Top EU court backs Greece against Denmark in closure of feta export saga

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) confirmed on Thursday (14 July) that the EU’s protection for Greek feta cheese also applies outside the bloc’s borders, in a ruling that settles a long-standing cheese legal fight between Greece and Denmark. In the ruling, the Luxembourg-based tribunal concluded that protected foodstuff produced in the EU, even if intended for export to third countries, still has to follow the relevant geographical indications (GIs) protection legislation. Product names registered with the protected designation of origin (PDO) highlight the strongest links to the place where they are manufactured and are included in the EU system of intellectual property rights, which brings them legal protection against imitation and misuse. Greece’s white gold feta obtained PDO protection in 2002, meaning that the name ‘feta’ cannot be used for any other cheese that is not produced in some specific areas of the country. However, some Danish producers kept selling their own ...