EUIPO and ASEAN Strengthen Geographical Indication Protection for Southeast Asia’s Products

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), as a leading global authority on intellectual property (IP), has partnered with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to host the ‘GI for ASEAN Countries, Prospect and Challenges’ conference in Luang Prabang, Laos. At this event, the EUIPO brought together IP officials and geographical indication (GI) stakeholders from ASEAN Member States to enhance awareness and capacity in the registration and protection of GI products across the region.

Held in the context of the EU-ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Package – Intellectual Property Rights (SCOPE IPR) project, the conference highlighted the importance of IP protection in supporting Southeast Asia’s productive sectors and in helping local producers to create, protect and commercialise their IP rights. The 2016-2025 ASEAN IPR Action Plan, which prioritises regional IP mechanisms to promote the creation and commercialisation of valuable assets, such as GIs, served as a guiding framework for the event.

As the international registration authority for GIs, the EUIPO has a strong track record of promoting the protection and valorisation of GIs worldwide. The EUIPO was recently entrusted with managing the registration of craft and industrial GIs at the EU level, the first applications can be filed from 1 December 2025.