US-Argentina deal calls into question protection of EU geographical indications

The trade agreement between the United States and Argentina, which was signed in early February 2026, may complicate the application of the protection of European geographical indications provided for in the EU-Mercosur agreement. This is reported by Agriland.

As part of the EU-Mercosur agreement, Argentina has committed to recognize and protect European geographical indications, preventing the use of similar names for products that are not produced in the EU.

This includes cheese and meat products. However, according to Farm Europe, a new agreement between the US and Argentina provides for the recognition of a number of names as “generic” for American products. These include Brie and Camembert, as well as Chorizo and Mortadella.

This means that Argentina may not restrict imports of American goods with these names, even if similar designations are protected under the European system of geographical indications.

Farm Europe believes that this situation calls into question the effectiveness of the geographical indication protection mechanism under the EU-Mercosur agreement. According to the president of the organization, Yves Madre, if parallel bilateral agreements weaken the practical application of protection, this creates risks for European producers.

Representatives of Farm Europe and Eat Europe emphasize that geographical indications are not just marketing names, but legal instruments for protecting quality standards, regional identity, and production traditions.

Tags: EU, USA, Argentina, food