Negotiations between the U.S. and the European Union over costly export and import regulations are worrying dairy farmers and cheese producers in the Northeast. The sticking point is trademark protection of the names of many popular cheeses, including Gouda, cheddar, ricotta and provolone.
If the EU wins trademark protection, American cheesemakers will have to take familiar names off many exported cheeses, or include qualifiers – "Gouda-style cheese," for example – according to an article by Tom Tobin in the Democrat and Chronicle.
A Canadian fair trade deal did the same to its processors this fall.
EU officials argue that to use the popular names, the cheese must come from the regions in the European countries where that type of cheese originated. These countries include France, Italy, Greece, Denmark, the Netherlands, Switzerland and England.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, an advocate for dairy-related businesses, says the U.S. has yet to agree to these restrictions. "The EU's approach takes a reasonable concept too far and as a result actively restricts reasonable competition," Schumer said, according to the newspaper article.
Cheese-making farms in the Northeast U.S. directly affected by the EU's position include Muranda Cheese Co., Vanillen Dairy, Cuba Cheese Co. and Friendship Dairy. PD
—Summarized by PD staff from cited source
