An article entitled “Cyprus Gets Its Halloumi
Back” would leave most people scratching their
heads. But a reader of Trademark Lawyer Magazine would
immediately appreciate that it deals with the increasingly
important issue of geographical indications and designations of
origin.
The issue described in the article is almost comical. Halloumi
is, of course, a type of cheese, one that is closely associated
with the island of Cyprus. Halloumi is a semi-hard cheese that
lends itself to both grilling and frying. Halloumi is generally
made from goat’s milk or sheep’s milk, but it is
sometimes made from cow’s milk (this bit is controversial).
The name HALLOUMI has apparently been protected in the USA since
the 1990s. The name has, however, not yet been registered in the EU
(seemingly because of the controversy surrounding cow’s
milk), although an application has been pending for some time.
