The Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN), Arlington, Va., said major dairy-producing organizations around the world are challenging the European Union's (EU) decision to disregard market realities and international trade standards by granting Denmark sole ownership of the generic name "havarti" cheese in Europe.

The European Union aims to prevent U.S. dairy food manufacturers from using cheese names such as feta and parmesan. An dairy industry analysis predicts losses in the billions of dollars to processors and rising prices for consumers.

The Washington, D.C.-based Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN), is denouncing a court ruling in the United Kingdom that declared only yogurt made in Greece could be labeled as "Greek yogurt." 

Never mind that most of the world freely uses and understands the word Parmesan as it applies to cheese. To the EU, however, Parm means only Parmigiano-Reggiano. And feta is a cheese made only in Greece. The EU is trying to force its approach to food names on every country in the world. It already has gummed up the South Korean market for non-EU makers of Asiago, feta, fontina and gorgonzola.