PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO REJOICES: THE DENOMINATION "FETA" IS NOT GENERIC

The use of the word is allowed only for the cheese coming from Greece and complying with the traditions and regulations of the Hellenic country

Reggio Emilia, 25 October 2005 - The denomination "Feta", that traditionally identifies the white cheese in brine coming from Greece and made from goat and sheep milk, is not generic. This is the important ruling expressed today by the European Court of Justice with the rejection of the request submitted by Germany and Denmark, with the support of France and United Kingdom, to cancel the registration of "Feta" as a PDO for Greece.

"This decision - declares Andrea Bonati, President of the Consortium - is welcomed with great satisfaction by the producers of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. It is an additional confirmation that the system of Designations of Origin endures despite the attempts from strong economic interests to render the protection of local products less effective. In particular, this conclusion is of good omen for the future decision of the European Court regarding the designation "Parmigiano-Reggiano" in its translation "Parmesan", a denomination deemed generic by Germany and subject to a breach procedure started by the European Commission".

Leo Bertozzi, Director of the Consortium, states that "some passages of the Court's grounds must be underlined in that they maintain that the osmosis between natural and human factors has conferred to Feta cheese characteristics that are typical of that territory, which has determined a considerable international fame. Furthermore, in other member states Feta cheese is regularly sold with labels alluding to the Greek civilisation and its cultural traditions, therefore European consumers perceive Feta as a cheese associated to Greece and not as a generic product".
"Today's decision - concludes Bertozzi - confirms the determination of the European Commission to support the validity of the protected designations and, after the results achieved during the Codex Alimentarius in July, it is a good basis for the future World Trade Organisation's meeting in Hong Kong, where obtaining the recognition of Geographical Indications will be unavoidable".