Food: WTO
Staff Writer - February 5, 2004

The skirmish between Europe and the rest of the world over the imitation of typical products continues.

According to Coldiretti (the Italian union representing the agriculturists), the defense from improper imitations must remain a priority for the European community.

"In order to guarantee loyal commercial competition, while protecting traditional products from international forgery, the fight against the "agro-piracy" is a fundamental transition within the WTO negotiation, to the advantage of local development of all countries involved." Declared Coldiretti at the reopening of the negotiation in Geneva, Switzerland the past December 15, 2003 following the failure to reach an agreement at the previous meeting in Cancun, Mexico.

According to Coldiretti, the safeguarding of typical food products threatened by international forgery is a choice that promotes market transparency, and for Europe and Italy means protection from a grave economic and occupational crisis.

In fact, "food piracy" causes billions of Euros in damage to the Italian food industry, stealing important chunks of market share to producers who undergo rigorous and expensive production rules enforced by independent authorities. In addition, the international consumer is routinely tricked by the improper use of words, colors, locations, images, denominations and recipes that imitate the original products, but in reality do not respect the strict production rules and quality controls enforced in Europe.

The 14 Italian typical food products most imitated around the world

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