Official Journal C 281 of the European Union

Home , Gieboldehausen, Seulingen

Volume 58 English edition Information and Notices 26 August 2015

Contents

II Information

INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

European Commission

2015/C 281/01 Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.7563 — CommScope/TE BNS) (1) ...... 1

IV Notices

NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

European Commission

2015/C 281/02 Euro exchange rates ...... 2

2015/C 281/03 Commission notice on current State aid recovery interest rates and reference/discount rates for 28 Member States applicable as from 1 September 2015 (Published in accordance with Article 10 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 794/2004 of 21 April 2004 (OJ L 140, 30.4.2004, p. 1)) ...... 3

EN (1) Text with EEA relevance V Announcements

PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPETITION POLICY

European Commission

2015/C 281/04 Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.7707 — Cinven/Synlab) — Candidate case for simplified procedure (1) ...... 4

2015/C 281/05 Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.7730 — Acticall / Sitel) — Candidate case for simplified procedure (1) ...... 5

2015/C 281/06 Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.7755 — Mahindra/MHI/MAM) — Candidate case for simplified procedure (1) ...... 6

2015/C 281/07 Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.7637 — Liberty Global/BASE Belgium) (1) ...... 7

OTHER ACTS

European Commission

2015/C 281/08 Publication of an application pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs ...... 8

2015/C 281/09 Publication of an amendment application pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs ...... 12

(1) Text with EEA relevance 26.8.2015 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 281/1

II (Information)

INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.7563 — CommScope/TE BNS) (Text with EEA relevance) (2015/C 281/01)

On 22 June 2015, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to declare it compatible with the internal market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004 (1). The full text of the decision is available only in English language and will be made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available: — in the merger section of the Competition website of the Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/ cases/). This website provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes, — in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/homepage.html?locale=en) under document number 32015M7563. EUR-Lex is the online access to the European law.

(1) OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1. C 281/2 EN Official Journal of the European Union 26.8.2015

IV (Notices)

NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Euro exchange rates (1) 25 August 2015

(2015/C 281/02)

1 euro =

Currency Exchange rate Currency Exchange rate USD US dollar 1,1506 CAD Canadian dollar 1,5181 JPY Japanese yen 137,84 HKD Hong Kong dollar 8,9182 DKK Danish krone 7,4635 NZD New Zealand dollar 1,7596 GBP Pound sterling 0,72900 SGD Singapore dollar 1,6084 SEK Swedish krona 9,5653 KRW South Korean won 1 356,95 ZAR South African rand 15,0211 CHF Swiss franc 1,0834 CNY Chinese yuan renminbi 7,3786 ISK Iceland króna HRK Croatian kuna 7,5553 NOK Norwegian krone 9,3885 IDR Indonesian rupiah 16 146,48 BGN Bulgarian lev 1,9558 MYR Malaysian ringgit 4,8489 CZK Czech koruna 27,109 PHP Philippine peso 53,624 HUF Hungarian forint 312,31 RUB Russian rouble 79,6550 PLN Polish zloty 4,2242 THB Thai baht 40,888 RON Romanian leu 4,4328 BRL Brazilian real 4,0621 TRY Turkish lira 3,3606 MXN Mexican peso 19,5343 AUD Australian dollar 1,5937 INR Indian rupee 76,0504

(1) Source: reference exchange rate published by the ECB. 26.8.2015 Commission notice on current State aid recovery interest rates and reference/discount rates for 28 Member States applicable as from 1 September 2015 (Published in accordance with Article 10 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 794/2004 of 21 April 2004 (OJ L 140, 30.4.2004, p. 1)) (2015/C 281/03) EN

Base rates calculated in accordance with the communication from the Commission on the revision of the method for setting the reference and discount rates (OJ C 14, 19.1.2008, p. 6.). Depending on the use of the reference rate, the appropriate margins have still to be added as defined in this communication. For the discount rate this means that a margin of 100 basis p oints has to be added. The Commission Regulation (EC) No 271/2008 of 30y Januar 2008 amending Regulation (EC) No 794/2004 foresees that, unless oth erwise provided for in a specific decision, the recovery rate will also be calculated by adding 100 basis points to the base rate. Modified rates are indicated in bold. Official Journal of the European Union Previous table published in OJ C 231, 15.7.2015, p. 5.

From To AT BE BG CY CZ DE DK EE EL ES FI FR HR HU IE IT LT LU LV MT NL PL PT RO SE SI SK UK 1.9.2015 … 0,17 0,17 1,85 0,17 0,52 0,17 0,29 0,17 0,17 0,17 0,17 0,17 1,58 1,53 0,17 0,17 0,17 0,17 0,17 0,17 0,17 1,76 0,17 1,67 - 0,17 0,17 0,17 1,02 1.8.2015 31.8.2015 0,17 0,17 1,85 0,17 0,52 0,17 0,24 0,17 0,17 0,17 0,17 0,17 1,58 1,80 0,17 0,17 0,17 0,17 0,17 0,17 0,17 1,76 0,17 1,67 - 0,13 0,17 0,17 1,02 1.7.2015 31.7.2015 0,22 0,22 1,85 0,22 0,52 0,22 0,24 0,22 0,22 0,22 0,22 0,22 1,58 1,80 0,22 0,22 0,22 0,22 0,22 0,22 0,22 1,76 0,22 1,67 - 0,07 0,22 0,22 1,02 1.6.2015 30.6.2015 0,22 0,22 2,18 0,22 0,52 0,22 0,17 0,22 0,22 0,22 0,22 0,22 1,58 2,21 0,22 0,22 0,22 0,22 0,22 0,22 0,22 1,76 0,22 1,67 0,00 0,22 0,22 1,02 1.5.2015 31.5.2015 0,26 0,26 2,18 0,26 0,52 0,26 0,27 0,26 0,26 0,26 0,26 0,26 1,58 2,21 0,26 0,26 0,26 0,26 0,26 0,26 0,26 2,16 0,26 2,04 0,13 0,26 0,26 1,02 1.4.2015 30.4.2015 0,34 0,34 2,18 0,34 0,52 0,34 0,42 0,34 0,34 0,34 0,34 0,34 1,58 2,21 0,34 0,34 0,34 0,34 0,34 0,34 0,34 2,16 0,34 2,04 0,23 0,34 0,34 1,02 1.3.2015 31.3.2015 0,34 0,34 2,18 0,34 0,52 0,34 0,66 0,34 0,34 0,34 0,34 0,34 1,58 2,21 0,34 0,34 0,34 0,34 0,34 0,34 0,34 2,16 0,34 2,04 0,33 0,34 0,34 1,02 1.1.2015 28.2.2015 0,34 0,34 2,18 0,34 0,52 0,34 0,66 0,34 0,34 0,34 0,34 0,34 1,58 2,21 0,34 0,34 0,34 0,34 0,34 0,34 0,34 2,16 0,34 2,63 0,46 0,34 0,34 1,02 C 281/3 C 281/4 EN Official Journal of the European Union 26.8.2015

V (Announcements)

PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPETITION POLICY

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.7707 — Cinven/Synlab) Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance) (2015/C 281/04)

1. On 17 August 2015, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which Cinven Capital Management (V) General Partner Limited (‘Cinven’, Guernsey) acquire(s) within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking Synlab Holding GmbH (‘Synlab’, Germany) by way of purchase of shares. 2. The business activities of the undertakings concerned are: — Cinven is a private equity business engaged in the provision of investment management services to a number of investment funds, — Synlab is a pan-European provider of laboratory diagnostics services for human and veterinary medicine and envi ronmental analysis services. 3. On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in this Notice. 4. The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission. Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301), by e-mail to [email protected] or by post, under reference M.7707 — Cinven/Synlab, to the following address: European Commission Directorate-General for Competition Merger Registry 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel BELGIQUE/BELGIË

(1) OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’). (2) OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5. 26.8.2015 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 281/5

Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.7730 — Acticall / Sitel) Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance) (2015/C 281/05)

1. On 14 August 2015, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertaking Groupe Acticall SA (‘Acticall’, Luxembourg) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking Sitel Worldwide Corporation (‘Sitel’, USA), by way of purchase of shares. 2. The business activities of the undertakings concerned are: — for Acticall: integrated services group specialised in customer relationship management, including inbound call management by contact centres, customer relationship consulting, digital CRM consulting, and customer CRM training. Acticall’s main shareholder is Creadev S.A.S., a private equity firm, — for Sitel: customer care outsourcing services through contact centres, offering a full range of services, including customer service, customer acquisition and technical support. Sitel’s main shareholder is Onex Corporation, a Canadian diversified company. 3. On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under the Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in this Notice. 4. The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission. Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301), by email to [email protected] or by post, under reference number M.7730 — Acticall / Sitel to the following address: European Commission Directorate-General for Competition Merger Registry 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel BELGIQUE/BELGIË

(1) OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’). (2) OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5. C 281/6 EN Official Journal of the European Union 26.8.2015

Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.7755 — Mahindra/MHI/MAM) Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance) (2015/C 281/06)

1. On 19 August 2015 the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertakings Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (‘MHI’, Japan) and Mahindra & Mahindra Limited (‘Mahindra’, India) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the undertaking Mitsubishi Agricultural Machinery Co. Ltd (‘MAM’, Japan) by way of purchase of shares. 2. The business activities of the undertakings concerned are: — for MHI: engineering, manufacture and sale of electrical equipment and electronics, — for Mahindra: manufacture and sale of utility vehicles and agricultural equipment, — for MAM: manufacture and sale of agricultural equipment. 3. On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a sim plified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under the Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in this Notice. 4. The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission. Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301), by email to [email protected] or by post, under reference number M.7755 — Mahindra/MHI/MAM, to the following address: European Commission Directorate-General for Competition Merger Registry 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel BELGIQUE/BELGIË

(1) OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’). (2) OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5. 26.8.2015 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 281/7

Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.7637 — Liberty Global/BASE Belgium) (Text with EEA relevance) (2015/C 281/07)

1. On 17 August 2015, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertaking Telenet Group Holding NV (‘Telenet’, Belgium), con trolled by Liberty Global plc (United Kingdom), acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking BASE Company NV (‘BASE’, Belgium), by way of purchase of shares. 2. The business activities of the undertakings concerned are: — for Telenet: Telenet is a cable network operator in Belgium specialising in the supply of fixed internet, fixed teleph ony services and cable television to customers throughout Flanders and parts of Brussels. It also operates a number of pay TV channels and video-on-demand (‘VOD’) services. Telenet also offers mobile telecommunications services as a virtual mobile network operator in Belgium, and supplies professional communication services to businesses in Belgium and Luxembourg, — for BASE: BASE is a mobile network operator that offers mobile telecommunications services in Belgium. BASE also offers wholesales access to its network to mobile virtual network operators in Belgium. 3. On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. 4. The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission. Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301), by email to [email protected] or by post, under reference number M.7637 — Liberty Global/BASE Belgium, to the following address: European Commission Directorate-General for Competition Merger Registry 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel BELGIQUE/BELGIË

(1) OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’). C 281/8 EN Official Journal of the European Union 26.8.2015

OTHER ACTS

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Publication of an application pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (2015/C 281/08)

This publication confers the right to oppose the application, pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1).

SINGLE DOCUMENT ‘TERNERA DE ALISTE’ EU No: ES-PGI-0005-01134 — 29.7.2013 PDO ( ) PGI ( X ) 1. Name ‘Ternera de Aliste’

2. Member State or Third Country Spain

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff 3.1. Type of Product Class 1.1. Fresh meat (and offal)

3.2. Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies Meat from young cattle of races bred for their meat performance, adapted to the geographical area and produced using the area's traditional feed and management methods, aged between 8 and 12 months at slaughter.

Depending on the production method, a distinction is made between the following types of animals:

— Milk-fed: meat from animals kept in stalls since birth and which are not weaned before slaughter.

— Grass-fed: meat from animals fed on their mother's milk and the grazing resources in the area and subse quently kept in stalls until their slaughter.

The fresh meat covered by the PGI is characterised by its evenly distributed, pearly-white fat and firm, slightly moist muscle tissue. In terms of its organoleptic qualities, the meat is very tender and juicy, with a subtle, delicate taste and smell which is not too pronounced and melts in the mouth.

The minimum maturation period for the meat is 4 days.

The conformation of the carcasses includes types E, U, R and O and the degree of fat is 2 or 3 in the case of males and 2, 3 or 4 in the case of females. Depending on the type of animal from which the meat is obtained, the colour varies from light pink in the case of milk-fed animals to between pink and red in the case of the grass-fed animals.

3.3. Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only) The female calves used for breeding are reared using mixed systems of stalls and grazing on small, traditional farms with daily grazing. The animals' feed is based on the natural resources of the area supplemented, when resources become scarce, with permanent pasture hay, root vegetables and other local agricultural products. During the weaning period, they also receive a supplement of cereals and leguminous plants from the same farm.

(1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1. 26.8.2015 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 281/9

Two types of management have evolved in parallel and may be distinguished as follows:

Milk-fed veal for which the basic feed is the mother's milk supplemented with feed from their own farm, fodder and concentrates, until slaughter age is reached, without the animal having been weaned. From its first weaning, the calf is housed in a specific place in an appropriate environment and stays in stalls after birth so that it can be directly fed by its mother. From the age of 1 month, hay is included in the feed to develop the animal's rumen and so that concentrates can start to be added to the feed.

Pasture-raised veal for which there are two different stages, the first in the meadow and the second in the stalls.

— The first stage consists of grazing with the mother animals while feeding on the mother's milk. From 3 months' of age, special hoppers containing concentrates are put in the meadow in order to optimise the calf's growth and to help it adjust to a feed of concentrates when it has been weaned. The length of the period spent in the meadow depends on climatic factors and the availability of natural resources, the minimum period being 5 months.

— The second stage takes place in the stalls where the animals are kept and fed with fodder, cereal straw and concentrates, until slaughter.

The feed must be of plant origin, and it must mainly be cereal (with a minimum of 60 % of its quantitative compo sition) and it may not exceed 50 % of the annual dry matter. The use of products that could interfere with the animals' normal rate of growth and development is expressly forbidden.

3.4. Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area The birth, the rearing and the fattening of the protected animals up to the time of slaughter take place in the defined geographical area.

3.5. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product to which the registered name refers The product may be presented in portions, fillets or pieces provided that these operations are carried out by opera tors subject to control.

3.6. Specific rules concerning labelling of the product to which the registered name refers Both the cuts of meat and packages containing portions, fillets or pieces are despatched bearing a label containing at least the terms ‘Protected Geographical Indication’ and ‘Ternera de Aliste’, as well as the logo for the protected geographical indication and the European logo for a protected geographical indication.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area The production area comprises the districts of Aliste, Sayago and Sanabria which are in the western part of the province of Zamora.

5. Link with the geographical area The link between the geographical area and the product ‘Ternera de Aliste’ is based on the specific qualities of the product and its reputation.

Physical characteristics The districts of Aliste, Sayago and Sanabria are dominated by low-relief, slightly undulating peniplains, with alti tudes above 600 metres. The soils in the area, from the palaeozoic base, situated on granites, metamorphic rocks and slates, are characterised by their shallow depth, water retention and high level of acidity and are therefore considered to be ‘uniformly poor soils’. The area therefore cannot be used for high-yield crops and is thus used for grazing. C 281/10 EN Official Journal of the European Union 26.8.2015

The climate varies according to the altitude, location and orientation of the mountain ranges. The average annual rainfall varies from almost 2 000 mm on the peaks of the Sierra Segundera to 600 mm in the western part, which has a positive impact on plant growth and the green carpet in the pastures and meadows.

Natural factors It is an area of pastures which alternates with scrubland. Fine grasses (Agrostis, Poa, Briza and Bromus) and legumi nous plants predominate. The spontaneous vegetation which covers more than four fifths of western Zamora is chiefly grassland with Pyrenean oak and holm-oak groves. Heather (Erica arborea, Erica australis v. aragonensis and Calluna vulgaris), rockrose (Cistus ladanifer, Cistus laurifolius), Scotch broom, Spanish broom and common broom are also abundant. As the area is largely untouched by human hand, the pastures are varied and not very rich in nitro gen but rather dry and harsh, which diversifies the cattle feed.

The geographical area has been and is still the natural habitat of the Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus), and it is currently the nature reserve with the highest population density of the species in Europe. The presence of the wolf in the area has greatly influenced the management of the veal, since the presence of the wolf has made breeders feel it necessary to protect the young animals to avoid their possible loss and thus the resulting negative impact on household income which came almost exclusively from the sale of veal. This is the reason why cows were kept in stalls and veal always stayed sheltered in them as they grew, in order to be protected from the wolf.

Historical and human factors The western part of Zamora is made up of a number of outlying districts which have been marginalised for centuries, and where people have lived and adjusted to the environment to extract the few resources from it which they could, in practice generating a subsistence economy. Cattle farming has been the most widely used means of making a living given the poor soils and the difficulty of farming. These difficulties led to a better use of the grazing resources in cattle farming by the numerous small family farms. Cattle played a dual role, as working animals and as an additional house hold income, with two basic functions: as foodstuff (the milk produced was consumed), and an economic resource (with the sale of the veal).

The physical characteristics of the geographical area, its natural factors, and the historical/human factors define a tradi tional production system in which cattle farmers have had to use all kinds of pasture and natural resources, and have set up large numbers of small cattle farms on which the breeding females are reared in systems comprising both sta bling and grazing. On these farms historically two types of animal management have co-existed according to the needs of the farm, with milk-fed veal being produced when the needs were minimal and pasture-raised veal when the cow was needed as a working animal or to produce milk for the family needs. The farms display a special symbiosis between the cows, the heifers and the natural environment and benefit from the breeders' care and skills which have been handed down from their ancestors, with a careful, artisanal management and specific attention paid to individuals and the farm as a whole in each case.

Specificity of the product The specific rearing methods, based largely on rearing veal which is milk-fed, together with the slaughter at a young age, produces meat with its own distinctive characteristics that is notable for its characteristic light-pink colour for milk-fed veal and pink colour for pasture-raised veal (L*=41,2-43,1, a*=12,1-12,9, b*=11,5-12,4), a delicate taste and is appreciated for being juicy (12,2 % cooking loss (CL) up to 100 °C) and tender (3,31-3,71 kg/cm2, Warner-Bratzler shear force test), with a white and pearly, firm, fat.

The characteristic colour of ‘Ternera de Aliste’ meat is due to the cattle being kept in stalls and the early age at slaughter which produces a low concentration of myoglobin (2,8-3,2 mg/g meat) in the muscle as well as fewer red fibres than white fibres. This in turn results in a light pink colour for the milk-fed veal and a slightly deeper pink in pasture-raised veal, as it spent the first stage of its life in the meadow and is older when slaughtered.

The tenderness which is a characteristic of ‘Ternera de Aliste’ is due to the young age upon slaughter and the veal being kept in stalls which reduces muscle tone; both these factors make the collagen in the meat less stable in the presence of heat during cooking.

‘Ternera de Aliste’ meat is very juicy due to the cattle being kept in stalls, the use of high-energy diets and the young age upon slaughter which mean the meat matures rapidly, as a result of which the muscle protein has a very high water-retention capacity. This means that more juice is released during chewing, which is made easier by the tenderness of the meat and the typical degree of fat. 26.8.2015 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 281/11

The smooth flavour which is characteristic of ‘Ternera de Aliste’ is due to the fact that animals are fed on their mother's milk, which contains short and medium-chain fatty acids from which the flavour is obtained. This com bined with the fact that the animals have a d igestive system which is not fully developed given the early age at which they are slaughtered means that these fatty acids do not undergo any metabolic digestive processes and are incorporated directly into the lipid content responsible for the characteristic flavour of the meat.

Reputation A very care-intensive production system, with traditional cattle feed and management methods specific to this area confer certain highly desirable characteristics on the product and the product's reputation in gastronomy.

‘Ternera de Aliste’ meat has a reputation and is preferred by consumers due to its exceptional quality. Numerous historical documents attest to the excellent reputation of this meat, such as those which have appeared in the news reports on the province of Zamora and the newspaper El correo de Zamora since February 1976, which extol the qualities of this meat, with opinions and comments such as: ‘succulent and juicy’, ‘exquisite’, ‘the best meat in the world’, ‘no meat as good’ or ‘there is no veal in the whole of Spain which is comparable’.

There are a multitude of references to it in the media: in local and regional newspapers and in the specialised press (Eurocarne, Cárnica 2.000, Origen, Distribución y consumo, ITEA, Mundo Ganadero, etc.) and documentaries on local and national television and radio.

‘Ternera de Aliste’ meat is also featured in cookbooks and dining out magazines, such as the book ‘Secretos de los chefs: técnicas y trucos de 50 estrella Michelín’ published by Bon Vivant (2008), with a prologue from Ferrán Adría, and the article ‘Boccato di Cardinale: un recorrido por diez de los mejores manjares para disfrutar: Ternera de Aliste’ in the Crónica of Guadalajara.

‘Ternera de Aliste’ owes its reputation and renown largely to the vast culinary tradition which for years has meant it has featured on the menus in numerous restaurants in Spain, especially in Castile-Leon. Mention should also be made of the most recent events focusing on ‘Ternera de Aliste’ which were held in the Parador Nacional de los Condes de Alba at Aliste in Zamora in the framework of a number of general food events which went by the name of ‘Muestras Gastronómicas de los Productos de España. Carnes con Origen’.

Reference to publication of the specification (the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)

http://www.itacyl.es/opencms_wf/opencms/informacion_al_ciudadano/calidad_alimentaria/4_condiciones_DOP/ index.html C 281/12 EN Official Journal of the European Union 26.8.2015

Publication of an amendment application pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (2015/C 281/09)

This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1).

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF PROTECTED DESIGNATIONS OF ORIGIN/PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS WHICH IS NOT MINOR Application for approval of an amendment in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 ‘EICHSFELDER FELDGIEKER’/‘EICHSFELDER FELDKIEKER’ EU No: DE-PGI-0105-01281 – 21.11.2014 PDO ( ) PGI ( X ) 1. Applicant group and legitimate interest Name: Fleischer-Innung Nordthüringen Address: Lutherstraße 7, 37327 Leinefelde-Worbis Legitimate interest: The Fleischer-Innung Nordthüringen (North Thuringia Butchers' Guild) has a membership of 39 butchery busi nesses and represents 90 % of ‘Eichsfelder Feldg(k)ieker’ producers in the part of the Eichsfeld that lies in Thuringia, which accounts for a large part of the defined geographical area.

2. Member State or Third Country Germany

3. Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment(s) — Name of product

— Description of product

— Geographical area

— Proof of origin

— Method of production

— Link with the geographical area

— Labelling

— Other (inspection bodies)

4. Type of amendment(s) — Amendment to product specification of a registered PDO or PGI not to be qualified as minor in accord ance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

— Amendment to product specification of registered PDO or PGI for which a Single Document (or equiva lent) has not been published not to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

(1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1. 26.8.2015 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 281/13

5. Amendment(s) 5.1. Cuts of meat – meat Throughout the text, the words ‘cuts of meat’ are to be replaced by the word ‘meat’ . Replacement of the words ‘cuts of meat/pork’ with the word ‘meat’ is not a substantive amendment. It merely serves to prevent the miscon ception that the meat used has to be cut in a specific way, for this is not the case and would be pointless in the context of sausage-making.

Further amendments to individual sections, in each case referring to the numbered heading in the Single Document:

5.2. amending point 3.2 of the Single Document, ‘Description of product’: Under the heading ‘Chemical properties’, the specification of the fat content (‘ not more than approx. 35 % in the matured product’) is to be deleted.

Justification: The maximum fat content requirement as currently set out in the specification (35 %) is not in line with the bona fide and established practices of producers in the area covered by the Fleischer-Innung Nordthüringen.

It is also objectively justified to omit specification of the fat content altogether, as the relative fat content increases as the product dries and fat content is generally not a measure of quality in the case of long-maturing raw saus ages. This does not have any adverse effects either on the product's characteristic objective properties or on its appearance.

5.3. Amending point 5 of the Single Document, ‘Link with the geographical area’ Under ‘Objective properties’ in point 5.2 ‘Specificity of the product’, the following paragraph:

The producers of ‘Eichsfelder Feldgieker’ either slaughter their own animals or source carcases – generally custom slaughtered – from the regional slaughterhouse in Heiligenstadt. This has a derogation and a list of processing plants that has been confirmed by the competent veterinary authority.

is to be replaced by the following paragraph:

The meat used to produce ‘Eichsfelder Feldgieker’ comes exclusively from slaughterhouses which are licensed to deliver warm meat.

Justification: This means that the meat no longer has to come only from the slaughterhouse in Heiligenstadt, and the slaughter houses no longer have to be in the defined geographical area. The meat used to produce ‘Eichsfelder Feldgieker’ may instead come from any slaughterhouse licensed to deliver warm meat and able to meet the delivery deadlines laid down in the specification and necessary for technical reasons.

5.4. Inspection bodies: The competent inspection bodies for Lower Saxony and Hessen are to be added.

In Lower Saxony: Name: Veterinär- und Verbraucherschutzamt für den Landkreis und die Stadt Göttingen Address: Walkenmühlenweg 8, 37083 Göttingen Tel.: Fax: Email: [email protected] C 281/14 EN Official Journal of the European Union 26.8.2015

Name: Landkreis Northeim, Fachbereich VII – Gesundheits- und Veterinärwesen, Verbraucherschutz Address: Medenheimer Straße 6/8, 37154 Northeim Tel.: Fax: Email: [email protected]

In Hessen: Name: Regierungspräsidium Gießen, Standort Wetzlar Address: Schanzenfeldstraße 8, 35578 Wetzlar Tel.: Fax: 0641-303-2197 Email:

Justification: The defined geographical area is the Eichsfeld, which is situated partly in northern Thuringia and partly in Lower Saxony and Hessen.

SINGLE DOCUMENT ‘EICHSFELDER FELDGIEKER’/‘EICHSFELDER FELDKIEKER’ EU No: DE-PGI-0105-01281 – 21.11.2014 PDO ( ) PGI ( X ) 1. Name(s) ‘Eichsfelder Feldgieker’/‘Eichsfelder Feldkieker’

2. Member State or Third Country Germany

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff 3.1. Type of product Class 1.2. Meat products (cooked, salted, smoked, etc.)

3.2. Description of product to which the name in 1 applies Sliceable raw sausage with a typical, slightly acidic taste.

Made from pork with the typical seasonings (essential are: salt and pepper, black or white, often coriander), stuffed into sausage casings, bladder-shaped (calf's bladder, linen bag, protein casing).

High-quality, firm meat from pigs with an extended fattening period and a slaughter weight of at least 130g k is used. The meat is from selected meat parts (muscle, thighs, back; as fat, only firm belly and back fat). After slaugh tering, the pork must still be warm when production begins. ‘Warm meat processing’ means that the non- refrigerated meat must be transported no more than two hours, and processed no more than four hours, after slaughter.

Chemical properties: — meat protein free of fibrous protein: not less than 15 %,

— loss of raw material on maturing: not less than 33 % 26.8.2015 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 281/15

Physical properties — air-dried, sliceable,

— careful maturing in a controlled environment, the duration of maturing depending on the dimensions of the casing,

— climate chambers containing flora cultivated over a number of decades; in the case of new climate chambers, the flora is introduced with the pre-matured product.

— Size: diameter: 8-15 cm; length: 15-30 cm; pre-sliced product: casings with a diameter of not less than 65 mm.

— Appearance: raw sausage, firm enough to cut, normally pear-shaped, having a cut surface with a bright red colour, uniformly grained with pieces of fatty meat and lean meat.

Organoleptic characteristics: — select, aromatic taste nuances typical of this type of product, yielding to the bite.

3.3. Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only) Certain requirements apply to the quality of the meat used for ‘Eichsfelder Feldgieker’. High-quality, firm meat that can come only from pigs with as high a slaughter weight as possible (at least 130 kg) is used. For these high slaughter weights, crosses of native breeds with good stress resistance are used (e.g. Deutsches Landschwein, Deutsches Edelschwein and sometimes hogs of other breeds, though not of the Pietrain breed (susceptible to stress)). All parts separated from the carcass, including the best cuts, are used for this speciality sausage product.

3.4. Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area The entire production process, from the selection of suitable raw materials to the maturing of the sausage, must take place in the defined geographical area.

3.5. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to —

3.6. Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to —

4. Concise definition of the geographical area The Eichsfeld is a region of central Germany. It lies within the borders of several federal states. These include:

— in Thuringia: the entire Eichsfeld district; in Unstrut-Hainich district only Dünwald, Anrode, Katharinenberg and Heyerode municipalities and the administrative community of Hildebrandshausen/Lengenfeld unterm Stein,

— in Lower Saxony: in Göttingen rural district the Gieboldehausen municipalities group, Duderstadt municipality and, in the Radolfshausen municipalities group, only the Seeburg and Seulingen municipalities; in Northeim rural district only Katlenburg-Lindau municipality,

— in Hessen: in Werra-Meissner district only Neuseesen and Werleshausen in Witzenhausen municipality.

5. Link with the geographical area Specificity of the geographical area: The Eichsfeld is a historical region in south-eastern Lower Saxony and north-western Thuringia. It differs consider ably from the regions surrounding it on account of its specific soil characteristics and climate (Wüstefeld, Karl: Eichsfelder Volksleben, Duderstadt 1919, page 2, appendix 2). There is a long tradition of sausage-making, espe cially the manufacture of ‘Eichsfelder Feldgieker’, which is documented in literature, as can be seen from the follow ing records: C 281/16 EN Official Journal of the European Union 26.8.2015

During city inspections in 1718 in Hilkerode, among other things ‘fourteen good groschen were paid for every 3,5 pounds of felt kycker’ (Wandregister, now Archiv der Stadt Duderstadt).

A later document in the records of Bernshausen refers to ‘Eichsfelder Feldgieker’ in 1724:

According to the records of expenditure kept by the treasury in Duderstadt, twelve groschen were paid ‘for two big feld gücker’ served to and eaten by the cathedral dean and governor of the Eichsfeld during another visit to Duderstadt from 21 to 23 October 1744.

An entry in the book of expenses of Duderstadt's treasury in 1748 during a visit by the cathedral dean and gover nor of the Eichsfeld on 4 November 1748 reads: ‘ They were served sausages and feltgieker for breakfast and the midday meal’.

Around 1770 a record in Kloster Reifenstein's book of finances states that ‘76 pounds were delivered to the Court in Mainz’; this uses the Latin name ‘Eichfeldicus Butulus’ (Deutschlands kulinarisches Erbe, Cadolzburg 1998, page 63).

In 1927 and 1937 editions of the periodical Unser Eichsfeld, there is reference to the fact that the Feldgieker was also very popular abroad as early as the 18th century. Joseph Rudolf (who died in 1816) reported that it was presented as a gift of thanks at the imperial castle in Prague where he was employed.

Those close to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe also appreciated the quality of the Feldgieker. On 4 April 1793, Karo line Jagemann, an actress and opera singer whose parents came from the Eichsfeld, wrote to her father in Weimar about these sausages.

In 1844, a full description of the ‘Feldkyker’ [field watcher] was given: ‘Feldkyker’ is a long Schlackwurst in a thick natural casing which may have derived its name from the fact that when it – the long variety – is placed in a trouser pocket or hunting bag it sticks out of the pocket or bag and ‘looks’ into the field. The base end is called the ‘Feldkyke’ of the first order which at the thickest end is made of intestine (Die goldene Mark Duderstadt, Carl Hellrung, 1844).

In 1919, a local historian named Wüstefeld wrote (page 13): ‘Simply because in their everyday life the people of the Eichsfeld are no less than gourmets – the Feldgieker (a Mettwurst) is worthy of praise beyond all measure, but it is not eaten every day – , they may afford themselves special entertainment on special occasions.’

The well-established nature of the processing of warm meat to make ‘Eichsfelder Feldgieker’ is in line with tradi tional practices in the region. Indeed, in the Eichsfeld region warm meat is even used to make fresh mince, a proc ess forbidden in the rest of Germany, but allowed in the region because of a derogation in German meat-hygiene law. This legislative arrangement reflects the history of warm pigmeat having been processed in the Eichsfeld region for centuries and right up to the present day.

Specificity of the product: Objective properties The processing of warm meat traditionally carried out in the Eichsfeld is practised hardly anywhere else for pro ducing raw sausage (except in the case of Ahle Wurscht in Hesse). ‘Eichsfelder Feldgieker’ is the only Feldgieker sausage for which this method is used (it is not used for Göttinger Feldgieker). The processing of warm meat is one of the reasons for the outstanding quality of the product.

Warm meat differs from cooled meat in terms of the biochemical processes that take place. For a certain period after slaughter, these are similar to those that take place when the animal is still alive. They are caused by a higher pH value, the presence of an energy source (adenosine triphosphate, or ATP) in the cells of the still-warm carcass and the interplay between it and the contractile muscle proteins myosin and actin. This interplay leads to different behaviour in the skeletal muscles, producing a more tender consistency and maintaining the separation between the two protein components of the muscle. This in turn improves water and fat retention, thus making the meat better for processing. There is less of a need for artificial additives.

The meat used to produce ‘Eichsfelder Feldgieker’ comes exclusively from slaughterhouses which are licensed to deliver warm meat. 26.8.2015 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 281/17

The ‘Eichsfelder Feldgieker’ can be characterised as a traditional regional speciality on account of the careful matur ing process it undergoes in the special climate of the Eichsfeld, the keen skills of the local butchers, the length of the maturing process, which depends on the size, and the bladder shape which is specific to the product and is hardly ever seen in any other sausages. The product's special taste can be attributed to the use of climate chambers containing flora maintained over a number of decades (in the case of new climate chambers the flora is introduced with the pre-matured product).

Renown The product enjoys a special reputation because of its geographical origin. There is a link to the geographical ori gin of the product simply through its characteristic appearance, in that the particular shape is a centuries-old tradi tion in the Eichsfeld and forms the basis for its reputation. Far beyond the region itself, and particularly throughout central Germany, the relevant traders and consumers associate the shape of the sausage with the Eichsfeld.

Numerous documentary records stretching back over a long period of time provide evidence of this from the past. Even today, the ‘Eichsfelder Feldgieker’ is well known and popular as a culinary sausage speciality from the Eichsfeld, both within the region and beyond.

The product's reputation is also illustrated by the following examples:

In literature: Unser schönes Eichsfeld by Dieter Wagner (published by the Eichsfeld Heritage and Tourism Association, Mecke, 2000) mentions the ‘Eichsfelder Feldgieker’ on pages 160 and 190, referring to the ‘incomparable flavour’ of the products made from Eichsfeld farm-slaughtered meat, of which the Feldgieker is one. On page 190, the ‘Eichsfelder Feldgieker’ is described as the ‘king of Eichsfeld sausages’.

The section on ‘Eating and drinking’ on p. 40 of Thüringen by Sucher and Wurlitzer (DuMont pocket travel guide, 2nd edition, 2006) contains the following text:

‘Almost every part of Thuringia has its own delicacy. The Eichsfelders, for example, swear not only by their Bratwurst, but also by the Eichsfelder Feldgieker and the Eichsfelder Kälberblase, two types of hard Mettwurst made from pork. (…)’.

The ‘Eichsfelder Feldgieker’ appears even in the subtitle of Das Eichsfeld Kochbuch (Limosa 2008), where it is used as a synonym for the range of Eichsfeld cuisine. The subtitle reads: ‘ … from Schmandkuchen [sour cream cake] to Feldgieker’.

Eichsfelder Küchengeschichten (Mecke, 2004, 3rd extended edition) mentions on p. 21 that the ‘Eichsfelder Feldgieker’ matures until May and is not cut until the first cuckoo is heard. The book also contains a story (on page 22) involving the Feldgieker. It also recounts (on page 80) how on a particular occasion the last large Feldg ieker were eaten, with Schmandbrot [bread and sour cream], as slaughter time was approaching.

The ‘Eichsfelder Heimatzeitschrift’ (Year 53, Vol. I, January 2009, p. 9 ff) records, in connection with the fact that at slaughter one of the helpers recited a long poem, that:

‘And it was also a good thing that the sausage making finished by the time he had reached the 16th verse. After all, the delights of the “king of Eichsfeld sausages”, known in the Obereichsfeld as “Feldgieker” and in the Untereichsfeld as “Kälberblase” , were intended to be savoured after almost a year of maturing. (There follows a quote from Theodor Storm) (…) The Süßkuchen [cake containing sugar beet syrup] is for the people of Mühlhausen what farm-slaughtered meat and the Feldgieker are for the people of the Eichsfeld. (…)’.

At special events; in relation to tourism:

The Eichsfeld region, for example, makes extensive reference to the Feldgieker as a product which creates an iden tity and as a means of advertising for tourism purposes. The homepage of Eichsfeld Touristik e.V. reads:

‘The Eichsfeld region has long been known for its good cuisine. Its principal, well-known calling card is the “Eichsfelder Feldgieker” or “Eichsfelder Kälberblase”. The “Stracke” is the cylinder-shaped, “straight” version.’ C 281/18 EN Official Journal of the European Union 26.8.2015

At the Rostkultur 2009 sausage festival, the programme focused at 14.30 pm on the ‘Eichsfelder Feldgieker’, as can be seen from the Thüringer Wurschtblatt and the programme itself.

According to the Heiligenstadt events calendar, the ‘cutting of the longest Feldgieker’ took place on 3 October 2008.

Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product (for PDO) or a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristic of the product (for PGI): The eligibility of this designation for registration derives from its particular reputation and quality. Its reputation is based on the fact that the products originate in the area in question. The reputation of Eichsfeld sausage can be attributed to the centuries-long tradition of sausage-making in the Eichsfeld. Its unmistakable taste is the result of the traditional, typical seasoning used and the special treatment which the sausage products undergo. The product also has special properties. The processing of the meat when it is still warm after slaughtering is a traditional method of production in the Eichsfeld. It is only in the Eichsfeld that Feldgieker are made from warm meat. This processing of the meat when it is still warm contributes to the special quality of the Feldgieker. The ‘Eichsfelder Feldgieker’ has a looser consistency than raw sausage made with cold meat. The casing generally separates easily from its contents. An important feature of a good raw sausage is the low free moisture content (i.e. the aw value) in the warm meat; this depends on other factors, however, and so cannot be quantified. Lower aw values discour age the growth of unwanted microbes. As warm meat contains only limited amounts of free moisture enabling microbes to develop, raw sausages produced from it have stable properties when it comes to maturing and storage.

Objectively speaking, the geographical origin has a decisive impact on the product's characteristics; this is espe cially true of the climate and the flora in the climate chambers. Attempts have been made to produce the Feldg ieker in other regions. It was found that the typical taste did not develop there; the sausages tasted different.

Reference to publication of the product specification (the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)

http://register.dpma.de/DPMAregister/geo/detail.pdfdownload/40809

ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition) ISSN 1725-2423 (paper edition)