If the Commission decides to intervene in the protection of Teran wine, this could set a precedent which could threaten other products protected for their origin, Židan said on the margins of Monday's meeting of EU agriculture ministers in Brussels.

He said talks with other EU member states have show that most are very cautious about the Commission intervening in such cases with delegated acts.

A delegated act would allow the EU executive body to change the current origin protection for Teran which is limited to wine produced from the Refosco variety of grapes grown on the red clay of Slovenia's Kras region.

Croatia has challenged the protection with the claims that Teran is a wine native to the entire Istria region, which spans Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. It has lobbied the European Commission to change the current protection.

Slovenia maintains that conditions specific to the region of Kras mean that the registered wine can only be produced there and that conditions in north-western Croatia differ.

The origin protection for Teran became part of EU body of law when Slovenia joined the EU in 2004.

With Slovenia opposed to any changes through the EU Council, Croatia could only achieve expansion of protection through the European Commission.

But that appears unlikely for now, with new Croatian Agriculture Minister Davor Romić telling the press in Brussels that European Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan had proposed to him that Slovenia and Croatia enter into bilateral talks.

This was indirectly confirmed by Židan who said that there were "no major developments" in relation to Teran and added that "Slovenia wished it would stay that way".

"Slovenia believes it would be best that this story comes to an end and turns into remnant of less happy times," Židan added.