(ANSA) - UDINE, 25 FEB - ROME, FEBRUARY 24 - The unacceptable "rip-off" of the name of balsamic vinegar by Slovenia puts 1 billion euro of consumer value at risk and represents an attack on the entire system of Made in Italy quality. Coldiretti denounced, commenting on the Slovenian government's decision to enact a regulation with which any mixture of wine vinegar with concentrated must can be called and sold as 'balsamic vinegar.' However, this choice has already been notified to the EC, underlined Coldiretti. "It goes against the current rules that protect PDO and PGI and preside over the labeling and consumer information system. According to Coldiretti, the Slovenian initiative also risks swelling the international market of fake made in Italy, which already bills over 100 bn euros by improperly using words, colors, locations, images, denominations, and recipes that have nothing to do with Italy.

Moreover, Slovenia's maneuver on balsamic vinegar, Coldiretti said, risks setting a dangerous precedent against which action must be taken immediately at the EU level to protect one of the symbols of Made in Italy products. (ANSA).