In order to prevent the recipe from being banned, the Romanian Government included the recipe on the list of traditional products. Despite this timely initiative, the process could take months to complete.

Agriculture Minister Daniel Constantin: “The Romanian ‘Mici’ are saved. Thanks to the efforts of our relevant sector, the Commission won’t launch infringement procedures against Romania. On the other hand, the association must undertake a certification process due to last at least three months, after which point there won’t be any problems”.

The European Commission is expected to make a final decision in autumn, but Minister Constantin is confident that the European regulations will make an exception for ingredients used to prepare the Romanian dish. Until then, the marketing of mici will be made possible under an agreement signed by the National Agency for Consumer Protection, the Health Ministry and the National Health and Veterinary Authority for Food Safety, also referred to the European Commission. Before the Romanian mici is officially declared a Romanian traditional product, there are however a number of steps to be covered, Stefan Padure, the chief executive of the Romanian Meat Association says. In order for a product to be declared a traditional product it has to have a unique recipe, which makes it a rather sensitive issue in the case of the Romanian mici.

Stefan Padure: “It is really difficult to impose a certain recipe, because producers’ recipes vary extensively and they can use several types of meat and spices. It is hard to certify the mici as a historical product for immediate consumption. We are trying to defend this product at European level in order to secure a larger framework for Romanian producers”.

Statistics show that in 2012 production on the local mici market, estimated at some 50 million Euros annually, stood at nearly 22,000 tons.