Croatia and Slovenia Fight for Sausage Rights

As Croatia and Slovenia have failed to reach an agreement by the given deadline of July 2013, the European Commission will soon have to decide whether Croatia can continue to produce and sell its sausage called Kranjska.

Slovenia, an EU member since 2004, submitted an application to the European Commission for the protection of its Kranjska klobasa in February 2012.

The neighbouring Croatia, who also produces the Kranjska sausage, sent an objection to the European Commission regarding Slovenia’s application shortly thereafter.

Before its accession to the EU in July this year, Croatia could produce the sausage, but now that Croatia is also an EU member, Slovenia is requesting the exclusive right throughout the EU.

Slovenia claims that the quality of Kranjska sausage can only be guaranteed if manufactured in the region of Carniola (Slovene: Kranjska) in Slovenia, using the local meat, ingredients and the original technology.

Croatia on the other hand aims to protect its producers, who have been manufacturing the disputed sausage for decades. Croatia’s Kranjska sausage production is estimated to be worth approximately EUR 13 million (USD 18 million) annually.

The Croatian winemakers are also objecting to Slovenia’s exclusive right to wine named Teran, for which Slovenia obtained protection in the EU in 2009. When Croatia joined the EU, its Teran wines were withdrawn from sale in Slovenia and the same is expected to happen in the entire EU territory.

Disputes over geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products are not rare in the EU. Once it becomes a member state, Serbia will probably face a similar problem if it tries to protect slivovitz (šljivovica), a well-known plum brandy, because the Czech Republic protected its plum brandy under the same name in 2007. However, Serbia may be able to obtain the EU protection under the name Serbian slivovitz.

Prepared by: Izabella Radovic

For more information, please contact croatia@petosevic.com.

Source: EurAktiv web portal