Official Journal C 75 of the European Union
Volume 58 English edition Information and Notices 4 March 2015
Contents
IV Notices
NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES
European Commission
2015/C 75/01 Interest rate applied by the European Central Bank to its main refinancing operations: 0,05 % on 1 March 2015 — Euro exchange rates ...... 1
Court of Auditors
2015/C 75/02 Special Report No 1/2015 ‘Inland Waterway Transport in Europe: No significant improvements in modal share and navigability conditions since 2001’ ...... 2
V Announcements
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
European Commission
2015/C 75/03 Call for proposals under the multiannual work programme for granting financial aid in the field of the trans-European energy infrastructure under the Connecting Europe Facility for period 2014-20 (Commission Decision C(2015) 1363) ...... 3
EN OTHER ACTS
European Commission
2015/C 75/04 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 ...... 4
2015/C 75/05 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 ...... 9 4.3.2015 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 75/1
IV (Notices)
NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Interest rate applied by the European Central Bank to its main refinancing operations (1): 0,05 % on 1 March 2015
Euro exchange rates (2) 3 March 2015
(2015/C 75/01)
1 euro =
Currency Exchange rate Currency Exchange rate USD US dollar 1,1168 CAD Canadian dollar 1,3981 JPY Japanese yen 133,74 HKD Hong Kong dollar 8,6609 DKK Danish krone 7,4533 NZD New Zealand dollar 1,4807 GBP Pound sterling 0,72760 SGD Singapore dollar 1,5222 SEK Swedish krona 9,2765 KRW South Korean won 1 225,66 ZAR South African rand 13,1696 CHF Swiss franc 1,0736 CNY Chinese yuan renminbi 7,0043 ISK Iceland króna HRK Croatian kuna 7,6720 NOK Norwegian krone 8,6095 IDR Indonesian rupiah 14 513,01 BGN Bulgarian lev 1,9558 MYR Malaysian ringgit 4,0597 CZK Czech koruna 27,453 PHP Philippine peso 49,220 HUF Hungarian forint 305,07 RUB Russian rouble 69,5600 PLN Polish zloty 4,1582 THB Thai baht 36,131 RON Romanian leu 4,4563 BRL Brazilian real 3,2536 TRY Turkish lira 2,8296 MXN Mexican peso 16,7967 AUD Australian dollar 1,4288 INR Indian rupee 69,1544
(1) Rate applied to the most recent operation carried out before the indicated day. In the case of a variable rate tender, the interest rate is the marginal rate. (2) Source: reference exchange rate published by the ECB. C 75/2 EN Official Journal of the European Union 4.3.2015
COURT OF AUDITORS
Special Report No 1/2015 ‘Inland Waterway Transport in Europe: No significant improvements in modal share and navigability conditions since 2001’ (2015/C 75/02)
The European Court of Auditors hereby informs you that Special Report No 1/2015 ‘Inland Waterway Transport in Europe: No significant improvements in modal share and navigability conditions since 2001’ has just been published. The report can be accessed for consultation or downloading on the European Court of Auditors' website: http://eca.europa.eu A hard copy version of the report may be obtained free of charge on request to the Court of Auditors: European Court of Auditors Publications (PUB) 12, rue Alcide De Gasperi 1615 Luxembourg LUXEMBOURG Tel. +352 4398-1 E-mail: [email protected] or by filling in an electronic order form on EU-Bookshop. 4.3.2015 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 75/3
V (Announcements)
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Call for proposals under the multiannual work programme for granting financial aid in the field of the trans-European energy infrastructure under the Connecting Europe Facility for period 2014-20 (Commission Decision C(2015) 1363) (2015/C 75/03)
The European Commission, Directorate-General for Energy, is hereby launching a call for proposals in order to award grants in accordance with the priorities and objectives defined in the multiannual work programme in the field of the trans-European energy infrastructure under the Connecting Europe Facility for the period 2014-20. Proposals are invited for the following call: CEF-Energy-2015-1 The indicative amount available for the selected proposals under this call for proposals is EUR 100 million. The deadline for the submission of proposals is 29 April 2015. The complete text of the call for proposals is available on: http://inea.ec.europa.eu/en/cef/cef_energy/apply_for_funding/cef_energy_calls_for_proposals_2015.htm C 75/4 EN Official Journal of the European Union 4.3.2015
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 75/04)
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 ‘SALAME PIEMONTE’ EU No: IT-PGI-0005-01237 — 6.6.2014 PGI ( X ) PDO ( ) 1. Name ‘Salame Piemonte’
2. Member State or Third Country Italy
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 ‘Salame Piemonte’ is produced from a mixture of fresh marbled pigmeat, which has not been frozen, taken from the following cuts: lean: striated muscles from the haunch, shoulder and belly; fat: high-quality, from the belly, throat and back.
The following maturing periods are defined for the production of ‘Salame Piemonte’, depending on the diameter of the fresh salami:
— between 40 and 70 mm: from a minimum of 10 days to a maximum of 50 days
— between 71 and 90 mm: from a minimum of 21 days to a maximum of 84 days
When released for consumption, a whole ‘Salame Piemonte’ weighs not less than 300 g and must have the following organoleptic, physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics:
Organoleptic characteristics:
External appearance: cylindrical or curved for smaller sizes;
(1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1. 4.3.2015 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 75/5
Consistency: compact and soft, with no obvious fascia.
Appearance when cut: the slice is compact and homogeneous, with typical binding of fragments of muscle and fat; the latter are rather ‘elongated’. The pepper can be seen as pieces and/or powder.
Colour: ruby red.
Aroma: delicate, of mature meat, curing, wine and garlic.
Flavour: sweet and delicate, slightly spicy (pepper and nutmeg), the aromas last well, never acidic, with balanced salting.
Chemical and physico-chemical characteristics:
Minimum total protein 23 % Collagen/protein ratio maximum 0,12 Water/protein ratio maximum 2,00 Fat/protein ratio maximum 1,40 pH ≥ 5,2
Microbiological characteristics:
Mesophilic microbe content: 1 × 107 colony units/g, with a prevalence of lactic acid bacteria and coccus.
‘Salame Piemonte’ may be produced in various shapes and sizes using the same mixture, packed in natural gut casing or reconstituted casings of natural origin; the diameter of fresh salami can vary between 40 and 90 mm.
3.3. Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only) ‘Salame Piemonte’ PGI is produced from pigmeat with the following characteristics:
— the animals used must be pure-bred or hybrid pigs of the traditional Large White and Landrace breeds,
— pigs of the Duroc breed are also allowed,
— animals of other breeds, crossbred or hybrid, are also allowed, provided that their carcasses come under classes E, U, R or O, as defined in the pig carcass classification table in Annex V to Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 (1), as amended,
— in line with traditional practice, pigs carrying antithetic traits, with particular reference to porcine stress syndrome (PSS), are in any case excluded; such traits can nowadays be objectively detected in animals post-mortem and in cured products,
— also excluded are pure-bred Belgian Landrace, Hampshire, Pietrain, Duroc and Spotted Poland animals,
— the genetic types used must allow the achievement of high weights and satisfactory efficiency and, in any case, a live weight per animal of 160 kg +/- 10 %,
(1) OJ L 299, 16.11.2007, p. 1. C 75/6 EN Official Journal of the European Union 4.3.2015
— the minimum age at slaughter is 9 months,
— boars and brood sows may not be used,
— at slaughter, the pigs must be in an optimum state of health and completely bled.
There is no geographical limit to the origin of the pigs.
The feeding of the pigs takes place in two stages and is mainly based on cereal products. The average feed ration mainly consists of maize mash followed by barley, bran, soya and mineral supplements. Cheese-making by-products (whey and buttermilk) are also allowed as feed. Whey and buttermilk must not total more than 15 litres head/day. The ration may be supplemented by minerals and vitamins within the limits set out in the applicable legislation.
Other ingredients Salt (maximum 3 %); pepper, whole, in pieces or ground (maximum 0,4 %); spices and aromatic plants: garlic, cloves, whole, crushed or infused with wine; nutmeg. In order to guarantee the typical flavour of the ‘Salame Piemonte’ and to respect the traditional production method, it is necessary to use Piedmont PDO red wine made from the Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto varieties (more than 0,25 % in weight).
The use of sugar and/or dextrose is allowed, as are starter cultures, fungal cultures to cover the casing, sodium and/or potassium nitrate and nitrite, ascorbic acid and its sodium salt.
Other processing aids aimed at maintaining water in the meat tissues are not allowed.
3.4. Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area All steps in the production, salting, casing, drying and maturing of ‘Salame Piemonte’ must take place in the area indicated in point 4 below.
3.5. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product to which the registered name refers ‘Salame Piemonte’ PGI is sold loose or vacuum-packed or packed in a protective atmosphere, whole, thickly cut or in slices.
3.6. Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to The name of the protected geographical indication ‘Salame Piemonte’ must appear in clear and indelible lettering, clearly identifiable from any other wording on the label and followed immediately by the initials ‘IGP’, which must be translated into the language of the country in which the product is marketed, by the EU graphic symbol and the ‘Salame Piemonte’ logo as shown below.
The label may indicate the area or region in which the pigs originated. If there are several areas or regions, these must be listed in declining order of importance. 4.3.2015 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 75/7
4. Concise definition of the geographical area ‘Salame Piemonte’ must be produced and matured in the Piedmont region.
5. Link with the geographical area The production area of ‘Salame Piemonte’ consists of the entire Piedmont region, which has a highly specific climate. The name ‘Piedmont’ stems from the fact that the region lies at the ‘foot of the mountains’; this means that much of the region has a temperate, sub-continental, relatively homogeneous climate. The winters are cold, with little rainfall, and relative humidity levels decrease from November onwards, which is more humid, to February, which is drier. In addition , there are moderate winds from the plain towards the mountains, with frequent föhn winds that redistribute the air masses, meaning that relative humidity levels remain rather low. Moreover, Piedmont has more sunshine and thus less humidity than the neighbouring Po valley; these differences are even greater compared to the Alpine regions to the north which have around two-thirds less sunshine.
Therefore Piedmont’s climate and soils, along with the cultivation techniques used there, create a unique and specific ‘terroir’ for producing PDO wines, the characteristic element of ‘Salame Piemonte’. The Piedmont has always been a major wine producing area — and local varieties are mainly cultivated such as Barbera, Dolcetto and Nebbiolo; for this reason these are the varieties used in the production of ‘Salame Piemonte’.
‘Salame Piemonte’ is compact and soft, ruby red in colour and with a sweet and delicate flavour.
A special feature of ‘Salame Piemonte’ is its soft texture and sweet, delicate flavour, mainly as a result of the short maturing period. This is a Piedmont salami-making tradition perfected over time, which has won over the tastes and habits of the local consumers.
The main characteristic of ‘Salame Piemonte’ is the presence of Piedmont PDO red wine made exclusively from the Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto varieties (more than 0,25 % in weight). These typical local wines affect the salami’s flavour and aroma and has always differentiated it from similar products on the market.
The fact that specific factors such as the reputation and special nature of the production method link ‘Salame Piemonte’ with the geographical area is proven by numerous historic references demonstrating the way this salami is made has developed and become rooted over time in the region, making it unique compared to other products from other parts of Italy.
In 1854, in his book on middle-class cuisine, Giovanni Vialardi, chef and pastry-cook to the then Italian royal family (the House of Savoy), describes in detail the production of ‘pigmeat salami’, which can be seen as the true precursor of ‘Salame Piemonte’, as the recipe is similar to that used today; even then it included ‘ a glass of good Barbera wine’.
After the Second World War industrial production of ‘Salame Piemonte’ developed, and since 1948 to the present day the Turin Chamber of Commerce’s fortnightly lists have featured ‘Salame Piemonte’ in the section on ‘fresh pigmeat’.
The addition of red wine from the three most famous varieties in Piedmont, Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto, bears witness to the deep-rooted links between ‘Salame Piemonte’ and the area. It is the characteristic element of this product, and is mentioned in numerous books, guides and collections devoted to cured meats, as well as in many food and wine shows broadcast on Italian TV between 2008 and 2010. Examples of this are the books entitled ‘Delizie del divin Porcello’ by Riccardo Di Corato, which lists and describes all Italian cured meat products (Idealibri srl, December 1984, p. 160) and ‘Processo al maiale’ (A. Beretta, Pavia, Monboso, 2002, p. 160), as well as TV shows such as ‘Occhio alla spesa’ and ‘Terre e sapori’ broadcast on the Rai 1 channel and ‘Mela Verde’ shown on Rete Quattro, where many references are made to the use of Piedmont wine as a typical ingredient of ‘Salame Piemonte’.
Finally, ‘Salame Piemonte’ has participated in many local and international competitions such as ‘Salone del Gusto’ (Turin — 2006 — 2008 — 2010) and ‘Cibus’ (Parma 2008 — 2010). C 75/8 EN Official Journal of the European Union 4.3.2015
Reference to publication of the specification (the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)
The Ministry launched the national objection procedure with the publication of the proposal for recognising ‘Salame Piemonte’ PGI in Official Gazette of the Italian Republic No 96 of 26 April 2014.
The full text of the product specification is available on the internet: http://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/3335
Or alternatively:
by going directly to the homepage of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy (www.politicheagricole.it) and clicking on ‘Prodotti DOP IGP’ (at the top right-hand side of the screen), then on ‘Prodotti DOP IGP STG’ (on the left-hand side of the screen), and finally by clicking on ‘Disciplinari di produzione all’esame dell’UE’. 4.3.2015 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 75/9
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 75/05)
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).
AMENDMENT APPLICATION COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs (2) AMENDMENT APPLICATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 9 ‘HUILE D’OLIVE DE NYONS’ EC No: FR-PDO-0217-01199-20.2.2014 PGI ( ) PDO ( X ) 1. Sections of the specification affected by the amendments — Name of product
— Description of product
— Geographical area
— Proof of origin
— Method of production
— Link
— Labelling
— National requirements
— Other (inspection bodies, land parcel identification arrangements)
2. Type of amendments — Amendment to Single Document or Summary Sheet
— Amendment to Specification of registered PDO or PGI for which neither the Single Document nor the Sum mary Sheet has been published
— Amendment to Specification that requires no amendment to the published Single Document (Article 9(3) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)
— Temporary amendment to the product specification resulting from the adoption of obligatory sanitary or phytosanitary measures by the public authorities (Article 9(4) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)
3. Amendment(s) 3.1. Description of product More details have been added to the organoleptic description based on the inspections carried out since the desig nation was recognised. This has been done to better identify the product.
The maximum free acidity has been reduced to 0,8 g/100 g, which is a true reflection of the outcome of process ing practices in the Nyons region, given that the olives are pressed very soon after harvesting.
(1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1. (2) OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12. Replaced by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. C 75/10 EN Official Journal of the European Union 4.3.2015
The peroxide value of olive oil when first marketed has been restricted to 16 milliequivalents of oxygen peroxide for each kilogramme of olive oil. This is done to ensure the quality of the oil is preserved for the consumer.
The oil has very little or no pungency (sharpness) or bitterness. These characteristics are expressed in terms based on the International Olive Council’s rating scale (ranging from 0 to 10): the oil’s values range from 0 to 2. The proposed levels correspond well to the characteristics of ‘Huile d’olive de Nyons’ which, owing to the fact that the olives are harvested when mature, has a certain mildness.
The Specification initially stated that the oil was ‘ golden yellow’ in colour. As the colour of the oil changes as the product ages (it has green highlights at the beginning of the season), the description of the colour has been expan ded and now reads: ‘Its colour varies from yellow shot with green highlights to golden yellow.’
3.2. Proof of origin Owing to developments in national legislation and regulations, the text under the heading ‘Evidence that the prod uct originates from the defined geographical area’ has been consolidated to bring together, in particular, provisions on declaration requirements and the keeping of registers for tracing the product and monitoring the production conditions.
Provisions on the authorisation of operators by the inspection body have been included. This permits recognition of their ability to meet the requirements of the Specification for the designation they wish to use.
This section has also been supplemented with information on registers and declaration documents, enabling trace ability to be guaranteed and ensuring that compliance of the products with the requirements of the Specification is verified.
3.3. Method of production Production of the olives Information has been included on the age the trees producing the olives with the protection designation of origin must have at the time they are first harvested. This has been set at five years to make monitoring production easier. The trees’ harvest can be used for production of this oil five years after planting, the orchards are inspected and their crop taken into account when calculating the maximum authorised yield.
The maximum percentage of pollinator varieties authorised in the orchards is 5 %, but this is difficult to apply to very small orchards (with less than 20 trees). To take these orchards into account, it is stipulated that they are allowed to contain a tree belonging to a pollinator variety. Olives from pollinator varieties may be used to produce oil on condition that the share of olives from these trees does not exceed 5 % of the total mass of olives used.
Information on the size and maintenance of the orchards has been added to ensure that the orchards of the Nyons region are kept well-maintained. This helps prevent any untended orchards (by imposing an obligation to perform annual maintenance, manage plant cover and prune the trees at least once every two years) and limits risks to health (by ensuring the removal of pruning debris).
Based on the provisions of the initial decree of 10 January 1994 concerning recognition of the registered designa tion of origin, information specifying planting density (a minimum of 24 m2 per tree and a minimum distance of four metres between trees) has been included, as well as a ban on the planting of perennial catch crops. This has been done with the aim of preserving quality and out of respect for traditional farming practices.
Irrigation Irrigating the olive trees helps guarantee regular yields and does not undermine the quality of the olive oil. Late irrigation should be avoided to enable the fruit to ripen under good conditions. Irrigation of the olive trees is permitted, with different final irrigation dates depending on the irrigation technique used (until 31 August for sprinkler irrigation and until 30 September for drip and micro-jet irrigation).
Yield The initial decree of 10y Januar 1994 concerning recognition of the registered designation of origin provided for restricting orchard yields to 6 tonnes/hectare, with the possibility of increasing this to 8 tonnes/hectare in excep tional years. Since recognition of the designation of origin, however, olive growers have seen yields increase. This is due to the fact that, as the designation of origin has become more successful, the olive trees are being tended more regularly and the technical follow-up has improved. Many orchards have been restored. Also, the lack of any significant frost since 1985 has led to bigger trees producing larger crops. The maximum average farm yield has therefore been increased to 10 tonnes of olives per hectare, which better corresponds to maximum crop sizes in the area. When calculating the yield, all olives produced are taken into account, irrespective of their intended use. 4.3.2015 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 75/11
Harvesting/Date of harvest The initial decree of y10 Januar 1994 concerning recognition of the registered designation of origin provided for the date of the start of harvesting to be set annually. The amended application clarifies that this date is set by the competent authorities after the producer group has carried out a maturity inspection to ensure that the olive crop overall is sufficiently mature to authorise harvesting.
State of maturity The level of maturity of the olives at time of harvest has been expressed more precisely: at least 65 % of the olives must not be green. This formulation is more precise than the term initially used of ‘harvest when the olives are properly ripe’.
Harvesting methods have been specified to take technical developments into account: along with harvesting exclu sively by hand, the use of branch- or tree-shaking vibration equipment has been permitted. Abscission products may not be used. Harvesting olives that have fallen to the ground naturally is prohibited, as this results in poor- quality oil. The amended application also specifies the techniques to be applied where nets are used, so that the quality of the olives is preserved.
Manner of storage To make sure that the characteristics of the harvested olives are preserved, the producers’ group wanted to specify that the olives are transported in crates with a maximum capacity of 20 kg.
Extraction of the oil The initial decree of y10 Januar 1994 concerning recognition of the registered designation of origin provided for time periods between harvest and delivery and between harvest and processing. To ensure that the olive oil pos sesses the characteristics of the designation of origin, maximum time periods have been reduced to three days between harvesting and delivery, four days between delivery and processing, and six days between harvesting and processing.
The quality requirements for processed olives have been expressed more precisely. The percentage of olives that can be affected by frost and pests has been limited to 10 %; this clarified the term previously used of ‘healthy’ olives.
An obligation has been introduced to remove the leaves from the olives prior to extracting the oil to avoid it acquiring unwanted tastes.
The maximum temperature of the olive paste has been reduced from 30 °C (as defined in the initial decree con cerning recognition of the registered designation of origin) to 27 °C at all stages of the production process in order to preserve the initial characteristics of the product. This obligation also applies to any washing water which may be used.
While retaining the previous stipulations with regard to extraction methods (i.e. extraction involving solely mechanical processes and no other reagent than water), the list of authorised methods has been clarified (milling of the olives, kneading of the olive paste, separation of the olive pomace from the liquid fraction, separation of the oil from the pulp, and filtration where necessary). The list reflects all of the techniques currently used in the geo graphical area and has been drawn up to prevent any new processing techniques being introduced without prior consideration of their impact on the product’s characteristics.
Storage of the oil To preserve the quality of the product against oxidation, the following statement is added: ‘“ Huile d’olive de Nyons” is stored and packaged in such a way as to limit the oil coming into contact with air.’
3.4. Labelling The content of the labelling which relates specifically to the designation has been brought in line with Regulation (EU) No 1151 /2012: the European Union PDO logo is used. Furthermore, the words ‘appellation d’origine proté gée’ (‘protected designation of origin’ ) also form part of the specific labelling requirements for products with the designation.
3.5. National requirements In the light of changes to national legislation and rules, the ‘ National requirements’ heading now contains a table indicating the main items to be checked, their reference values and the evaluation methods to be used. C 75/12 EN Official Journal of the European Union 4.3.2015
3.6. Other: updating of the section on ‘References to the inspection body’ and clarifications of arrangements for determining suitable parcels The contact details of the competent inspection authorities have been updated, particularly in order to reflect the change in the inspection arrangements.
In the ‘Geographical area’ section, arrangements for determining suitable parcels have been brought into line with the new national procedures.
SINGLE DOCUMENT COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs (3) ‘HUILE D’OLIVE DE NYONS’ EC No: FR-PDO-0217-01199-20.2.2014 PGI ( ) PDO ( X ) 1. Name ‘Huile d’olive de Nyons’
2. Member State or Third Country France
3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff 3.1. Type of product Class 1.5. Oils and fats (butter, margarine, oil, etc.)
3.2. Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies ‘Huile d’olive de Nyons’ is an olive oil characterised by scent of green apple with nutty undertones and a buttery taste, possibly accompanied by scents of fresh hazelnut and/or freshly cut grass. The oil is smooth and referred to by tasters as ‘fatty’, in contrast to certain other, ‘fluid ’ oils. Its colour varies from yellow shot with green highlights to golden yellow.
The oil has a pungent, mildly bitter flavour, with a rating of less than or equal to 2 out of 10 for each criterion on the International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) organoleptic scale.
The free acidity, expressed in terms of oleic acid, is less than or equal to 0,8 g/100 g. The peroxide value is restric ted to 16 milliequivalents of oxygen peroxide for each kilogramme of olive oil when first marketed.
3.3. Raw materials (for processed products only) At least 95 % of the olives used must be of the ‘Tanche’ variety. The others may come from trees belonging to one of the pollinator varieties used.
3.4. Feed (for products of animal origin only) —
3.5. Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area Every part of the process, from growing the olives to processing them into olive oil, must take place within the defined geographical area.
3.6. Specific rules on slicing, grating, packaging, etc. —
(3) Replaced by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. 4.3.2015 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 75/13
3.7. Specific rules on labelling Apart from the mandatory information prescribed in the rules on labelling olive oil, the labelling of ‘ Huile d’olive de Nyons’ must contain
— the name of the designation of origin, ‘ Huile d’olive de Nyons’ and the words ‘appellation d’origine protégée’ (‘protected designation of origin’) or ‘A.O.P’ . These details must all be in the same field of vision and on the same label,
— the European Union PDO logo.
They must be in lettering which is clear, legible, indelible and sufficiently large to show up clearly against the background on which it is printed and such as to be clearly distinguishable from all other writing and designs on the label.
4. Concise definition of the geographical area The geographical area of production is located:
— to the north of Mont Ventoux, in a region known as the ‘Dry Pre-Alps’.(‘Préalpes sèches’),
— to the south of the foothills which back onto the Alps and rise to an altitude of 1 000 to 1 300 metres, pro tecting the area from the main Mistral wind,
— to the east of the Rhône Valley.
It comprises the following 53 municipalities of the Departments of Drôme and Vaucluse:
— in the Department of Drôme:
the canton of Nyons in its entirety, except for the municipalities of Chaudebonne, Sainte-Jalle and Valouse;
the municipalities of Beauvoisin, Bénivay-Ollon, Buis-les-Baronnies, Eygaliers, Mérindol-les-Oliviers, Mollans-sur- Ouvèze, Montréal-les-Sources, Le Pègue, La Penne-sur-l’Ouvèze, Pierrelongue, Plaisians, Propiac, La Roche-sur-le- Buis, Rousset-les-Vignes, Sahune, Saint-May, Saint-Pantaléon-les-Vignes, Tulette, Vercoiran and Villeperdrix,
— in the Department of Vaucluse:
the canton of Vaison-la-Romaine in its entirety; and
the municipalities of Brantes, Entrechaux, Malaucène (Section AI), Valréas and Visan.
5. Link with the geographical area 5.1. Specificity of the geographical area Natural factors Situated at latitude 44 degrees north, the olive orchards of the Nyonsais region and Les Baronnies, where ‘Huile d’olive de Nyons’ is produced, are the northernmost in France. Further north, the autumn and winter temperatures prevent the fruit from ripening properly.
These are the geographical limits for the growth of Mediterranean crops, as olive groves there are exposed to a high risk of frost. However, being located within a natural basin means that the trees are sheltered from strong winds (the Mistral) and the cold. Nyons is sometimes referred to as ‘Little Nice’ because of the amount of sunshine it gets (2 500 hours a year), its air quality (dry and fresh) and the mildness of its climate.
Mont Ventoux, the ‘Giant of Provence’, separates the production area from the sea and acts as a barrier against the heavy rains from the south. This has led to the area being referred to as the ‘ Dry Pre-Alps’ (‘Préalpes sèches’). A range of hills of between 1 000 and 1 300 metres in altitude obstructs the prevailing Mistral wind and reduces its intensity.
The climate is Mediterranean, with low rainfall. The average annual precipitation registered for the period from 1961 to 1990 was 773 mm. Rain falls mainly in autumn and accounts for a third of all storm rainfall. Summers are dry and hot and temperatures in winter are relatively low, with a prevailing northerly wind. The average mini mum temperature is 6,4 °C, with the weather becoming progressively colder as winter progresses. C 75/14 EN Official Journal of the European Union 4.3.2015
The parts of the geographical production area for this designation of origin that are conducive for olive growing are the slopes of the foothills, exposed to the sun and with open terrain (not obscured by shade), where air can circulate freely and disperse any humidity, and with sufficiently deep scree soils with high infiltration rates and good water storage capacity.
Human factors Olives have been produced in the area around Nyons since ancient times. The Phoenicians and Greeks taught the local population living along the banks of the Eygues both the art of viticulture and how to grow olives.
Over the centuries, numerous references have been made to trade in olives and olive oil in the area. Olive and olive oil production form an integral part of the landscape and economic life of the region.
The vagaries of producing olives and olive oil experienced during the 20th century (such as the frosts of 1956) prompted producers to organise themselves and defend their heritage, notably by establishing the ‘Confrerie des Chevaliers de l’Olivier’ in 1964 and organising traditional festivals (such as the Fête des Olivades, Fête de l’Alicoque and Fête de l’olive piquée, etc.).
Their efforts and perseverance led to the recognition of a designation of origin by a ruling from the Court of Valence on 24 April 1968 and recognition of a registered designation of origin by the decree of 10 January 1994.
The local producers have applied technical know-how adapted to the natural conditions. A particular example is their choice of the local ‘Tanche’ variety, which is particularly well-adapted to the area.
‘Tanche’ is a dual-purpose variety: it can be used both as a table olive and to obtain olive oil. Grading of olives by size, which is traditionally done after harvest, enables all of the small-diameter olives to be set aside for milling.
The olives are harvested when ripe and milled very soon thereafter. The techniques used are pressing and extrac tion: these preserve the integrity of the product (the temperature of the paste is restricted to 27 °C, and no inputs are added other than water).
5.2. Specificity of the product ‘Huile d’olive de Nyons’ is obtained from olives of the Tanche variety, harvested at an advanced stage of maturity.
In organoleptic terms, ‘Huile d’olive de Nyons’ has very little pungency or bitterness (less than or equal to 2), pronounced smoothness, a scent green apple with nutty undertones and a buttery taste, possibly accompanied by scents of fresh hazelnut and/or freshly cut grass.
In analytical terms, ‘Huile d’olive de Nyons’ is weakly acidic.
It should also be pointed out that the olive oil’s high oleic acid content (more than 80 %) and a ratio of delta-5 to avenasterol or campesterol well above three are characteristic of the Tanche variety.
5.3. 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) Producers in the regions of Nyons and Les Baronnies have been adapting the way they produce olives and olive oil to climatic conditions for a very long time. One way they do this is by planting a variety which is relatively resist ant to mild frosts and selecting the most resistant individuals from this cultivar. Tanche is their variety of choice. It is considered endemic to the Nyons and Les Baronnies areas.
The environmental conditions are perfectly suited to the requirements of the ‘Tanche’ variety, which is the only one used in the region, apart from a few pollinating trees. ‘Tanche’ olive trees actually need the winter cold to limit alternate bearing (irregularity of production). They are also wind-sensitive.
The existence of extremely old living specimens of this variety (some aged around 1 000 years) is evidence of its historical antecedence in and adaptability to the area. In addition, the variety’s specific requirements have impeded it from extending its range beyond the geographical area. 4.3.2015 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 75/15
The specific climatic conditions of the geographical area (dry air, amount of sunshine, protection from the wind and gradual decrease in temperature) enabling this demanding variety of olive to reach maturity and be harvested when ripe.
The fact that this variety of olive can not only grow, but also reach full maturity in this particular region gives ‘Huile d’olive de Nyons’ its specificity and originality.
The producer’s expertise, which manifests itself most notably in the form of harvesting at maturity and milling the olives very soon thereafter, helps them obtain an oil which is sweet (with very little bitterness and pungency), has a scent of green apple with nutty undertones, a buttery taste and weak acidity.
This olive oil, the first in France to achieve recognition with a registered designation of origin, is used in culinary specialities and found on the finest menus. It is mentioned in the inventory of France’s culinary heritage, specifi cally in the volume on the Rhône-Alpes Region published by the Conseil National des Arts Culinaires in 1995.
Reference to publication of the Specification (Article 5, paragraph 7, of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (4))
https://www.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/CDCHuileOliveNyons2014.pdf
(4) See footnote 3.
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition) ISSN 1725-2423 (paper edition)
EN