Regional protection

FRENCH government spokesman Luc Chatel indicated that protection of “indications of geographical origin” might have been their main worry in the failed WTO talks.

These are high quality products, usually food and wine, closely tied to a particular place and tradition, like Italy’s Parma ham or France’s Roquefort cheese.

Ireland has just four products protected in this way — Imokilly regato, Timoleague brown pudding, Connemara hill lamb, and Clare Island salmon.