Greek victory over ‘feta’ as EU court takes Danish imitation off the table

Published 2022년 7월 19일

Tridge summary

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that the name 'feta' is exclusively associated with Greek cheese, even for sales outside the European Union. This decision, which supports the protected designation of origin (PDO) status of feta cheese, is a victory for Greece and Cyprus against Denmark, which had been mislabeling cheese as feta for export. The ruling underscores the protection of PDOs and protected geographical indications (PGIs) as intellectual property rights within the EU, ensuring the authenticity and quality of these products. The case highlights the importance of national obligations to uphold the integrity of these designations in both domestic and international markets.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

‘Feta’ is Greek, even when intended for sale outside the bloc, ruled the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on 14 July. The judgement comes some 20 years after the name ‘feta’ was registered as a protected designation of origin (PDO), meaning that ‘feta’ could only be used for Greek cheese made according to product specs. Yet Denmark has been continuing to market cheese as ‘feta’ to third countries. Until now. The infringement claim saw the Commission, backed by Greece and Cyprus, argue that Denmark was in breach of its obligations to prevent or stop of the use of the designation for cheese it intended to export outside the bloc. From Denmark’s perspective, it was within its rights to do so, contending that Regulation No 1151/2012 applies only to products sold within the EU and does not cover exports to third countries. The EU’s top court did not agree. PDOs and protected geographical indications (PGIs) are protected as an intellectual property right, stressed the ECJ. “The scheme ...

Source: Dairyreporter