Mexico pressured to stop using European cheese names

Cheese industry in Mexico may be affected by the update to the Free Trade Agreement Mexico-European Community due to the pressures of the European Union regarding the protected designation of origin.

Food processing corporations have stumbled upon a few bumps in the road since European countries are seeking to stop Mexico from branding domestic cheese products under names such as Mozzarella, Gorgonzola, Camembert, and Parmesan – which have a designated name of origin. Pursuant to this law, only products produced in those European regions can bear the name. This means food products, to keep the European name, should be imported from the respective regions.

During the remainder of this week and the upcoming one, both Mexico and the European Union will list during their meetings in Brussels, Belgium, the products which are protected according to a designation of origin.

The most notable issue is the domestic production of cheese because Mexico developed years ago an industry with European technology which allows us to market cheese products under labels similar to “Feta-type” and "Mozarella-type".

Our sources have confirmed it's possible the Mexican government will only be able to negotiate the use of five European cheese names, like Manchego.

The farming and stockbreeding industry in Mexico is uncertain about the reach this agreement modification will have in the country, given the European Union is demanding to Mexican negotiators more market openness and protection of their products.

Yet while Europe is pushing to secure 150 products with protected designated origins, Mexico has less than 20, including tequila, mezcal, and Talavera

am