EU governments have ended weeks of squabbling and agreed on a list of 41 famous food and drink names such as Parma ham and Rioja wine they believe should have worldwide brand protection.
The bloc hopes to win backing for its menu of gastronomic treasures to be protected under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules: a quest slammed by many of the bloc's trading partners as thinly disguised protectionism, worsening access to EU markets.
Time had been running short for an agreement on a list to hand to EU negotiators before they jet off to Cancun, Mexico, for the WTO session that starts on September 10th, where principles on liberalising global farm trade should be agreed.
According to the European Union's executive Commission, the final list represents not only the most valuable items but also those most widely pirated overseas: drinks such as Chablis, Champagne and Cognac and the cheeses Gorgonzola and Manchego.
"This is not about protectionism. It is about fairness. It is simply not acceptable that the EU cannot sell its genuine Italian Parma ham in Canada because the trademark "Parma Ham" is reserved for a ham produced in Canada," European Farm Commissioner Dr Franz Fischler said.
Weeks of meetings of the EU's influential trade committee led to stalemate, with increasingly bitter demands by member states for more of their national favourites to be included.
In July, for example, Greece threatened to reject the entire list if it failed to include Feta cheese, Kalamata olives and, if possible, the aniseed liquor Ouzo. In a diplomatic victory for Athens, both Feta and Ouzo were added, but not Kalamata.
France asked for seven more of its products to be added but withdrew Neufchatel cheese when it won acceptance of Beaujolais and St Emilion wines. Spain fought successfully for its Mancha saffron, while Britain agreed to remove Blue Stilton cheese.
Perhaps the biggest surprise on the list is Liebfraumilch, a late demand from Germany for its most exported wine. Sweet, cheap and generally looked down upon by connoisseurs, the white wine's origins date from the 16th or 17th century.