site.btaBulgaria Has Rich Heritage of Crafts, Says Patent Office Head

Patent Office Head Engineer Olya Dimitrova told a forum on Monday that Bulgaria has a rich heritage of crafts ranging from ceramics, textiles, and woodcarving, through knife-making and leatherworking, to jewelry-making, known in Bulgaria for its exquisite filigree technique, and many other crafts that require not only skill and imagination, but also a deep spiritual connection to tradition. “I believe that it is precisely through effective protection of geographical indications that we can not only preserve these values, but also boost regional business, encourage younger generations to develop them, and position Bulgarian craft products on the European and global markets,” Dimitrova said. She was speaking at the “Bulgarian crafts - traditions meet the future" international conference taking place in Sofia on Tuesday. 

The forum is organised by the Bulgarian Patent Office, in cooperation with the European Commission (EC) and the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). The conference is part of the EC's EU Capital Tour and the Patent Office's information campaign on the new registration regime for Geographical Indications for Craft and Industrial Products, such as Bulgarian sgraffito ceramics, carpets, etc., whose registration is being transferred from national to EU level.

Dimitrova pointed out that this initiative, part of the European Capital Tour, focuses on an extremely important topic—the reform of the registration regime for geographical indications for artisanal and industrial products, which aims to give new visibility, protection, and market value to unique traditional products that are part of the cultural memory and traditional craft heritage of the EU's regions.

The forum is attended by proven masters from various craft guilds, whose art not only keeps the past alive, but also transforms it into meaning and inspiration for the future, Dimitrova pointed out.

She said that the Patent Office is starting a series of meetings with the National Chamber of Crafts and individual craft producers to identify and locate traditional Bulgarian crafts and register them as geographical indications in the EU. However, the actual acquisition of protection depends on the initiative and active participation of the producers themselves, Dimitrova noted. According to her, opportunities to facilitate access to the registration regime are being discussed and debated. The head of the Patent Office pointed out that it is crucial for the institution to attract specialists who can certify the authenticity of production technologies and the uniqueness of product manufacturing, and expressed readiness for dialogue with all interested parties. "We will also seek expert legal assistance from our industrial property representatives and specialized law firms that have in-depth knowledge of national and European industrial property legislation," Dimitrova added.