"The geographical area defined by the Greek legislation covers only the territory of mainland Greece and the department of Lesbos. Extensive grazing and transhumance, central to the method of keeping the ewes and goats used to provide the raw material for making Feta cheese, are the result of an ancestral tradition allowing adaptation to climate changes and their impact on the available vegetation. This has led to the development of small native breeds of sheep and goats which are extremely tough and resilient, fitted for survival in an environment that offers little food in quantitative terms but, in terms of quality, is endowed with an extremely diversified flora, thus giving the finished product its own specific aroma and flavour. The interplay between the natural factors and the specific human factors, in particular the traditional production method, which requires straining without pressure, has thus given Feta cheese its remarkable international reputation.
En over het argument dat Feta tot soortnaam is verworden zegt het het Hof van Justitie: "In other Member States, feta is commonly marketed with labels referring to Greek cultural traditions and civilisation. Thus, consumers in those Member States perceive feta as a cheese associated with Greece, even if in reality it has been produced in another Member State. As regards Denmark, the Court notes that the relevant Danish legislation does not refer to ‘feta’ but to ‘Danish feta’, which would tend to suggest that in Denmark the name ‘feta’, by itself, has retained a Greek connotation." Lees arrest hier, persbericht hier.