Oysters from Mali Ston become 28th Croatian product awarded EU protection

Mali Ston oysters (Press)

ZAGREB, Oct 13 (Hina) – The “Malostonska Kamenica” oyster has received the European Union’s protected designation of origin and protected geographical indication and is protected throughout the European Union, the Ministry of Agriculture said

Mali Ston, located on the Pelješac peninsula in southern Croatia, is famous for its world-class oyster production and now they have been officially protected.

The decision guarantees consumers that they are buying an authentic product, the European Commission said in the Official Journal of the EU dated 13 October 2020.

Ston Oysters farmed in the Bay of Mali Ston were awarded the Grand Prix and Gold Medal at the General Trades International Exhibition in London in 1936.

Croatia now has 28 agricultural and food products whose names have been registered in the European Union with having protected designations of origin or protected geographical indications.

The other 27 Croatian products protected include Paški sir, Lička janjetina, pršut from Dalmatia, Drniš, Krk and Istria, olive oil from Cres, Krk, Solta and Korčula, mandarins from Neretva, Poljički soparnik, sour cabbage from Ogulin, Kulen from Baranja and Slavonian, cabbage from Varazdin, Slavonian honey, salt and lamb from Pag, Međimursko meso ‘z tiblice’, turkey from Zagorje, potatoes from Lika, Brački varenik, Bjelovarski kvargl cheese and Varaždinski klipič.

Registration as a Geographical Indication (GI) gives wide protection to the registered names, functioning as an intellectual property right for products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin. Names registered enjoy protection against any misuse, imitation, or evocation of their name.