Cornish pasties could be granted PGI status within seven months, after the case was published in the Official European Union Journal.

If no objections are raised from other EU member states (outside the UK) in the next seven months, it will mean that only Cornish pasties made in Cornwall to a traditional recipe will be allowed to be called Cornish pasties.

"For the Cornish pasty to now be published in the Official European Journal is a huge step forward for the application," commented Larry File, chairman of the Cornish Pasty Association (CPA). "This is the final stage in the process, which we hope will be completed in the next six months. The consultation process in the UK has been extensive and we do not anticipate there being objections from the other European member states."

The CPA, formed in 2002, consists of 50 members, who recently produced a film to support the PGI application. This had its first public screening at the Royal Cornwall Show last month.