EU-Mexico trade deal fails to protect Spanish manchego producers

The EU and Mexico have reached a trade deal that will open new markets to European farmers, but the agreement fell short of protecting Spanish cheese producers.

EU commissioner for agriculture Phil Hogan said: “This deal is very positive for our agri-food sector; it creates new export opportunities for our high-quality food and drink products, which in turn will lead to jobs and economic activity in rural areas.”

Under the deal, the EU managed to secure exclusive rights for 340 products with a geographical indication, including French comté cheese and Portuguese São Jorge cheese. The deal did not secure the same exclusive rights for Spanish producers of manchego cheese.

Manchego cheese producers have responded to the deal, saying they feel misrepresented in the agreement.

Martin Esteso, responsible for manchego geographical indication under ASAJA, Spain’s largest farmers’ union, told Euractiv: “We were used as a bargaining chip.”

Mexico-produced manchego represents 15% of the total cheese sales in the country and denying Mexico use of the term ‘manchego’ would have negative consequences for Mexican producers.

While Mexico’s manchego products are made using cows’ milk and take around one week to produce, Spanish manchego is produced using milk from ewes of the manchega breed, and can take more than two months to make ready for market.

Farmers of the La Mancha region in central Spain have argued that the longer production period takes gives the cheese a special quality, resulting in a higher price. In the US, for example, Spanish manchego costs more than double its Mexican counterpart at $14 per pound.

Under the deal, the EU managed to ensure that the Mexican variant of manchego must clearly disassociate itself with the protected EU indication on product labels, and Mexican farmers are forbidden to use milk from manchega sheep in their cheese.

Hogan said on the issue: “I think that farmers in Mexico in relation to manchego cheese would be happy, and the Spaniards would be happy too.”

Esteso responded: “It is nonsense; of course we are not happy. This would represent a big blow for us and our exports, because now they could sell abroad using the name. The Commission keeps talking about protecting local breeds, and you achieve that by protecting their original products. This deal represents precisely the opposite for us.”

Some of the more technical details of the deal are yet to be decided.