Industry News

USDEC Fights EU GI Policies

February 5, 2015


    As part of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) organized a dialogue between the United States and the European Union to discuss the general-indication (GI) policies that restrict U.S. cheese producers selling their products abroad.  The GI policies restrict the right to use certain products names to products produced in specific geographic regions, such as Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano), which is produced in Parma and Reggio, Italy.  The European Union has incorporated the GI policies in many of their trade deals, including those made with South Africa and Morocco, which harms the U.S. industry.  

    Maike Moellers, the representative of USDEC in Brussels during the TTIP discussions, suggested developing a two part name system, which would allow common names to be used by cheese producers in combination with another word that specifies the product’s origin.  The two part name would be protected, while allowing U.S. dairy producers to compete in the market.

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