1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
Live TV
Latest audioLatest videos
In focus
Russia's war in UkraineIsrael-Hamas warIndia elections

EU protects Cambodian pepper

March 2, 2016

The famed Cambodian pepper has been granted protective status by the EU. The spice joins the prestigious ranks of champagne and other beloved delicacies that have received the rare honor.

https://p.dw.com/p/1I5Uw
Cambodia Kampot pepper
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/H. Sinith

The EU announced the decision on Wednesday, the first time Brussels has ever bestowed its "Protected Geographical Indication" status upon a product from Cambodia.

"Mrech Kampot [Kampot pepper] will benefit from a very high level of protection on the EU market," the EU said in a statement. The pepper was officially given the recognition on February 18.

The exclusive status is designed to protect popular products from cheap imitations that might flood the market. The Kampot pepper, a popular spice used by chefs around the world, is "easily faked," Ngoun Lay, president of the Kampot Pepper Promotion Association, told AFP news agency.

Other products that have been granted the status include French champagne, Cornish pasties, Gorgonzola cheese and Darjeeling tea.

The Kampot pepper's popularity first spread during the French colonization of Cambodia. However, it's popularity was severely diminished following the rise of the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s. Since then, however, the Kampot pepper industry has regained its traction, and the spice has become a staple in restaurant kitchens across the globe.

blc/kms (AFP, AP)

Skip next section Explore more

Explore more

Picking apples in Mecklenburg

Germany mulls stricter labeling rules for regional foods

Germany mulls stricter labeling rules for regional foods

German consumers like their local produce. But labels are often misleading. Germany's Consumer Protection Ministry believes there should be labeling rules for regionally produced and processed foods. (15.12.2011)
December 15, 2011

Not Business As Usual: Development Work with Pepper in 2012

Not Business As Usual: Development Work with Pepper in 2012

It’s been claimed that pepper from the Cambodian province of Kampot is the best in the world. But many plantations were destroyed under the rule of the Khmer Rouge and the region has taken a long time to recover.
BusinessApril 4, 201204:49 min

Which Bud's for Europe?

Which Bud's for Europe?

Czech brewery Budweiser gained another tool in its legal fight against US beer giant Anheuser-Busch. The Czech beer's geographical origin protects it under EU rules -- to the American brewer's ire. (19.05.2005)
May 19, 2005