Greece no longer has the exclusive right to the name Feta, the European Court of Justice ruled last month.
In 1996 the European Commission awarded the country a protected designation of origin (PDO) which restricted production of Feta to cheese made from ewes’ or goats’ milk on mainland Greece, and thereby prevented cheesemakers from other countries selling similar product under the same name. European Feta producers Denmark, Germany and France contested the ruling.
Upholding the statement made by the Advocate-General Antonio la Pergola in September 1998, the court recently determined that in reaching its initial decision the Commission did not take account of all relevant factors. In particular it overlooked the existence of products legally in existence. Feta has been legitimately manufactured in other member states for decades.
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