BRUSSELS: The European Court of Justice in Luxembourg has ruled that the name of feta cheese is a traditional Greek name and deserves protection throughout the EU, siding with Greece against Germany and Denmark.
The court yesterday followed the advice of its advocate general and backed the argument that "feta" meets the requirements of a designation of origin, in that it describes a cheese originating from a substantial part of Greece, whose characteristics derive from its geographical environment and its production, processing and preparation are carried out in a defined area.
After a 13-year dispute, the EU gave Greece exclusive rights to the name for the salty white cheese in 2002, only to see Denmark and Germany challenge the decision in court.
In its ruling, the court said Denmark and Germany had not provided sufficient arguments to prove the European Commission wrong.
"The court upholds the name 'feta' as a protected designation of origin for Greece," it said in a statement.
A British food producer spoke of her disappointment after the ruling. The cheesemaker had wanted to continue calling her product Yorkshire feta.
Judy Bell, who runs Shepherds Purse Cheeses, near Thirsk in north Yorkshire, said: "We will have to go through a massive remerchandising process and reorganisation. We have never tried to pull the wool over anyone's eyes - it is very clear from the label that it's Yorkshire feta."
The court battle over feta hinged on whether the term was so familiar it should be deemed a generic name available to all cheese producers making feta-style cheese, or whether it needed tougher legal protection to discourage imitators.
Denmark is Europe's second largest cheese producer after Greece, making about 30,000 tonnes a year - some for export to Greece.