Battle resumes over traditional foods

Date: 13/06/1996

By Michael Mann

ROUND two of the battle over the protection of traditional foods is set to begin, before the ink is even dry on the agreement which ended round one.

But officials expect a knock-out contest this time around, with swift agreement on a second list of products to be granted geographical protection.

As the Commission met yesterday (12 June) to adopt formally a list of more than 300 products to be protected under the scheme, EU agricultural experts were preparing for a meeting tomorrow (14 June) which is expected to approve the addition of a further 62 foodstuffs to the list.

The committee's inability to decide on the first 318 products sparked off a huge furore earlier this year, but it is expected to have fewer problems this time around.

To approve the list, a qualified majority of countries must vote in favour in the “committee for geographical designations and places of origin”. If they cannot agree, the Commission will make a final decision.

The latest list of products proposed for geographical protection includes a number of hams, cheeses, olive oils and vegetables, but none are as politically hot as feta cheese or Parma ham.

Italy will be the main beneficiary, assuming there are no unexpected hiccups. Among the seemingly obscure products under discussion will be Styrian pumpkin seed oil from Austria, Greek Megaron pistachios, Lübeck marzipan from Germany and Messolongi fish roe.

“No one seems to have any fundamental problems with the latest list, and we should get unanimity on Friday (14 June),” said a member state official.

Meanwhile, a sister proposal to grant six varieties of cheese “generic” status - which has to be agreed by agriculture ministers - has run into difficulties.

The Netherlands is, rather optimistically, looking for geographical protection for both Edam and Gouda. This would allow only the Dutch to manufacture these extremely common varieties of cheese. France has similar concerns over Brie and Camembert. This leaves just Emmental and Cheddar, which are already produced in just about every country in the world, unlikely to be challenged.

Having achieved little so far, the Italian presidency seems set to pass this thorny issue on to the Irish.

The Commission this week adopted the first list of products qualifying for geographical protection, including the highly-contentious decision to allow only white cheese produced in Greece from sheep or goat's milk to be marketed within the Union as feta.

The proposal caused particular disquiet in Denmark, which feared the death of its lucrative feta market. Danish officials, however, working behind the scenes, won concessions, including a five-year transitional period before the measures will be introduced and an undertaking from Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler that the rules would only apply to sales of feta within the Union's borders.