Newsroom
In a significant legal development, the EU General Court has dismissed an appeal by Cypriot cheese makers challenging the registration of the name 'Halloumi'/'Hellim' as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) by the European Commission in April 2021.
The court ruling asserts that the EU standard does not limit the ratio of goat's and sheep's milk in Halloumi, allowing it to surpass the ratio of cow's milk. The Cypriot company Papouis Dairies Ltd and other applicants sought the annulment of the Commission's implementing regulation, but the court rejected the appeal in its entirety.
The judgment clarifies that the Commission is not obligated to verify if the production method in the application aligns with pre-existing national standards. The argument that the application conflicts with a national standard is also dismissed, as the standard allows flexibility in milk proportions.
Additionally, the court rejects claims of manifest errors in describing the connection between the product's quality and characteristics and its geographical origin. It dismisses concerns about the Commission's market analysis for steel wool production, emphasizing that national court annulment doesn't automatically invalidate the Commission's registration act.
[Information sourced from CNA]
