Halloumi may not be called halloumi after EU move on cheese

Halloumi, the salty, chewy cheese which is Cyprus' greatest gift to world gastronomy, has been given special protected name status by the EU.

Much halloumi may no longer be called halloumi after the EU moved to change name rules for the cheese (AP Photo/Philip Mark) Source: AP

The European Union has moved to recognise halloumi, or hellim in Turkish, as a protected cheese from both sides of the Greek-Turkish divided island of Cyprus and lauds it as a symbolic step toward further reunification.

The salty, chewy cheese is perhaps Cyprus' greatest gift to world gastronomy and the 28-nation bloc on Tuesday took a major step toward full name protection by publishing its official application for the status, which would mean only cheese made in Cyprus could be called halloumi in EU countries.

The island nation was forcibly divided in 1974 into a Greek Cypriot south and a Turkish Cypriot north.

EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the cheese unification drive showed the commitment of both sides "to work together on projects unifying the whole island."