved consumer associations that have obtained the specific recognition provided for in Book IV of the Consumer Code.

In the absence of a response within two months of the referral, the opinions are deemed to be favourable.

When examining the application for approval or amendment of the product specification, the National Institute of Industrial Property ensures that the production or processing operations described in the product specification, as well as the perimeter of the area or place, make it possible to guarantee that the product concerned does indeed have a quality, reputation or other characteristics that can essentially be attributed to the specific geographical area or place associated with the geographical indication.

The approval decision constitutes recognition of the body responsible for the defence and management of the product benefiting from the geographical indication. This decision, together with the corresponding specifications, is published in the Bulletin officiel de la propriété industrielle. Any amendments made to the specifications are also published in the Bulletin officiel de la propriété industrielle. Information on publication in the Official Industrial Property Gazette is published in the form of a notice in the Official Journal.

The fee paid to the Institut national de la propriété industrielle for approval of the specifications is payable by the body defined in article L. 721-4.