News Room

• FAQs
• For media requests, contact:
  Shawna Morris at smorris@commonfoodnames.com, (703) 528-4818

Our Latest Newsletter

• 3rd Quarter 2017 CCFN ALERT
• 2nd Quarter 2017 CCFN ALERT
• 1st Quarter 2017 CCFN ALERT
• 1st Quarter 2017 CCFN ALERT (text only)
• See Current Activities page for an archive

Recent Testimony and Items of Interest

• WTO Uruguay Statement on Danbo
• CCFN Special 301 – Oral Testimony – March 8, 2018
• CCFN 2018 Special 301 Review Testimony_Feb 8, 2018

PDFs of Recent Releases

(Also see webpage postings of releases bottom of this page)

• CCFN Release – US Special 301 Report- More Action Needed – May 2, 2018
• Joint Release with U.S. dairy organizations NMPF and USDEC – EU-Mexico FTA – April 25, 2018
• CCFN Release – CCFN Calls for U.S. to Reject the EU’s Flagrant Abuse of  GIs – March 8, 2018
• CCFN Release – Japan Rejects EU Attempt to Confiscate Many Generic Names – December 20, 2017
• CCFN Release – Mercosur Govts Must Rebuff EU, Protect Common Names – November 30, 2017
• CCFN Release – EU Breaks International Agreements with Recent GI Approval – October 19, 2017
• CCFN Release – Mexico and Japan Should Act on EU GI lists– October 12, 2017
• CCFN Release – Farm and Manufacturer Letter to President Trump on Mexico Japan GI Lists  – October 3, 2017
• CCFN Release – CCFN Objects to Names on China-EU GI list – August 2, 2017
• CCFN Release – CCFN Will Object to Common Names on JEEPA GI list – July 19, 2017
• CCFN Release – WIPO Symposium – More Dialogue Needed to Safeguard Common Names – July 3, 2017
• CCFN Release – NAFTA Modernization Must Include Common Name Safeguards – June 28, 2017
• News Release CCFN-Dairy-Orgs-Trump Administration Commits to Continued Staunch Defense of US Food and Beverage Manufacturers Using Common Food Names – April 28, 2017
• News Release – CCFN Urges Trump Administration to Escalate Opposition to Geographical Indications Policies Designed to Hurt U.S. Manufacturing of Food Products – March 8, 2017
• News Release – Study Shows Billions of Dollars in Losses to U.S. Dairy Industry under Abusive EU Geographical Indications Policies – October 11, 2016
• CCFN News Release – CCFN Advises Food Companies on Protecting Common Meat, Cheese, and Wine Terms from European Efforts to Claim their Exclusive Use– June 23, 2016
• CCFN News Release – Intellectual Property Report Details U.S. Trade Representative’s Global Initiatives to Defend Rights of Common Food Name Users – April 27, 2016
• CCFN News Release – Global Alliance Supporting Consumer Rights and Opposing Restrictions on Generic Food Names Made Major Strides in 2015 – January 11, 2016
• CCFN Release – CCFN Praises US Progress on GIs in WIPO Budget – October 19, 2015
• CCFN Release – CCFN Welcomes Congressional Response Denouncing GI Treaty Impacting Food Exports – July 16, 2015
• CCFN Release – WIPO Members Question Legitimacy of Revised GI System – May 21, 2015

Background Items 

Senate Finance Committee Letter to USTR Concerning EU-Mexico Free Trade Negotiations

• Hatch-Wyden Letter re EU-Mexico FTA — Feb 3, 2017

CCFN Comments and Oral Testimony, 2017 USTR Special 301 Review

• 2017 Special 301 Review_Comments — February 2017
• 2017 Special 301 Review Oral Testimony — March 2017

October 2016 Study by Informa Economics IEG: Assessing the Potential Impact of Geographical Indications for Common Cheeses on the U.S. Dairy Sector

• Study by Informa Economics IEG
• Three-page summary of the study
• News release

Comments on the Proposed 2017 National Trade Estimate on Foreign Trade Barriers

• National Milk Producers Federation / U.S. Dairy Export Council
• International Dairy Foods Association
• Wine Institute
• National Association of Manufacturers

Comments for 2015 U.S. National Trade Estimate Report (including impact of GI policy)

• 2015 1028 Grocery Manufacturers Association input for 2016 National Trade Estimate Report EU
• Wine_Institute_National_Trade_Estimate Comments_2015
• National Milk Producers – US Dairy Export Council NTE Oct 28 2015
• International Dairy Foods Association – NTE_10 28 15

U.S. Legislative Letters of Support

• U.S. Senate Letters:
  • Meat Focus, to Agriculture Sect Vilsack and U.S. Trade Rep Froman: Meat GIs EU TTIP Vilsack and Froman April 2014
  • Cheese Focus, to Agriculture Sect Vilsack and U.S. Trade Rep Froman: 3-11-2014_USDAUSTR_CheeseLetter
• U.S. House Letters:
  • Connecticut Delegation Letter on TTIP and GIs (2/10/16)
  • TTIP Letter – May 2014: House Dairy TTIP Letter

• Wisconsin Resolution: Unanimous resolution – April 2014: Wisconsin AJR 133 Final

Comments on Other GI Regulations/Policies

Comments to EU on non-agricultural GIs:

• CCFN-Comments-on-EU-non-agri-GI-consultation_Oct 28 14