El Jalapeño: US, Mexico near trade war over right to misname European cheese
The U.S. and Mexico are locked in a bitter dispute over fake cheese, putting the future of the USMCA agreement in very real peril. The post El Jalapeño: US, Mexico near trade war over right to misname European cheese appeared first on Mexico News Daily
In a tense diplomatic standoff, the United States and Mexico are edging closer to a trade war over the right to mislabel European cheeses on North American shelves. The dispute escalated after Mexico signed a deal with the European Union, granting strict geographical protections to traditional cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano and Manchego.
U.S. negotiators argued that American dairy producers have the unassailable right to market their products using names of ancient Italian and Spanish provinces. However, Mexico sees its version of Manchego as distinct, being made from a different animal. U.S. Trade Representative Harold Vincent insisted that no foreign continent should restrict North American companies from using names of towns they've never visited.
Mexican officials, while respecting European tradition, also defended their own tradition of renaming cheeses. The European Commission warned that the dispute could have catastrophic consequences, comparing the situation to a hypothetical scenario where Ohio-made feta cheese could be labeled as such.
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