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ARMENIA ASKS EU FOR RESERVING RIGHT TO USE "COGNAC", NOT "BRANDY"
YEREVAN, April 16. /ARKA/. Armenia is negotiating with the European
Union on Armenian producers to reserve the right to use "cognac"
instead of "brandy", Armenian deputy minister of economy Garegin
Melkonyan said. These negotiations are part of the free trade zone
agreement talks, the minister added.
The delimited region for production of cognac was established in 1909.
Under the legislation, strong alcoholic drinks distilled from wines
in other French regions or elsewhere should be given other names, i.e.
cannot be named "cognac". Yet, wine distillates produced from local
grapes and with no French technology used, are named "cognacs" in
many countries, for instance, "Californian cognac", "Greek cognac".
"Cognac" word is registered in the EU as a place of origin. But
we've presented the issue to our European partners saying that
cognac is perceived as a type of product among our population, and
that cognac production has had long years' history in Armenia. And
these nuances and specific aspects should be taken into account",
the deputy minister told journalists before the opening of the fifth
round talks on Armenia-EU free trade agreement in Yerevan.
Melkonyan said the issue is still on the agenda and will be discussed
again in the firth round of the talks.
"I hope with the European party, we will find a solution that complies
with the respective international legislation, yet does not affect
the domestic producer," he said.
The deputy minister said the local producers are being informed on
the status of the talks so they can make changes if required.
Armenia is negotiating with the EU also on "champagne" appellation,
which is not very sensitive like the "cognac" issue, Melkonyan said.
Armenia's cognac production hiked 20.2% to 18,481,400 liters over 2012,
as compared to the year before. -0-
YEREVAN, April 16. /ARKA/. Armenia is negotiating with the European
Union on Armenian producers to reserve the right to use "cognac"
instead of "brandy", Armenian deputy minister of economy Garegin
Melkonyan said. These negotiations are part of the free trade zone
agreement talks, the minister added.
The delimited region for production of cognac was established in 1909.
Under the legislation, strong alcoholic drinks distilled from wines
in other French regions or elsewhere should be given other names, i.e.
cannot be named "cognac". Yet, wine distillates produced from local
grapes and with no French technology used, are named "cognacs" in
many countries, for instance, "Californian cognac", "Greek cognac".
"Cognac" word is registered in the EU as a place of origin. But
we've presented the issue to our European partners saying that
cognac is perceived as a type of product among our population, and
that cognac production has had long years' history in Armenia. And
these nuances and specific aspects should be taken into account",
the deputy minister told journalists before the opening of the fifth
round talks on Armenia-EU free trade agreement in Yerevan.
Melkonyan said the issue is still on the agenda and will be discussed
again in the firth round of the talks.
"I hope with the European party, we will find a solution that complies
with the respective international legislation, yet does not affect
the domestic producer," he said.
The deputy minister said the local producers are being informed on
the status of the talks so they can make changes if required.
Armenia is negotiating with the EU also on "champagne" appellation,
which is not very sensitive like the "cognac" issue, Melkonyan said.
Armenia's cognac production hiked 20.2% to 18,481,400 liters over 2012,
as compared to the year before. -0-