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I find it difficult to see how this is different to literally any regulation though. It's not as if any product is prevented from entering the EU under these rules, it's just a question of how it's marketed. It's as much consumer protection as producer protection - when someone sees 'champagne' they expect it be from Champagne (and not just because of expectations created by the regulations). After all the EU does enforce non-EU names - Celyon tea, Sussex wine, Mongolian Cashmere etc. etc.
This implies that the answer would be for everyone else to prohibit any product (imported or otherwise) to display a restriction geographic name.
After all, it's just a question of how it's marketed. Prohibiting French wine-makers from labeling it Champagne isn't a trade barrier?
After a while, those names will just be gone -- who in the US would know what Parmesan is if you can't actually name anything in the store it.
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The question is what do those names actually mean to consumers. At least here in Australia, names like 'feta' are fully genericised - they don't have to come from a particular region in Greece. This is true for a lot of names, though the EU has taken great pains to reverse this.
When a consumer goes to buy feta, what exactly are they looking for? If two products are virtually identicial, taste the same, same texture, but one happens to be made in Australia and one in Greece, do most consumers actually care? Do they just want a lower price (I'm sure some foodies will claim there are subtle but irreducible differences).
At what point does a name become genericised to the point of referring to a type of product, rather that than referring to the geographical origin of a product? Danish pastries certainly aren't just made in Denmark.
It is a legitimate criticism to say that a consumer might be looking for feta and not care if it's from either Australia or Greece, but EU geographical indicators hide Australia 'feta' from consumers as a potential option, and this constitutes protectionism.
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