The protection of feta and olive oil in the Australian market was among the key issues discussed during a meeting between Greece’s Minister for Rural Development and Food, Margaritis Schinas, and Australia’s Ambassador to Greece, Alison Duncan, attended by Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy and Extroversion, Haris Theocharis.
According to a statement from the Greek ministry, Schinas raised issues concerning Greek agricultural production and how it will be affected by the implementation of the European Union–Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA), as well as the establishment of a mechanism to resolve any disputes that may arise.
Particular emphasis was placed on the protection of feta and olive oil, with the minister stressing that “a strong commitment from Australia is required for the proper implementation of the agreed provisions.”
The meeting also covered Australian investment in Greece’s agricultural sector, strengthening Greek exports, and broader cooperation in primary industries.
According to the ministry, Ambassador Duncan undertook to convey Greece’s concerns to the Australian Government and agreed to maintain regular dialogue on these issues.
In a post on social media, Duncan described the meeting as “excellent.”
“We discussed the mutual benefits that will flow from the Australia–European Union Free Trade Agreement. We look forward to it entering into force.”
The landmark Australia–EU Free Trade Agreement was signed in late March this year.
After years of difficult negotiations and several interruptions, both sides reached a compromise on a range of contentious issues, particularly in agriculture, including the treatment of Protected Geographical Indications (GIs) such as feta.
In a joint statement, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Trade Minister Don Farrell said: “We have protected Australians’ rights to continue using familiar terms such as ‘parmesan’ and ‘kransky’. We have preserved the right of Australian winemakers to continue producing and selling Prosecco on the domestic market. Grandfathering arrangements and lengthy phase-out periods have been secured for a limited number of terms, including ‘Feta’, ‘Romano’ and ‘Gruyere’.”
The European Commission also outlined how the agreement will protect EU geographical indications.
It noted that the EU protects the names of food and drink products whose qualities are linked to their place of origin through its Geographical Indications (GI) system, which grants intellectual property protection, helps producers market premium products and gives consumers confidence in authenticity.
Under the agreement, 165 EU agricultural and food GIs and 231 EU spirit GIs will receive protection in Australia, including products such as Comté, Irish Whiskey, Queso Manchego, Salam de Sibiu, Istarski pršut, Lübecker Marzipan and Masticha Chiou, among many others.
For certain products, including feta and Gruyère, tailored arrangements were negotiated to reflect the specific characteristics of the Australian market.
Some product names that overlap with EU geographical indications have long been widely used by Australian producers. As a result, producers who have used terms such as feta in good faith and continuously for at least five years before the agreement will be allowed to continue using them under grandfathering provisions.
However, these producers will be subject to strict labelling requirements designed to prevent false, misleading or deceptive claims about Greek origin.
They will also be entered into an official register, making enforcement of GI protections easier for EU rights holders.
The agreement also allows both Australia and the EU to add further geographical indications in the future.
In Australia, the term “feta” has long been used as a generic description for white cheese made in the style of feta.
According to European Commission officials, the final agreement represents “an extremely careful balance.”
Australian businesses that can demonstrate they have legitimately used the name for at least five years before the agreement may continue doing so, but they will no longer be permitted to use Greek flags, Greek symbols or other references suggesting a Greek origin, according to Kathimerini.
To support enforcement, Australian authorities will establish a register of existing authorised users, which will be shared with the European Union.
“The agreement seeks to protect the authenticity of feta without ignoring its long history of use in the Australian market,” European officials said.
A similar arrangement already exists under the EU’s trade agreement with Canada.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also defended the compromise, saying Australia’s multicultural history had shaped the country’s food traditions.
“One of Australia’s defining characteristics is that, apart from First Nations peoples, Australians are either migrants or descendants of migrants, and many came from Europe. Whether it was Greeks who came here and made feta, Italians who made parmesan, or people from Eastern Europe who produced kransky sausages, those foods reflect our connection with Europe. Part of our strength lies in the relationships between our peoples. I think that mutual understanding and commitment helped achieve this outcome.”
The agreement also includes safeguard measures that may be activated in the event of unexpected market disruptions affecting sensitive sectors.