Crafting identity: lessons for Australia from the European Union’s geographical indications framework—crafting culture, anchored in place

Abstract Australia’s current geographical indication (GI) framework primarily serves the wine industry under the Wine Australia Act 2018 (Cth). This limited application overlooks the broader potential of GIs to protect and promote a diverse range of origin-linked products, from regional foods to artisanal crafts. In contrast, trade marks dominate Australia’s IP landscape, offering individual brand protection but lacking the communal, place-based identity that GIs uniquely safeguard. Drawing on the European Union’s (EU’s) expansive GI framework, the article highlights recent developments in the EU’s protection of non-agricultural products, such as craft and industrial goods, under its new regulation for craft and industrial GIs. This progression reflects the EU’s strategic recognition of how GIs can foster local economies, preserve cultural traditions and enhance global competitiveness. This article also reviews the Australia-European Union Free Trade Agreement, explaining where the negotiations have reached and the regained momentum for finalizing the Agreement. It discusses the highlights of this Agreement and the possibilities it provides for Australia to expand its GI framework beyond wine and grape products. Framed around the theme of crafting identity, this article invites readers to reimagine Australia’s approach to GIs. It argues for a more sophisticated GI framework that truly embraces the full spectrum of products anchored in place. Through comparative analysis, legal critique and policy insight, the article will explore how Australia can better protect its cultural fabric and unlock new opportunities in regional branding and international trade.