Euro boost for local cheese and cider - Liz Lynne

2.24.05pm GMT Thu 16th Mar 2006

Traditional West Midlands cheeses and ciders will soon enjoy greater protection from the European Union, Liz Lynne, West Midlands Liberal Democrats MEP, said today.

MEPs voted today to streamline the existing regulations which protect regional specialities, including special agricultural products and foodstuffs whose name indicates the origin of the product. Protected products will be indicated by a new compulsory logo. The new rules will also bring European Union law into line with World Trade Organization agreements and speed up the registration process for products applying for protected status.

Two cheeses partly produced from Staffordshire milk, Buxton Blue and Dovedale Cheese, currently enjoy protected status, as do cider and perry (pear cider) from Worcestershire and Herefordshire.

Speaking in Strasbourg, Liz Lynne said "Protecting these regional delicacies prevents cheap imitations and ensures they will continue to be enjoyed in years to come. It also helps protect jobs in rural areas. Across seven member states, including the UK, it is estimated that geographical indicators add a total value of around £3.5 billion a year."

"These measures will be a big boost for our local specialities, such as cheese and cider. It will also post the register of protected products on the internet and speed up the application process, making it easier for other specialities to achieve protected status."