According to Reuters, Emmentaler cheese cannot be registered in the European Union as it is seen by the German public primarily as a type of cheese rather than a geographical indication, the second-highest European court said on Wednesday.

The yellow Swiss cheese, known for its large holes, is the second-most produced and exported hard cheese in Switzerland.

Emmentaler Switzerland Association, which registered the word EMMENTALER with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), had fought before the Court after the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) rejected its application for WIPO recognition.

Following a years-long legal process, the Luxembourg-based Court supported the EU patent office.

"Since the requested mark designates a type of cheese for the relevant German public and is not perceived as an indication of the geographical origin of this cheese, the Court concludes that it does not benefit from protection as a collective mark," the Court stated.