EU announces Cypriot 'understanding' over halloumi

BRUSSELS 

In the protracted negotiations to bring together the Turkish and Greek communities of Cyprus, few would imagine that a rubbery cheese would make its mark.

But on Friday European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker announced the sides had reached a “common understanding” on registering halloumi cheese as a “protected designation of origin” (PDO) product under EU law.

Halloumi, known as hellim in Turkish, is a cheese made from a mix of goat and sheep milk that originates in Cyprus. Last year, the Greek Cypriot administration applied to the EU for a PDO, causing concern among the Turkish Cypriot producers of hellim who feared the move would affect their exports.

“I am able, after tough discussions… happy to announce we found a common understanding as far as the geographical protection of halloumi/hellim cheese under EU law is concerned,” Juncker said after lunch with Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akinci and Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades.

He added: “This common understanding… is highly symbolic and confirms the willingness of the two parties to work together with the commission to build confidence.”

Juncker gave no detail on the agreement but said it would be implemented when a political solution for the divided island is reached.

According to the Nicosia-based Cyprus Mail, the issue had been dragging on for months and the Turkish Cypriot Chamber filed cases at the Supreme Court challenging the Greek Cypriot administration’s application to register halloumi as a PDO.

Reunification talks between the Greek and Turkish communities resumed in May when newly-elected Akinci met Anastasiades in Nicosia's neutral buffer zone after previous negotiations stalled in October in a row over gas exploration.

Among the concessions made since then has been the removal of visa requirements. Now an agreement on cheese can be added to the list.

Under the PDO system only products originating in a particular region are allowed to be identified by the name linked to that region. Gorgonzola, Camembert, Cognac and Champagne are among existing PDOs.

The island has been divided into Turkish Cypriot government in the northern third and Greek Cypriot administration in the southern two-thirds after a 1974 military coup by Greece was followed by the intervention of Turkey as a guarantor power in Cyprus.