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| TTIP: Putting Dracula in charge of the blood bank |
A food fight between Europe and the US could block a massive free trade deal.
Products like
Feta cheese,
Gorgonzola,
Champagne and Parma ham currently enjoy protection under which only they can be sold by that original name in the EU.
But with
the controversial and much protested against Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (
TTIP) those products would not enjoy that protection in the United States.
In addition US companies would be able to sell their products in Europe under
TTIP,
even if they did not meet the same standards as local foodstuffs – for
example Feta cheese from Greece can only be made with goat and sheeps
milk.
The Americans say it is unacceptable protectionism and producers can
use trademarks, though the US considers names like Feta to be generic
and so not protectable by trademarks.
The Europeans say no protection means no trade deal.
With over 1,200 food products and close to 2,000 wine names having
“so-called ‘geographical indicator’
status“https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographical_indication
negotiations could be bruising.
Already
Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan and
French President François Hollande are threatening vetos if the issue is not resolved.
The matter is being discussed this week by the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council.
Note EU-Digest:
in reality this massive trade proposal called TTIP is a threat to our
climate, health and democracy. NAFTA proved to be a failure, and now the
US is trying to shove TTIP, which has been negotiated with very little
transparency, down the throat of the EU. Come on EU, show some
"cojones", and tell the US where they can shove their TTIP proposal.
Read more: TTIP trade deal under threat over the Feta factor | euronews, economy
