Not only ingenious hidalgos and inseparable squires have passed through the land of Don Quixote, but for centuries artisans have played a leading role in the production of various agricultural and industrial products.
That is why, since 1996, Manchego Cheese has had the European Denomination of Origin and that there are up to nine Denominations of Origin for wines from Castilla-La Mancha.
However, in this case, We are going to focus on the art of Albacete cutlery, which cannot be described with other words than art, passion, feeling and tradition. Undoubtedly, it is an industry that dates back to the Muslim influence of the fifteenth century, and that is concentrated in the province of Albacete. Although this sector enjoyed its first boom in the 18th century, the truth is that in recent years it has grown at an unusual ratebilling today around 95 million euros per year.
In this context, the regional government has supported the cutlery sector in Albacete until the Geographical Indication of Industrial and Craft Products (IGP) in the European Parliament.
Just to clarify briefly that the products to which a Denomination of Origin (PDO) is granted are those whose quality or characteristics are due to the geographical environment with its natural and human factors, and whose production, transformation and elaboration are carried out entirely in that delimited geographical area from which they take their name.
However, the products with a Protected Geographical Indication are those that, in the same way, they have some particular quality or reputation or other special characteristic that can be attributed to a specific geographical origin. However, it is only required that either the production, or the transformation, or the elaboration of the product is carried out in the defined geographical area from which it takes its name. Therefore, it is not necessary that the three processes (production, transformation, elaboration) are carried out in said specific area.
Thus, the European Commission, harangued by this type of craft activities, It has been proposed to introduce this type of protection at the community level through the European Patent and Trademark Office (EUIPO), so that PGI protection covers the entire territory of the European Union. This means that manufacturers are not forced to apply for such protection separately in each country, which is also much more costly in economic terms.
This new regulation is intended its entry into force next 2025so it will be then, once it is formalized that Albacete knives have characteristics and reputation essentially attributed to this geographical area, when we will be able to find an indication on the product itself that guarantees its quality and origin.
Beyond the pride that this protection can arouse in all those who notice what knives are found in restaurants, knife collectors, or even all those who purchase these acclaimed products around the world, reality has a more commercial nuance.
As the authorities and artisans directly affected have indicated, the purpose of definitively obtaining this seal is to put a stop to counterfeitingespecially from China, which hinder the market of a sector dominated by around 100 SMEs.
The Commission intends grant this protection to approximately 800 products throughout the European Union, among which we can highlight footwear from Elche or ceramics from Lorca. Likewise, outside our national borders we also find Italian Murano glass or French Limoges porcelain.
Consequently, what we extract from this project is that innovation is not at odds with tradition, internationalization with small companies and, of course, that Europe is the cradle of extraordinary agricultural and industrial treasures.
As far as the so-called ‘City of Cutlery’ is concerned, Albacete, getting community PGI protection will be an enormous progress that will strengthen the heritage of a tradition which, as we have already indicated, has centuries of history, which is not little.
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