Bulgaria moves to protect its rose oil business

Bulgaria, among the world's largest rose oil producers, has launched a procedure to register its product as a protected geographical label within the EU, the farming ministry said Wednesday.

Bulgaria is the world's second largest rose-oil maker after Turkey, supplying an annual 1,200 to 1,500 kilogrammes (2,600 to 3,300 pounds) to the perfume and cosmetics industry, producers say.

A ministerial committee approved an application from Bulgarian rose oil makers on Thursday, seeking protected geographical indication status for the name "Bulgarian rose oil," the ministry said.

"This is the last stage of the national procedure... We are preparing the necessary documents to send the application to the European Commission," it added.

The application contains a list of rose-growing areas in Bulgaria and a description of the process of rose oil distillation, linking them to the essential chemical and physical characteristics of the final product, which are specific to Bulgaria only.

The European Commission will have the final say on the validity of Bulgaria's claim, aimed at safeguarding the geographical labelling of its rose oil as a quality trademark.

The so-called "liquid gold" reached record-high prices this year, with a kilogramme traded for between 6,500-6,800 euros ($8,500-8,800), they added.SOFIA, Sept 19, 2012 (AFP)