Group Files Objections Over GI Proposals in EU-China Negotiation
The Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN) on Aug. 2 filed objections with the Chinese government over several specific cheese and meat names that the EU is seeking to protect as part of a bilateral agreement with China, the group said. CCFN said several geographical indications (GIs) should remain free for all to use. The group objected to several GIs under consideration for restriction, including “feta,” “asiago” and “gorgonzola,” and urged “clear protections” for use of generic terms at risk of being restricted, including “parmesan,” “mozzarella,” “prosciutto,” “grana,” “romano” and “cheddar.” CCFN worked to organize oppositions across “various elements” of its membership that export to China, including companies from the U.S., Australia and New Zealand, and collaborated with allies including the Wine Institute, which is seeking assurances on the continued generic use of certain wine grape varieties, CCFN said.
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“The EU must not be permitted to monopolize these names to unfairly eliminate competition,” CCFN Executive Director Jaime Castaneda said in a statement. “We know from market research that many of the common name products at issue here, which are produced in many countries, have been sold in China and referenced in restaurant offerings for years.”