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Tuesday, December 1, 1998 Published at 04:50 GMT

Drama over Parma ham

Asda: Their Parman Ham is packaged in Wiltshire

A group of Italian Parma ham producers are expected to learn whether they can sue the supermarket chain, Asda, at the European Court of Justice.

The producers are angry that the company packs the meat in the UK, contravening Italian law which says that it must be packed within the Parma region.

The ham's trade association, the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma, wants to stop Asda slicing and packaging the ham in Wiltshire.

But the supermarket chain insists its methods are legal, and save its shoppers up to 61% on Italy's finest ham.

The Consorzio is seeking an injunction enforcing the Italian rules which say all Parma ham must be prepared for sale in its home region in north-east Italy.

Its claims were rejected by a High Court judge, in January, and Asda continued to sell the ham but the Italians were given leave to appeal.

Appeal court judges now have to decide whether Asda can continue importing the meat from Parma-based producer, Fiorricci, itself a member of the Consorzio, and process it at a Chippenham plant.

The judges also have the option of referring the decision to the European Courts, as the Consorzio have requested.

Facts at a glance

The so-called "Parma drama" is just one in a series of legal wrangles involving food sold under the name of an area or region which specialises in producing it.

European laws protect the names of certain famous products such as Champagne, a title that can only refer to sparkling wine from the renowned French province.

But others, such as Cheddar cheese, have become so widely used the EU says it cannot stop producers across the globe using them.

However, while any cheese can carry the name of the Somerset village the words West Country Farmhouse Cheddar are restricted under the EU's Protected Designation of Origin regulations.

The same rules have prevented British producers such as Yorkshire farmer Judy Bell from selling "Feta" cheese. EU regulation 2081/92 says the term can only be applied to sheep or goats' milk churned in Greece.

An appeal against the ruling should be settled later this month but meanwhile Mrs Bell has also been stopped from calling her product Yorkshire Fetta or Pheta in a bid to escape the ban.

Stilton, Swaledale and Single Gloucester are also protected by the eclectic EU list - but Double Gloucester is not included.

Brewers are prevented from cashing in on the names of traditional regional brews such as Newcastle Brown Ale, Kentish Ale and Rutland Bitter.

But wrangling over contents of the list continues and British officials recently saw off a French bid to end restrictions on the use of the words Cornish clotted cream.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food are so concerned about the issue they will host a conference in the new year to encourage regional producers to band together and win protection for their products.