CNA
The European Commission has launched the process for a vote in the Quality Committee on 26 March, on the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) of the Halloumi/Hellim file, an EC spokesperson told the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) on Tuesday.
More specifically, Miriam Garcia Ferre, told CNA, during the daily EC briefing that “Ι can confirm that since 2015 you know we have been examining this issue, including the Cypriot ‘common understanding’ on registering Halloumi/Hellim as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). In particular, we have analyzed carefully all the objections raised, and the Commission is now in a position to share its proposal with member states and has launched the process for a vote in the Quality Committee on March 26.”
As she stated, “as foreseen in 2015, this will allow producers of Halloumi and Hellim cheese to cross the Cyprus border green line provided provided it is produced in full compliance with EU hygiene and safety standards. The second process is now with the Member States who are studying it today and will be voted on the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed.”
Invited to comment on the procedure for the verification of the compliance with EU hygiene and safety standards, she noted that “there has been an agreement, that has been discussed in parallel on the possibility to ensure that those that are in full compliance are able to cross the Cyprus green line border. So in principle, we will have the guarantees that this will be complied with.”
Moreover, a European Commission written statement, provided to CNA, said that “the Commission will table a Decision to the Member States, through the Standing Committee on 15/16 March, to fix the conditions of movement of halloumi cheese between the two communities or over the green line. Concretely, this would mean that cheese produced, under specific requirements/specifications, in the northern part of the island could be then sold on the EU market.
The Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) proposal forms a package with a parallel Decision to permit the Halloumi/Hellim cheese to cross the Cyprus Green Line provided it is produced in full compliance with EU hygiene and safety standards.
The Commission will table a Decision to the Member States, through the Standing Committee on 15/16 March, to fix the conditions of movement of halloumi cheese between the two communities or over the green line. Concretely, this would mean that cheese produced, under specific requirements/specifications, in the northern part of the island could be then sold on the EU market.”
