The EU has received three objections to Cyprus’ application to register halloumi/hellim as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and more are expected by the end of the deadline.
Agriculture Minister Nicos Kouyialis spoke to the Cyprus Mail and said the three expressed objections received so far had come from an organised group of halloumi producers in the UK, backed by the British government, and two from private businesses, one located in the US and one in Australia.
The deadline to object ends on October 29, Kouyialis said, and “according to information there will be three to four more objections”. However, the Minister remains positive that the PDO will go through.
Kouyialis also mentioned that initially companies or individuals express an interest in appealing and after the deadline ends, they have two more months to submit “reasoned statements of opposition”, and if their arguments are accepted by the European Commission, then Cyprus and the objecting party engage in consultations to try and reach an agreement.
If no agreement is reached, the minister said, the Commission decides whether to register the PDO or not, taking into account the information at its disposal.
“We are very satisfied with the whole procedure so far, and I am very positive that in the end we will be granted the PDO status for halloumi,” Kouyialis said.