GRAHAM TAKES CORNISH PASTIES TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

12.45.00pm GMT Fri 5th Mar 2010

MEPs enjoying their Real Cornish Pasties, From left to right they are; Leonidas Donskis MEP from Lithuania; Catherine Bearder MEP from the UK; Izaskun Bilbao Barandica MEP from Spain; Graham Watson MEP; Guy Vergofstadt MEP from Belgium (Former Prime Minister of Belgium between 1999 and 2008); Renate Weber MEP from Romania; Sharon Bowles MEP from the UK; Carl Haglund MEP from Finland; Bill Newton-Dunn MEP from the UK; and Alexander Graf Lamsdorff MEP from Germany. Photograph by the European Parliament.

Graham Watson, Liberal Democrat Member of the European Parliament for South West of England, has taken genuine Cornish pasties to his colleagues in the European Parliament in Brussels. It is a great show of support for the Cornish Pasty Association (CPA) which is currently waiting for the European Commission to grant final approval for the PGI status for the Cornish delicacy.

MEP Graham Watson, who handed authentic Cornish pasties to his European colleagues at the European Parliament commented: "Cornish Pasties make a valuable contribution to the Cornish Economy. It's a great product that supports thousands of jobs. Many products across Europe have benefited from gaining legal protection - from Feta Cheese to Parma Ham - to stop consumers being misled as to their origins. Tragically some producers are trading on Cornwall's heritage without their pasties ever being near the Duchy."

"Genuine Cornish Pasties only come from Cornwall!"

"Ahead of St Piran's Day I was delighted to share a Pasty with fellow Parliamentarians from across Europe. I know they all enjoyed tucking in!

"It important to raise the profile of the County, and gain wide ranging support for the Pasty's application for protected status."

Larry File, Chairman of the Cornish Pasty Association, commented: "It is fantastic to receive support from a local politician who can demonstrate the merits of our application in Europe. We are grateful that Graham Watson has taken our pasties to the European Parliament. We hope that his colleagues enjoyed eating them and now have a convincing reason for why the Cornish pasty should be protected."

Graham Watson supports British producers in protecting their regional foods and has also recently shown his backing to Somerset Cider Brandy. The Cornish Pasty Association is currently waiting for the European Commission to finally approve the PGI status for the Cornish Pasty. Once granted, it will mean that only Cornish pasties made in Cornwall and to a traditional recipe will be called 'Cornish Pasties'.

In a meeting with Commission officials last week Graham was updated on the progress of the Cornish Pasty Associations bid.

Next week Graham is meeting new EU Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Ciolos where he will again be raising the Cornish Pasties PGI application.

Background;

The EU has introduced laws to protect the names of regional foods and ensure that only products genuinely originating in that region are allowed in commerce as such. The legislation came into force in 1992 (Under Regulation 2081/92, now replaced by Regulation 510/2006). The purpose of the law is to protect the reputation of the regional foods and eliminate the unfair competition and misleading of consumers by non-genuine products, which may be of inferior quality or of different flavour.

The following EU schemes encourages diverse agricultural production, protects product names from misuse and imitation and helps consumers by giving them information concerning the specific character of the products.

Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) - covers agricultural products and foodstuffs which are produced, processed and prepared in a given geographical area using recognised know-how.

Protected Geographic Indication (PGI) - covers agricultural products and foodstuffs closely linked to the geographical area. At least one of the stages of production, processing or preparation takes place in the area.

Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) - highlights traditional character, either in the composition or means of production

DEFRA submitted the application for PGI status to the European Commission on behalf of the Cornish Pasty Association in November 2008.

The following other West Country produce has already been awarded PDO or PGI status:

West Country farmhouse Cheddar cheese PDO Granted 21.06.96

Single Gloucester PDO Granted 21.06.96

Gloucestershire Cider/Perry PGI Granted 21.06.96

Exmoor Blue Cheese PGI Granted 28.04.99

Dorset Blue Cheese PGI Granted 23.12.98

Cornish Clotted Cream PDO Granted 01.10.98

Products with PDO or PGI status include Feta Cheese, Champagne and Parma Ham.