No Pale imitations: Liebfrauenmilch joins exclusive name list

It might not have the same caché as top quality Italian Parma ham or Greek feta cheese, but German white wine Liebfrauenmilch is also about have its name protected. Some 41 famous national foodstuffs, including Gorgonzola cheese and Rioja wine, join Liebfrauenmilch on the EU-produced list which will ensure that noone else can call their sweet, cheap white wine by the same name. "This is not about protectionism. It is about fairness. It is simply not acceptable that the EU cannot sell its genuine Italian Parma ham in Canada because the trademark 'Parma Ham' is reserved for a ham produced in Canada," European Farm Commissioner Franz Fischler said "Together with our allies, the EU will do its utmost to achieve better protection for regional quality products, from Europe's Roquefort cheese to India's Darjeeling tea, from Guatemala's Antigua coffee to Morocco's Argan oil in the WTO talks," he continued.

Compiled from wire services by DW staff