Europe wants its Parmesan back, seeks name change (trade talks) [View all]

[Omaha Steve]

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140311/DACFOH303.html

By MARY CLARE JALONICK

WASHINGTON (AP) - Would Parmesan by any other name be as tasty atop your pasta? A ripening trade battle might put that to the test.

As part of trade talks, the European Union wants to ban the use of European names like Parmesan, feta and Gorgonzola on cheese made in the United States.



A package of Kraft parmesan cheese is seen in Washington, Tuesday, March 11, 2014. Looking for American-made parmesan cheese on the grocery aisle? If the European Union gets its way, you may not be able to find it. Also missing could be domestic asiago, feta and gorgonzola. The cheeses would still be there, but their names might be different. As part of free trade talks, the European Union is expected to propose to ban the United States from using certain European cheese names if the cheese is made here. (AP Photo/J. David Ake)


The argument is that the American-made cheeses are shadows of the original European varieties and cut into sales and identity of the European cheeses. The Europeans say Parmesan should only come from Parma, Italy, not those familiar green cylinders that American companies sell. Feta should only be from Greece, even though feta isn't a place. The EU argues it "is so closely connected to Greece as to be identified as an inherently Greek product."

So, a little "hard-grated cheese" for your pasta? It doesn't have quite the same ring as Parmesan.

FULL story at link.