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Denmark Falls Foul of EU Rules in Fight Over Feta Exports

  • White-cheese exports outside the EU broke obligations: ECJ
  • Only cheese made in Greece can be sold as Feta: court
Feta cheese.

Feta cheese.

Photographer: Graham Barclay/Bloomberg

Denmark broke European Union rules by letting local dairy producers market and export a white, crumbly cheese as “Feta” outside the region, the EU’s top court said. 

The European Commission, backed by Greece and Cyprus, sued Denmark in 2019 for failing to prevent or stop the “direct breach” of the EU protection the name enjoys. Greece claims it has been making Feta since ancient times and in 2002 was awarded protected status so that only cheese made in the Mediterranean nation can be sold as such.