The Ministry of Economic Development has forwarded to Brussels its formal opposition to the Republic of Cyprus's request to amend its laws to permit labeling and marketing as "balsamic vinegar" a mixture of vinegar, grape must, and sugar, as Slovenia has already done. The documentation, compiled by the technical offices of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food, and Forestry Policies, was sent to the Mise, the ministry responsible for subsequent obligations, in recent days. The standstill period expires on September 23 because the request was submitted to the European Commission on June 22. " Our country has responded firmly and quickly to prevent a new attempt at Italian sounding within the EU, says Mipaaf Undersecretary Gian Marco Centinaio - In the communication sent to Brussels, the formal and substantive multiple profiles of illegitimacy of the procedure adopted by Cyprus were highlighted ". Italy's arguments include the protection - acknowledged at the European level - of PDO and PGI productions, the need to avoid consumer confusion, and the distortion of competition. “The EU Court of Justice itself - recalls Centinaio - has repeatedly stated in its judgments that registered names are given broad protection, particularly in cases of evocation - added the Undersecretary - The regulation proposed by Cyprus is incompatible with the principles of Community law. At stake is not only the protection of Italian balsamic vinegar, but also the protection of all member-state-designated products."