Germans who produced cheese were disappointed after the European Union's highest court ruled Tuesday that only the cheese made in Northern Italy can be officially called "Parmesan."

"Only cheeses bearing the protected designation of origin 'Parmigiano Reggiano' can be sold under the name 'Parmesan,'" said the European Court of Justice in a Luxembourg ruling.

The European Commission brought the case in 2005 against Germany after the use of the "Parmesan" name by cheese producers was not prevented. According to the commission, Parmesan is a translation of Italy's "Parmigiano Reggiano" that is protected under European Union food origin policies.

The court did not issue a penalty, however, simply ordering the German firm to change the name of its cheese.

"Given the phonetic and visual similarity between the names in question, and the similar appearance of the products, use of the name 'Parmesan' must be regarded as an evocation of the protected designation of origins 'Parmigiano Reggiano,' which is protected by Community law against such an occurrence," ruled the court, adding that, whether Parmesan is a translation of "Parmigiano Reggiano" is irrelevant.

Since 1996, Parmigiano Reggiano has been geographically protected as an indication in the 27-nation EU, which means that the phrase can only be used for cheeses made, grated and packaged in the northern Italian regions around the cities of Parma and Reggio.

The production of the special cheese was in accordance to an 800-year-old process.

The Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese Consortium, a producer's alliance in Parma, regarded the court ruling as a "victory for all the producers and consumers for whom we created strong quality."

The court ruled that Germany failed to prove that Parmesan is a generic term. The dairy industry of Germany produces an estimated of 10,000 tons of "Parmesan" each year.