Brussels is threatening to drag Berlin to court if it does not stop German cheese producers hijacking the name ‘Parmesan’.
European law protects food names related to geographical areas – like Champagne or Rocquefort – against companies not from those regions pirating the names.
But eight years after the law was introduced Germany is still using ‘Parmesan’ – a translation of the Italian ‘Parmigiano Reggiano’ – claiming it has become a generic name and should not be subject to the regional name laws.
The EU warned Berlin in October last year, but Berlin has stuck to its guns.
Now Brussels has taken the next legal step, putting pressure on Berlin to bring its cheese producers into line within two months.
A legal official of the German milk industry umbrella group (MIV) said that Germany’s position has not changed and it is sticking to the interpretation that ‘Parmesan’ has since become a ‘generic name’.
A representative of the German Farmers Union added that he expects German producers to stand their ground.
Europe has been locked in a battle with its international trading partners reluctant to accept the ever expanding list of food names Brussels is looking to protect.
It is, therefore, crucial that Brussels smooth over this internal conflict with Germany to present a unified front when negotiating on the global stage.
‘Parmigiano Reggiano’ is protected under the EU’s ‘Protected Designation of Origin’ law.
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