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1. An application for the registration of a geographical indication concerning a product originating in the Union shall be addressed to the competent authorities of the Member State in which the product originates.

2. The application referred to in paragraph 1 shall comprise:

(a) the product specification;

(b) the single document; and (c) the accompanying documentation referred to in Article 12(1).

3. The Member State shall examine the application for registration in order to check that it meets the conditions for registration laid down in the respective provisions for wine, spirit drinks or agricultural products, as appropriate.

4. As part of the examination referred to in paragraph 3 of this Article, the Member State concerned shall conduct a national opposition procedure. The national opposition procedure shall ensure publication of the application for registration with the exception of the documents referred to in Article 12(1), points (b) and (c), and shall provide for a period of at least one month from the date of publication within which any natural or legal person having a legitimate interest and established or resident in the Member State in which the product concerned originates may lodge an opposition to the application for registration with that Member State.

5. The Member State concerned shall establish the modalities of the opposition procedure. Those modalities may include criteria for the admissibility of an opposition, a period of consultation between the applicant producer group and each opponent, and submission of a report from the applicant producer group on the outcome of the consultations including any changes the applicant producer group has made to the application for registration.

6. If, after the examination of the application for registration and the assessment of the results of any opposition received and any changes to the application agreed with the applicant producer group, the Member State concerned considers that the requirements of this Regulation are met, it may take a favourable decision and submit an application for registration at Union stage as referred to in Article 13.

7. The Member State concerned shall ensure that any natural or legal person having a legitimate interest has an opportunity to lodge an appeal. The Member State concerned shall also ensure that a favourable decision and the corresponding product specification are published, and shall provide electronic access to the product specification.

8. In the case of a joint application as referred to in Article 9(4), the application shall be addressed to all Member States concerned and the related national procedures, including the opposition stage, shall be carried out in all of those Member States.