Scottish MEP's have set aside party politics to formally apply for two well known Scottish products to be given protected status in the European Union.
The cross party group of MEP's have applied for Protected Food Name Status for Coatbridge Chip Fat and Broxburn Batter.
PFN protects products against plagiarism and both Arbroath Smokies and Scottish Farmed Salmon have benefited from the preferred status as customers are sure that they are buying the real thing and not some cheap imitation.
Green MEP Ian Hudghton explained :
"Unless this protection is awarded, any foodstuff can be copied to an inferior degree and badged in shops and stores as Scottish produce.
We must do all we can to ensure that the integrity of such iconic Scottish products as Coatbridge Chip Fat and Broxburn Batter is not compromised by cheap copy cats ".
