French company Gourmey has applied for a permit to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to produce cultured foie gras. The application initiates a 1.5 to 2-year evaluation process involving a risk assessment by EFSA and a voting process among EU countries. The company's CEO, Nicolas Morin-Forest, emphasizes that the product is meant to complement, not replace, traditional foie gras. Gourmey has collaborated with Dutch start-ups in the development of the cultured meat. The application has faced criticism from countries like Italy, France, Austria, Hungary, and Romania, due to foie gras being a symbol of traditional food and its high price, making it less likely to be priced out of the market by a cultured meat alternative.