The Cornish Pasty Association (CPA) is a step closer to attaining protected geographic indication (PGI) status for Cornish pasties after DEFRA confirmed that it is backing its application and will be sending it to the European Commission for final approval.

The CPA said DEFRA’s ministerial support is a “significant landmark” in the CPA’s application process. The CPA hopes for a ruling that will limit the use of the Cornish Pasty label to Cornish producers making pasties using a traditional method and recipe.

The Cornish Pasty Association (CPA) is a step closer to attaining protected geographic indication (PGI) status for Cornish pasties after DEFRA confirmed that it is backing its application and will be sending it to the European Commission for final approval.

The CPA said DEFRA’s ministerial support is a “significant landmark” in the CPA’s application process. The CPA hopes for a ruling that will limit the use of the Cornish Pasty label to Cornish producers making pasties using a traditional method and recipe.

The Association exists to protect the quality and the reputation of the Cornish pasty and to stop consumers being “misled by pasty makers who trade off the value of the name without producing a genuine product”.

Angie Coombs of the CPA Committee believes that protection of regional food products like the Cornish pasty is important both for consumers and the rural economies and explains.

She said: “This application is a genuine attempt to protect the consumer and encourage investment in local economies. We believe it is not unreasonable to ask companies to honestly label their products so that the consumer is guaranteed a level of quality, recipe and origin when they purchase them.”