Córdoba and the jewelry industry have a centuries-old relationship. This craft is an integral part of both the city’s history and its economy (with an extensive network of workshops, manufacturers, and professionals), and as of this summer, it has taken on a new legal dimension: “Joyería de Córdoba” is the first Spanish geographical indication (GI) registered for artisanal and industrial products under Regulation (EU) 2023/2411.
This recognition establishes, for the first time in Spain, a European protection mechanism for names associated with non-agricultural products whose value lies, to a large extent, in their geographic origin, reputation, and local expertise.
A collective right to a designation, not to any piece of jewelry manufactured in Córdoba
The protection afforded by this GI recognizes the connection between Córdoba and a jewelry-making tradition that has been sustained for generations through specialized knowledge, unique techniques, and a production structure deeply rooted in the city.
This GI covers various jewelry products (rings, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and other pieces made of gold, silver, or platinum, which may incorporate pearls, gemstones, or enamel) and establishes the conditions that must be met in order to market them under the designation “Joyería de Córdoba.”
According to the specifications, all stages of production and packaging must take place within the defined geographical area. The pieces are associated with Córdoba because of the quality of their design and finish, their weight-to-volume ratio, and the specialized knowledge passed down through generations of local producers.
This does not mean that any jewelry manufactured in Córdoba is automatically protected, nor that the city obtains an exclusive right to produce jewelry. What is protected is the use of “Joyería de Córdoba” as a designation associated with a specific origin and specific characteristics. Producers who wish to use this designation must be located within the defined geographic area and comply with the corresponding specifications.
This distinction is significant because the value of the name no longer depends solely on its commercial recognition. From now on, there is also a common legal tool to defend it against those who seek to benefit from that reputation without meeting the established requirements.
Why has this recognition become possible now?
Until recently, this type of protection was associated primarily with food, wine, and oil. However, Regulation (EU) 2023/2411, effective as of December 1, 2025, established a unified system of protection for geographical indications of artisanal and industrial products, thereby expanding the scope of the previous protection. Since then, products such as jewelry, ceramics, textiles, glass, leather, natural stone, cutlery, and furniture can qualify for a European geographical indication when they meet the required criteria.
However, to qualify for this protection, it is not sufficient for a product to be traditionally manufactured in a particular locality. The product must: (i) originate from a specific place, region, or country; (ii) possess a quality, reputation, or other characteristic attributable primarily to that geographic origin; and (iii) have at least one stage of production carried out within the defined geographic area. In the case of “Joyería de Córdoba,” the specifications require an even stronger link, as all stages of production and packaging must take place within the municipality of Córdoba.
The system therefore seeks to protect a genuine link between the product and the territory, not merely a geographic name used for commercial purposes.
What is the actual scope of a GI such as “Joyería de Córdoba”?
A geographical indication confers a collective industrial property right that can be enforced throughout the European Union. Furthermore, it protects the designation linked to the origin, not each individual piece of jewelry produced under that designation. For this reason, this type of protection does not replace other industrial property rights but can coexist with them as part of a broader protection strategy.
A manufacturer may continue to use its trademarks to distinguish its products from those of other operators and rely on industrial designs to protect the appearance of certain parts. A geographical indication operates on a different level: it identifies a place of origin and characteristics shared by authorized producers.
This combination is particularly interesting in sectors where a distinct corporate identity coexists with a collective reputation. While the brand makes it possible to identify who is behind a product, the geographical indication adds another piece of relevant information: where it comes from and why that origin is part of its value.
Therefore, in addition to protecting their trademarks and designs, companies and producers must ensure that the signs they apply for or use do not conflict with prior geographical indications. Conversely, the registration of a GI for artisanal and industrial products does not automatically eliminate validly acquired prior rights; the coexistence of these rights must be analyzed in accordance with the Regulation and the circumstances of each case.
What Benefits Does the GI Bring to the Cordoba Jewelry Industry?
One of the main effects of recognition lies in the ability to defend the designation. The greater the prestige of a designation, the greater the interest of third parties may be in using it, associating themselves with it, or suggesting a connection to that origin that does not actually exist.
Consequently, the new European regime allows for action to be taken in the 27 member states of the European Union—among other cases—against the direct or indirect commercial use of the designation for products not covered by it, its misuse, imitation, or evocation, false or misleading indications regarding origin, and other practices likely to mislead consumers. Protection also extends to domain names and infringements committed on online platforms and electronic marketplaces, in accordance with the terms set forth in the Regulation.
Therefore, its usefulness is not limited to certifying origin. It also prevents third parties from misappropriating the collective reputation built around the name, even when they do not literally reproduce the protected designation.
Indeed, for producers in Córdoba, the GI can also serve as a tool for differentiation. In a market where items and products from a wide variety of sources coexist, the geographical indication makes it possible to distinguish those that meet verifiable requirements of origin and quality, while protecting the collective reputation associated with the designation “Joyería de Córdoba.”
Protecting the origin also means preserving knowledge
For artisanal products, the connection to a region is often based on more than just a geographic location. Behind them lie techniques, production processes, specialized training, and knowledge that have been passed down and adapted over time. In that sense, protecting a geographic indication can also help preserve the economic value of that know-how.
This does not mean rigidly preserving tradition. Cordoba’s jewelry industry, like any other, will continue to incorporate new technologies, materials, designs, and marketing strategies. What matters is that this evolution does not dilute the characteristics that allow the product to remain connected to its place of origin.
The very logic of the system thus links two issues that have often been addressed separately: the protection of an intangible asset and the continuity of the local economic fabric. If origin is part of a product’s value, preserving what underpins that reputation also becomes a strategic issue.
A precedent for other sectors in Spain
The registration of “Joyería de Córdoba” sets an important precedent for other Spanish artisanal and industrial products linked to a specific region. Spain has numerous artisanal and industrial products whose reputation is tied to specific cities, counties, or regions, ranging from ceramics, footwear, and leather to textiles, glass, and certain metalwork.
This does not mean that everyone can or should be granted a geographical indication. Before initiating an application, it will be necessary to identify the eligible group, delimit the protected geographical area, define the product, its characteristics, and its production method, demonstrate the link between its qualities, reputation, or characteristics and the territory, and establish a viable control system. It will also be important to analyze how this protection will coexist with trademarks, designs, domain names, and other assets already existing in the sector.
“Joyería de Córdoba” confirms that geographical origin can constitute a legal and competitive asset even outside the agri-food sector. Thus, in light of this new landscape, geographical indications open up an additional avenue for protecting and promoting assets linked to a specific territory, but their usefulness will depend on each sector and how they are integrated with other forms of industrial property. At ELZABURU, we assist companies, associations, and producer groups in the analysis, protection, and strategic management of these types of assets, evaluating in each case the most appropriate approach to preserve their reputation, differentiation, and market position.
Raquel González Betanzos, attorney in the trademark practice group at Elzaburu.