... says View From The Solent, who spotted this in The Register:
Any reader who's still undecided as to how to vote in the forthcoming, and increasingly tedious, EU referendum, should consider a Brexit future without the culinary protection afforded us by membership of the happy European family of nations.
Last week, the Cornish Pasty Association came out in favour of Britain remaining in the European Union, because "after working so hard for so many years to gain recognition for the Cornish pasty through the EU Protected Food Names scheme, it would be wholly inappropriate for it to support anything that could potentially impact on that status".
In a brief statement, association chairman Jason Jobling said: "As an organisation that has benefitted from the EU protected food names system, and no clear evidence available to demonstrate that Brexit would enable that protection to continue, the CPA supports Britain remaining in the EU and being able to participate in that system."
Protected Geographical Status is indeed an typical EU protectionist thing.
But... from Wiki:
This regulation (enforced within the EU and being gradually expanded internationally via bilateral agreements between the EU and non-EU countries) ensures that only products genuinely originating in that region are allowed to be identified as such in commerce.
So if we want to protect our pasties, all we have to do is sign up and preserve the status quo.
(If we didn't sign up, then UK producers would be able to use all the other protected names and sell their produce to non-EU countries, probably a net gain for them overall, and I can't see the EU letting us get away with that.)
Forbidden Bible Verses — Genesis 42:1-17
2 hours ago
14 comments:
I shall withdraw my support of the Cornish Pasty Association dreckly.
Why any consumer wants it protected, I don't know. All it does is either enrich pasty makers in Cornwall, or create confusion as shops have to call them something else. It's a style of food, like sachertorte or Black Forest gateau. It's not like Champagne where the grapes at least have to be grown in the region, so is more like "greek olives" or "British lamb". The use of the name fell into common parlance decades ago.
I mean, it's no measure of quality. Ginster's terrible pasties can use the name, but the lovely ones from a shop in Marlborough can't, because they make them fresh the day before in Marlborough.
TS, I expect the whole thing was the result of lobbying by Ginsters in the first place.
If we didn't sign up, then UK producers would be able to use all the other protected names ...
Possibly, but for the really well known ones (Parmagiano Reggiano or Scotch Whisky for instance) most consumers and their governments would probably consider the description false or the advertising misleading even in the absence of specific legislation.
BB, me too.
TS, exactly.
B, does it matter who did the lobbying, the result is always the same.
SL, also true.
It may hurt their pride to know that Cornwall was where I had the worst pasties I ever experienced.
I eat Belgian buns made in Hampshire, Spanish ommlettes made in Surrey, and Turkish delight made in Berkshire, so why shouldn't Cornish pasties be made in Heckmondwhyke, or Basle, or Glasgow (deep fried of course). It's a pasty for goodness sake!
Only a tiny amount of Cheddar cheese comes from Cheddar.
DCB, sure, but it's still a lovely holiday designation.
PS, exactly, the whole thing is a massive great scam. By all means, protect a company trademark (their brand name is only worth as much as the product) but not some generic thing (which merely feeds into higher land values in the protected area), The Stigler has done enough posts on this (he being the food and wine expert).
Phys, in absolute or relative terms?
If it turned out the election caused us to exit the EU, AND, it then turned out things got worse for the nation, how would your world view adapt to that observed scientific fact? BTW Im neither for or against the EU per se.
'BTW Im neither for or against the EU per se.'
Me neither Robin, I'm a mystic who transcends the limitations of the little people and therefore I do not have to dirty my hands with Democratic issues and take a falible stand on these questions and ...
Back on my cloud....Fancy a chant? Ommmmmmmm, Ommmmmm,:)
@ Mike W Are you familiar with the 'honey trap'? You have been well and truly captured. I now know you better than you know you. And you don't even know it. Psychology is great tool in politics. Let me know if you want me to show you how the technique worked on you in more detail?
Robin,
'I now know you better than you know you. And you don't even know it.' mmmmmm, are you my mum?
Please feel free to post any link that you think may help me make an informed but - falible - political choice.
'If it turned out the election caused us to exit the EU, AND, it then turned out things got worse for the nation, how would your world view adapt to that observed scientific fact?'
Like Keynes said; I will change my mind, why what will you do?
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