On 12 April 2021, the European Commission (“EC”) granted protected designation of origin (“PDO”), effective 1 October 2021, to Halloumi cheese produced on the island of Cyprus.
The significance of the PDO to Cypriot Halloumi producers cannot be underemphasized. It will serve as a preventative by restricting the legal use of the Halloumi name, in all of its linguistic variations, to Halloumi produced on Cyprus. Accordingly, the integrity, reputation, and global recognition of Cypriot Halloumi will be protected from the taint of inferior products, originating in other parts of the world, masquerading as Halloumi.
Concomitantly, the EC lifted the general ban on the movement of Halloumi produced in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (“KKTC”) across the United Nations Buffer Zone, known colloquially as the Green Line, and into the Republic of Cyprus. In so doing, the EC has cleared the path to prosperity for KKTC Halloumi producers who comply with EU human and animal health regulations.
Additional details are available here link. The full text of the grant is available here link.
