Thursday’s Wall St. Journal ran an article (subscription only) on negotiations taking place at the World Trade Organization regarding appellation of origin (or certification marks, as they’re known in the U.S.).  Common certification marks in the U.S. include ROQUEFORT CHEESE (see below) and PARMA HAM (see here for more on info on Parma ham disputes and here for Parma Ham recipes and the source of the photo above).

The article suggest s that if European negotiators are successful, and the number of recognized appellations is increased, then U.S. food purveyors will have to re-label their products, as what they sell may not conform with the specifications of the certifying entity.