| 1 | BRUSSELS - The European Union has moved to recognize halloumi, or hellim in Turkish, as a protected cheese from both sides of the Greek-Turkish divided island of Cyprus and lauds it as a symbolic step toward further reunification. |
| 2 | The salty, chewy cheese is perhaps Cyprus' greatest gift to world gastronomy and the 28-nation bloc on Tuesday took a major step toward full name protection by publishing its official application for the status, which would mean only cheese made in Cyprus could be called halloumi in EU countries. |
| 3 | The island nation was forcibly divided in 1974 into a Greek Cypriot south and a Turkish Cypriot north. |
| 4 | EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the cheese unification drive shows the commitment of both sides "to work together on projects unifying the whole island." |