C431 Official Journal

Official Journal C 431 of the European Union

Volume 62 English edition Information and Notices 23 December 2019

Contents

II Information

INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

European Commission

2019/C 431/01 Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.9589 — Fedrigoni/Ritrama Group) (1) ...... 1

2019/C 431/02 Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.9631 — Kennedy-Wilson Holdings/AXA Group/ JV) (1) ...... 2

2019/C 431/03 Withdrawal of notification of a concentration (Case M.9630 — CDC/Total/JMB Solar Nogara/Quadran Nogara) (1) ...... 3

2019/C 431/04 Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.9652 — Marquard & Bahls/Starwood Capital/ GCA) (1) ...... 4

2019/C 431/05 Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.9505 — Daimler AG/Swiss Re Ltd/JV) (1) ...... 5

2019/C 431/06 Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.9634 — PSP/Aviva/Galleri K) (1) ...... 6

2019/C 431/07 Withdrawal of notification of a concentration (Case M.9643 — ENGIE/Versicherungskammer/Portfolio Companies) (1) ...... 7

2019/C 431/08 Withdrawal of notification of a concentration (Case M.9608 — ENGIE/CDC/CNR Solaire 10) (1) ...... 8

EN (1) Text with EEA relevance. IV Notices

NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

European Parliament

2019/C 431/09 Decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament of 16 December 2019 amending the Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members of the European Parliament ...... 9

European Commission

2019/C 431/10 Euro exchange rates — 20 December 2019 ...... 11

2019/C 431/11 Publication of the countervalues in national currency of the financial thresholds expressed in euro in Annex I to Council Regulation (EC) No 116/2009 ...... 12

2019/C 431/12 Commission Implementing Decision of 16 December 2019 on the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of the application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to a product specification referred to in Article 53 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council for the name ‘Rheinisches Apfelkraut’ (PGI) ...... 13

V Announcements

PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPETITION POLICY

European Commission

2019/C 431/13 Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.9455 — Compass/Fazer Food Services) (1) ...... 18

OTHER ACTS

European Commission

2019/C 431/14 Publication of an application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to a product specification 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 ...... 20

2019/C 431/15 Publication of an application for amendment pursuant to Article 17(6) of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the definition, description, presentation, labelling and the protection of geographical indications of spirit drinks and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1576/89 ...... 31

2019/C 431/16 Publication of an application for registration of a name 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 ...... 37

(1) Text with EEA relevance. 2019/C 431/17 Publication of an application for approval of amendments, which are not minor, to a product specification 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 ...... 41

2019/C 431/18 Publication of an application for approval of amendments, which are not minor, to a product specification 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 ...... 47

23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/1

(Information)

INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.9589 — Fedrigoni/Ritrama Group)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2019/C 431/01)

On 16 December 2019, 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 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 32019M9589. EUR-Lex is the online access to European law.

(1) OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1. C 431/2 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.9631 — Kennedy-Wilson Holdings/AXA Group/JV)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2019/C 431/02)

(1) OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1. 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/3

Withdrawal of notification of a concentration (Case M.9630 — CDC/Total/JMB Solar Nogara/Quadran Nogara)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2019/C 431/03)

Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004

On 25 November 2019, the European Commission received notification (1) of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (‘Merger Regulation’).

On 17 December 2019, the notifying parties informed the Commission that they withdrew their notification.

(1) OJ C 407, 3.12.2019, p. 9. C 431/4 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.9652 — Marquard & Bahls/Starwood Capital/GCA)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2019/C 431/04)

On 6 December 2019, 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 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 32019M9652. EUR-Lex is the online access to European law.

(1) OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1. 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/5

Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.9505 — Daimler AG/Swiss Re Ltd/JV)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2019/C 431/05)

On 11 December 2019, 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 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 32019M9505. EUR-Lex is the online access to European law.

(1) OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1. C 431/6 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.9634 — PSP/Aviva/Galleri K)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2019/C 431/06)

On 17 December 2019, 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 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 32019M9634. EUR-Lex is the online access to European law.

(1) OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1. 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/7

Withdrawal of notification of a concentration (Case M.9643 — ENGIE/Versicherungskammer/Portfolio Companies)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2019/C 431/07)

Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004

On 20 November 2019, the European Commission received notification (1) of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (‘Merger Regulation’).

On 18 December 2019, the notifying parties informed the Commission that they withdrew their notification.

(1) Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No C 405, 2.12.2019, p. 15. C 431/8 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

Withdrawal of notification of a concentration (Case M.9608 — ENGIE/CDC/CNR Solaire 10)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2019/C 431/08)

Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004

On 25 November 2019, the European Commission received notification (1) of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (‘Merger Regulation’).

On 17 December 2019, the notifying parties informed the Commission that they withdrew their notification.

(1) Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No C 408, 4.12.2019, p. 6. 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/9

(Notices)

NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

DECISION OF THE BUREAU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT of 16 December 2019 amending the Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members of the European Parliament

(2019/C 431/09)

THE BUREAU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 223(2) thereof,

Having regard to the Statute for Members of the European Parliament (1),

Having regard to Rule 25 of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament,

Whereas:

(1) In accordance with Article 69(1) of the Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members of the European Parliament (2) (‘the Implementing Measures’), the amounts of the reimbursable travel expenses, daily subsistence allowance and general expenditure allowance may be index-linked annually by the Bureau, up to a maximum increase equal to the annual inflation rate in the European Union in October of the previous year, as published by Eurostat.

(2) The inflation rate in the European Union for the period from October 2018 to October 2019, as notified by Eurostat on 15 November 2019, stands at 1,1 %. The new amounts resulting from the adjustment needed in order to take that inflation rate into account should apply from 1 January 2020 and the Implementing Measures should be amended accordingly.

(3) Pursuant to Article 69(2) of the Implementing Measures, the maximum amount of parliamentary assistance costs defrayable in respect of the personal staff referred to in Article 33(4) of the Implementing Measures is, where appropriate, to be index-linked annually on the basis of data established pursuant to Article 65 of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union laid down by Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom, ECSC) No 259/68 (3).

(4) In that connection, the Commission has fixed the adjustment rate for 2019 at 2 %. Accordingly, the maximum monthly amount defrayable for parliamentary assistance expenses should be increased to EUR 25 442 with effect from 1 July 2019,

(1) Decision 2005/684/EC, Euratom of the European Parliament of 28 September 2005 adopting the Statute for Members of the European Parliament (OJ L 262, 7.10.2005, p. 1). (2) Decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament of 19 May and 9 July 2008 concerning implementing measures for the Statute for Members of the European Parliament (OJ C 159, 13.7.2009, p. 1). (3) OJ L 56, 4.3.1968, p. 1. C 431/10 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The Implementing Measures are amended as follows: (1) Article 20(1) is amended as follows: (a) point (a) is replaced by the following: ‘(a) for the part of the journey between 0 and 50 km: EUR 23,89;’; (b) point (c) is replaced by the following: ‘(c) for the part of the journey between 251 and 1 000 km: EUR 0,07/km;’; (2) Article 22 is amended as follows: (a) paragraph 1 is replaced by the following: ‘1. The maximum annual amount which may be reimbursed in respect of travel expenses incurred in the cases referred to in Article 10(1), point (b) shall be EUR 4 503.’; (b) the first subparagraph of paragraph 3 is replaced by the following: ‘3. The maximum annual amount which may be reimbursed in respect of the travel expenses actually incurred by committee or subcommittee chairs travelling to attend conferences or events which deal with a matter of European interest falling within the sphere of responsibility of their committee or subcommittee and which have a parliamentary dimension shall be EUR 4 503. Such participation shall require prior authorisation from the President of Parliament, following verification that appropriations up to the maximum amount indicated above are available.’; (3) in Article 24, paragraph 2 is replaced by the following: ‘2. If the official activity takes place on the territory of the Union, a Member shall receive a lump-sum allowance of EUR 323.’; (4) in Article 26, paragraph 2 is replaced by the following: ‘2. The monthly amount of the allowance under Article 25 shall be EUR 4 563.’; (5) in Article 33, paragraph 4 is replaced by the following: ‘4. The maximum monthly amount defrayable in respect of all the personal staff referred to in Article 34 shall be EUR 25 442 with effect from 1 July 2019.’.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Decision shall apply from 1 January 2020, with the exception of Article 1(5), which shall apply from 1 July 2019. 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/11

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Euro exchange rates (1) 20 December 2019

(2019/C 431/10)

1 euro =

Currency Exchange rate Currency Exchange rate

USD US dollar 1,1097 CAD Canadian dollar 1,4579 JPY Japanese yen 121,31 HKD Hong Kong dollar 8,6511 DKK Danish krone 7,4720 NZD New Zealand dollar 1,6811 GBP Pound sterling 0,85133 SGD Singapore dollar 1,5036 KRW South Korean won 1 286,58 SEK Swedish krona 10,4340 ZAR South African rand 15,7936 CHF Swiss franc 1,0883 CNY Chinese yuan renminbi 7,7764 ISK Iceland króna 136,40 HRK Croatian kuna 7,4390 NOK Norwegian krone 9,9463 IDR Indonesian rupiah 15 510,83 BGN Bulgarian lev 1,9558 MYR Malaysian ringgit 4,5942 CZK Czech koruna 25,445 PHP Philippine peso 56,284 HUF Hungarian forint 330,50 RUB Russian rouble 68,9657 PLN Polish zloty 4,2593 THB Thai baht 33,496 RON Romanian leu 4,7705 BRL Brazilian real 4,5175 TRY Turkish lira 6,5774 MXN Mexican peso 21,0259 AUD Australian dollar 1,6088 INR Indian rupee 79,0035

(1) Source: reference exchange rate published by the ECB. C 431/12 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

Publication of the countervalues in national currency of the financial thresholds expressed in euro in Annex I to Council Regulation (EC) No 116/2009

(2019/C 431/11)

Pursuant to the requirement under Annex I (B) of Council Regulation (EC) No 116/2009 (1), the financial thresholds applicable to certain categories of cultural goods should be converted into the national currencies of those Member States which do not have the euro as their currency and published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The countervalues listed hereafter were calculated on the basis of the average daily value of each of the currencies concerned, expressed in euro, during the 24 months ending on the last day of August 2019. These revised values take effect on 31 December 2019.

EUR 1 15 000 30 000 50 000 150 000 BGN Bulgarian lev 1,9558 29 337 58 674 97 790 293 370 CZK Czech koruna 25,6765 385 147 770 294 1 283 823 3 851 468 DKK Danish krone 7,4551 111 827 223 654 372 756 1 118 269 GBP Pound sterling 0,8847 13 271 26 542 44 236 132 708 HRK Croatian kuna 7,4322 111 483 222 965 371 609 1 114 827 HUF Hungarian 318,5635 4 778 452 9 556 904 15 928 173 47 784 519 forint PLN Polish zloty 4,2693 64 039 128 079 213 464 640 393 RON Romanian leu 4,6755 70 133 140 266 233 777 701 331 SEK Swedish krona 10,2689 154 033 308 066 513 443 1 540 329

(1) OJ L 39, 10.2.2009, p. 1. 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/13

COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION of 16 December 2019 on the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of the application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to a product specification referred to in Article 53 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council for the name ‘Rheinisches Apfelkraut’ (PGI)

(2019/C 431/12)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (1), and in particular Article 50(2)(a) in conjunction with Article 53(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Germany has sent an application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to the product specification of ‘Rheinisches Apfelkraut’ (PGI) in accordance with Article 49(4) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

(2) In accordance with Article 50 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 the Commission has examined that application and concluded that it fulfils the conditions laid down in that Regulation.

(3) In order to allow for the submission of notices of opposition in accordance with Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to the product specification, as referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 10(1) of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 668/2014 (2), including the amended single document and the reference to the publication of the relevant product specification, for the registered name ‘Rheinisches Apfelkraut’ (PGI) should be published in the Official Journal of the European Union,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Sole Article

The application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to the product specification, referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 10(1) of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 668/2014, including the amended single document and the reference to the publication of the relevant product specification, for the registered name ‘Rheinisches Apfelkraut’ (PGI) is contained in the Annex to this Decision.

In accordance with Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the publication of this Decision shall confer the right to oppose to the amendment referred to in the first paragraph of this Article within three months from the date of publication of this Decision in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, 16 December 2019.

For the Commission Janusz WOJCIECHOWSKI Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1. (2) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 668/2014 of 13 June 2014 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (OJ L 179, 19.6.2014, p. 36). C 431/14 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

ANNEX

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

‘RHEINISCHES APFELKRAUT’

EU No: PGI-DE-0716-AM01 — 15.2.2018

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1. Applicant group and legitimate interest

Applicant group

Name of association: Schutzgemeinschaft Rheinischer Zuckerrübensirup/Rheinisches Apfelkraut

Type of association: More than one person

Participants: Producers

Address: Wormersdorfer Straße 22-26 53340 Meckenheim

Country: Germany

Telephone: 0049 222591900

Email address(es): [email protected]

Legitimate interest The applicant is the same as the applicant in the registration procedure.

2. Member state or Third Country Germany

3. Amendment(s) affect(s) the following heading(s) in the product specification Product Name Description of product Geographical zone Proof of origin Method of production Link Labelling Other

4. Type of amendment(s) Amendments to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI not to be qualified as minor within the meaning of the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/15

Amendments to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI for which a Single Document (or equivalent) has not been published and which cannot be qualified as minor within the meaning of the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

5. Amendment(s)

Description of product

(1) At present, the product specification indicates the final sugar content specified according to individual sugar types (sucrose 9 %, glucose 21 %, fructose 28 %). This information should be deleted. It has become clear that this guideline, which was first set in the specification/single document in the procedure before the European Commission, is not useful. It is known that in its proposals for improvements, the Commission often suggests that the specification should include parameters that are as quantifiable as possible. Unfortunately, in certain cases this has resulted in protection associations taking measurements and recording the results in the specification. However, because the measurements had to be made ad hoc, they could not have been representative. In natural products such as apples and pears, the sugar content varies greatly depending on weather conditions. This is one reason why it is not possible to reasonably indicate proportions of sucrose, glucose and fructose. Of course the product largely consists of sugar. The proportion of types of sugar, however, cannot be usefully defined. Therefore this guideline must be deleted.

(2) The guideline for degrees Brix currently states ‘65 to 68’. It ought to state ‘at least 65 degrees Brix’. It has become apparent that in years with weather that is particularly conducive to the development of sugar in the fruits, 68 degrees Brix can be exceeded — which actually results in a product with higher quality. Therefore, establishing an upper threshold is not reasonable.

(3) The current indication of water content (35 % ± 3 %) should be deleted. This amendment assumes that the Brix content is changed. The Brix content has a significant effect on a number of characteristics, including how much water the product can contain. The higher the Brix content (sugar), the lower the water content automatically becomes. Therefore the water content is actually meaningless for the product. The important factor is the Brix content. For this reason it is better to completely delete the water content. The water content currently indicated in the specification is not correct, because the change to the Brix content (no longer ‘from x % to y %’ but rather ‘at least x %’) would make it necessary to indicate the water content as ’no more than x %’. However, because the water content is controlled by the Brix content and has no independent effect on the quality, it ought to be deleted.

Method of production

(1) In the second paragraph the phrase ‘Even if production is in spring ...’ is replaced by the phrase ‘If production is outside this period ...’. This is because now fruit from cold storage can also be processed into ‘Apfelkraut’ even at times other than spring. The specification must be corrected to take this technological advancement into account.

(2) In the penultimate paragraph the phrase ‘, and possibly an acidifier,’ is added after the words ‘... sugar and pectin’. It is now permissible to add an acidifier. This is because, depending on how unsuccessful the harvest is, the fruits’ own acid content is so small that the desired gelling cannot be achieved without adding an acidifier. Any pectin added to cause a sandwich spread to gel requires a certain pH value. In the experience of the producer, the optimum consistency requires a pH value of 3,5 ±0,05 during processing. The pH value is affected by the semi- finished apple product (the apples), the semi-finished pear product (the pears) and the pectin solution. Because in order to achieve optimum results the tolerance for variations in the pH value is very small, those variations must be countered through the use of an acidifier where necessary. Only minuscule amounts are used, if at all, so there is no chance of them affecting the taste; in fact, it is in the interests of the producer to make sure the taste is not affected.

Link In the final paragraph under point 2 (Special characteristics of the product), the phrase ‘Even if production is in spring’ is replaced by the phrase ‘If production is outside this period’. This is adjusted to match the change in the description. C 431/16 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘RHEINISCHES APFELKRAUT’

EU No: PGI-DE-0716-AM01 — 15.2.2018

PDO () PGI (X)

1. Name(s) ‘Rheinisches Apfelkraut’

2. Member State or Third Country Germany

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product Class 1.6. Fruit, vegetables and cereals, fresh or processed

3.2. Description of the product to which the name under point 1 applies ‘Rheinisches Apfelkraut’ is a syrup from freshly harvested, concentrated apples and pears. Production uses only whole apples and pears. Only healthy, fully ripe apples and pears are used for processing. If production takes place in the harvest period, that is from late summer until mid-November, fresh fruit is used. If production is outside this period, only whole fruit is used, no semi-finished products. The fruit is then taken exclusively from cold stores. At least 2,7 kg of raw materials (fruit), including at least 2,1 kg of apples, are used to make 1 kg of the finished product. Unlike jam, ‘Rheinisches Apfelkraut’ is made only from fruit juice and does not contain other vegetable elements. On receipt, the fruit is inspected visually for hygiene, rot and pest infestation. It is washed in a water bath before being processed. Then the whole apples and pears are boiled gently at normal pressure, the mash is squeezed and the juice is filtered. The clear juice is sent on to the evaporation unit where the water is gently removed from it in a vacuum. The dry matter content of the semi-finished product is at least 58-62 °Brix. After this production stage, and storage of the interim product in large tanks at a maximum of 10 °C, sugar and pectin, and possibly an acidifier, may be added if necessary, depending on the producer’s own traditional recipe. The final check involves measuring the dry matter content. The product can be put in containers directly while hot and placed on sale. Sugar may be added up to a maximum of 400 g of sugars per 1 000 g of the finished product. ‘Apfelkraut’ may also be made purely from apples without any added sugar. Appearance: dark-brown, jelly-like Taste: sweet-acidic taste of apples Odour: sweet Degrees Brix (finished product): at least 65 degrees Brix pH: from 3,1 to 3,7

3.3. Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only) —

3.4. Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area The entire production process takes place in the defined geographical area, using only whole, healthy fully-ripe apples and pears, either fresh or from cold stores. 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/17

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 Rhineland. In the State of North Rhine-Westphalia this includes the Governmental Districts of Cologne and the following districts in the Governmental District of Düsseldorf: Mettmann, Düsseldorf City, Rhine-District of Neuss, Mönchengladbach City, Viersen, Krefeld City, Cleves District and Wesel district. In the State of Rhineland-Palatinate, it includes the rural districts of Ahrweiler and Mayen-Koblenz.

5. Link with the geographical area ‘Rheinisches Apfelkraut’ is a traditional Rhineland product. Growing conditions for fruit trees are ideal in the Rhineland. Over the centuries, a strong fruit-growing area has developed here. There is still a high proportion of orchard meadows and a large number of apple varieties. The climatic conditions favour the cultivation of varieties that have the right ratio of acids and natural pectins for producing an optimally spreadable product. ‘Apfelkraut’ has traditionally always been made here to preserve windfalls. In centuries past, practically every farm used the sweet and tasty ‘Apfelkraut’ which it had produced as a means of sweetening food during the winter period. The traditional production method, i.e. the gentle boiling process at normal pressure and in particular the knowledge of the right mixture of the countless apple varieties to reach the right ratio of pectin to acid, has been passed down from generation to generation. The special climate and other natural features of the Rhineland make it particularly conducive to producing ‘Apfelkraut’. These special advantages and the product’s heritage mean that the local population have become particularly experienced at making the product. It is used chiefly as a sweet spread, as an ingredient in baking or cooking (e.g. for the typical marinated beef dish ‘Rheinischer Sauerbraten’) and as an accompaniment to ‘Rievkooche’ (traditional potato cakes also typical for the Rhineland). Nowadays, ‘Rheinisches Apfelkraut’ is still made according to the traditional production method, namely the careful selection of the ratios of the countless apple varieties and the gentle boiling at normal pressure, which has been handed down from generation to generation. The same recipes that our ancestors tried and tested are still being used today. This guarantees the excellent quality of the product; that is, the balanced taste and the optimal spreadability of the product. The centuries-old fruit-growing area and the production method which has been in use for generations mean that the ‘Apfelkraut’ produced in the Rhineland has a particularly good reputation. It is especially famous in the Rhineland, but is also well-known beyond its borders. This is confirmed by comments from specialist bodies, mentions on menus, in recipes and in products offered for sale on the internet. The product has a fixed place in the Rhineland’s cuisine, both as a spread for bread and as an ingredient in cooking and baking. There is a long tradition of using ‘Rheinisches Apfelkraut’ and it is still strongly anchored in the minds of consumers and in catering. For example, it is listed as an ingredient in ‘Rheinischer Sauerbraten’. Production uses only whole apples and pears. Only healthy, fully ripe apples and pears are used for processing. If production takes place in the harvest period, that is from late summer until mid-November, fresh fruit is used. If production is outside this period, only whole fruit is used, no semi-finished products. The fruit is then taken exclusively from cold stores. The special link between the product and the area in which it is produced is the reputation enjoyed by ‘Rheinisches Apfelkraut’. The centuries-old fruit-growing area and the production method which has been in use for generations mean that the ‘Apfelkraut’ produced in the Rhineland has a particularly good reputation. It is especially famous in the Rhineland, but is also well-known beyond its borders.

Reference to publication of the specification

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)

https://register.dpma.de/DPMAregister/blattdownload/marken/2018/3/Teil-7/20180119 C 431/18 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

(Announcements)

PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPETITION POLICY

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.9455 — Compass/Fazer Food Services)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2019/C 431/13)

1. On 12 December 2019, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1). This notification concerns the following undertakings: — Compass Group PLC (United Kingdom), — Fazer Food Services AB (Sweden) belonging to Oy Karl Fazer Ab (Finland), — Fazer Food Services OY (Finland) belonging to Oy Karl Fazer Ab (Finland), — Fazer Food Services AS (Norway) belonging to Oy Karl Fazer Ab (Finland), — Fazer Food Services A/S (Denmark) belonging to Oy Karl Fazer Ab (Finland), — Fazer Food OÜ (Estonia) belonging to Oy Karl Fazer Ab (Finland).

Compass Group PLC acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of Fazer Food Services AB, Fazer Food Services OY, Fazer Food Services AS, Fazer Food Services A/S and Fazer Food OÜ.

The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.

2. The business activities of the undertakings concerned are: — for Compass Group PLC: an outsourced foodservices provider to customers in the business and industry, healthcare and welfare, education, and defence, offshore and remote sectors. It also provides support services such as facility management and cleaning services, in addition to foodservices and concession foodservices in the sports and leisure sector, — for Fazer Food Services AB, Fazer Food Services OY, Fazer Food Services AS, Fazer Food Services A/S and Fazer Food OÜ: provide catering, restaurant and foodservices in Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway and have a limited presence in Estonia.

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. The following reference should always be specified:

M.9455 — Compass/Fazer Food Services

(1) OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’). 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/19

Observations can be sent to the Commission by email, by fax, or by post. Please use the contact details below:

Email: [email protected]

Fax +32 22964301

Postal address:

European Commission Directorate-General for Competition Merger Registry 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel BELGIQUE/BELGIË C 431/20 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

OTHER ACTS

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Publication of an application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to a product specification 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

(2019/C 431/14)

This publication confers the right to oppose the amendment application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) within three months from the date of this publication.

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

‘TOMATE LA CAÑADA’

EU No: PGI-ES-0664-AM01 – 12.3.2018

PDO () PGI (X)

1. Applicant group and legitimate interest Regulatory Board for the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Tomate La Cañada’ Address: Autovía del Mediterráneo, Salida 456 Paraje Los Mayorales, s/n 04130 El Alquián (Almería), España. Telephone number: +34 637310801. Email address: [email protected] The Regulatory Board of the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Tomate La Cañada’ is a non-profit organisation recognised by the competent authority in the Member State as the management body for the quality designation. It represents the operators involved in the production of the protected product. It is run in accordance with democratic principles and represents the economic and sectoral interests involved in the PGI, with special concern for minority interests, thus ensuring equal representation for all. Furthermore, the Regulatory Board has the legal capacity to submit this amendment application in accordance with national legislation, specifically Article 13.2.a) of Government of Andalusia Law 2/2011 of 25 March 2011 on fisheries and food quality.

2. Member State or Third Country Spain

3. Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment(s) Name of product Description of product Geographical area

(1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1. 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/21

Proof of origin

Method of production

Link

Labelling Other: Legal requirements and graphs and charts

4. Type of amendment(s)

Amendment to product specification of a registered PDO or PGI not to be qualified as minor in accordance 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 equivalent) 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

5. Amendment(s)

5.1. First of all, a change is being made to the structure of section B, ‘Description of product’ of the product specification, deleting subsection B.2 in its entirety and leaving the content of subsection B.3. This will become the new subsection B.2, with the title ‘Physico-chemical and organoleptic properties and commercial types’. This new subsection B.2 specifies the physico-chemical and organoleptic properties of each type of tomato, in contrast to the old subsection B.2 which featured properties not set out specifically for each type of tomato.

— The following text from subsection B.2 of the product specification and point 3.2 of the Single Document is deleted: ‘The physico-chemical and organoleptic properties of the four commercial types of “Tomate La Cañada” fall within the following ranges:

— lycopene content is between 10,8 and 44 mg per 100 g; — vitamin C content is between 62 and 195 mg per 100 g fresh weight;

— Lightness of hue (L) is between 38 and 49;

— colouring between 2 and 11 on the colour chart scale.’

— The subsection title ‘B.3 Commercial types’ is replaced by ‘B.2 Physico-chemical and organoleptic properties and commercial types’. In conjunction with this amendment, point 3.2 of the Single Document is supplemented with information on the physico-chemical and organoleptic properties for each commercial type of tomato.’.

Reasons: The general description of the product has been deleted, it being considered more appropriate to highlight the specific properties of each commercial type listed in section B of the product specification.

5.2. The new subsection B.2 introduces certain requirements for harvesting and analysing the product to enable it to be classified, and the analytical methods applicable for each parameter. The following is added: ‘The physico-chemical and organoleptic properties are those set out in this document, provided that:

(1) At the time of picking, the harvested fruit meets the colour parameters defined for each type of tomato;

(2) The sample comprises a sufficient number of fruits to provide data which is statistically significant;

(3) Lycopene testing is performed straight away, i.e. within 24 hours after harvesting, with the tomato being transported from the field to the relevant laboratory in a refrigerated system.

Methods of analysis:

Lycopene and tocopherols: use of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipment and suitable templates.

Lightness of hue: use of a high-resolution spectrophotometer.’ C 431/22 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

Reasons:

Some additional conditions have been incorporated into the sampling procedure to avoid any potential fluctuations in results for the various values depending on the point in time at which the properties of the fruit are analysed, and the analytical methods used have been defined to achieve compliance with Government of Andalusia Law 2/2011 of 25 March 2011 on fisheries and food quality.

5.3. In the new subsections B.2 (point 3.2 of the Single Document) and F.2 (‘Information on the specific characteristics of the product’) (point 5 of the Single Document), the contents of the parameters ‘lycopene’ and ‘lightness of hue’ are adjusted and the parameter ‘Vitamin C’ is replaced by ‘Vitamin E (α-Tocopherol)’.

— For the commercial type ‘Redondo Liso’ [smooth round]:

The property ‘lightness of hue (L) between 42 and 46,5.’ is replaced by ‘lightness of hue (L) ≥ 35’.

The text ‘The vitamin C content of this type of tomato is between 153 and 195 mg per 100 g fresh weight’ is replaced by ‘The vitamin E (α-tocopherol) content of this type of tomato is ≥ 0,40 mg per 100 g fresh weight’.

‘A total lycopene content which varies between 21 and 25,8 mg per 100 g dry weight’ is replaced by ‘a total lycopene content of ≥ 26 mg per 100 g dry weight’.

— For the commercial type ‘Tomate Cereza (incluido cóctel)’ [cherry tomato, including the ‘cocktail’ variety]:

The property ‘lightness of hue (L) between 38 and 40.’ is replaced by ‘lightness of hue (L) ≥ 35’.

The text ‘The vitamin C content of this type of tomato is between 62 and 102 mg per 100 g fresh weight’ is replaced by ‘The vitamin E (α-tocopherol) content of this type of tomato is ≥ 0,30 mg per 100 g fresh weight’.

‘A total lycopene content which varies between 31,6 and 38,4 mg per 100 g dry weight’ is replaced by ‘a total lycopene content of ≥ 26 mg per 100 g dry weight’.

— For the commercial type ‘Asurcado’ [ribbed]:

The property ‘lightness of hue (L) between 38 and 40.’ is replaced by ‘lightness of hue (L) ≥ 35’.

The text ‘The vitamin C content of this type of tomato is between 130 and 155 mg per 100 g fresh weight’ is replaced by ‘The vitamin E (α-tocopherol) content of this type of tomato is ≥ 0,31 mg per 100 g fresh weight’.

‘A total lycopene content which varies between 35,4 and 44 mg per 100 g dry weight’ is replaced by ‘a total lycopene content of ≥ 26 mg per 100 g dry weight’.

— For the commercial type ‘Oblongo o Alargado’ [oblong or elongated]:

The property ‘lightness of hue (L) between 38 and 40.’ is replaced by ‘lightness of hue (L) ≥ 35’.

The text ‘The vitamin C content of this type of tomato is between 142 and 186 mg per 100 g fresh weight’ is replaced by ‘The vitamin E (α-tocopherol) content of this type of tomato is ≥ 0,31 mg per 100 g fresh weight’.

‘A total lycopene content which varies between 10,8 and 13,2 mg per 100 g dry weight’ is replaced by ‘a total lycopene content of ≥ 26 mg per 100 g dry weight’.

Reasons:

Serious problems have become evident in terms of the PGI meeting the requirements of the product specification, which are based on a study conducted by the University of Almeria, Nutrient composition and antioxidant activity of eight tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) varieties, published in 2009. These requirements are inordinately strict, relying on sampling and analysis being conducted under optimum conditions which are very difficult to reproduce within the context of normal cultivation and marketing practices. First of all, it is practically impossible to attain the requisite levels of vitamin C under the conditions of ripeness which the product specification states the tomato must have attained at time of harvest, as vitamin C levels decrease as the tomato ripens. Also, the specification sets levels of lycopene and lightness of hue far above those usually attained in the geographical area.

In any event, the adjusted levels of lycopene and lightness, in accordance with the requested amendment, will still be greater than those found in tomatoes of the same varieties outside the geographical area, as shown below. 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/23

The maximum values for lightness and lycopene laid down in the specification have been deleted on the grounds that there is no justification for such upper limits, as higher values enhance those characteristics of the tomatoes which give consumers a positive view of their quality and freshness. At the same time, the requirements for both parameters are softened for the reasons explained above. The proposed reduction in the values of both parameters does not entail any significant changes to the typical quality characteristics, nor do they entail any amendments to the organoleptic qualities. Lightness values for tomatoes from the area which are not covered by the PGI most often fall between 25 and 28; these are exceeded in all situations by the commercial types covered. The minimum lightness value for the PGI tomatoes is set at 35. Vitamin C has been replaced by vitamin E (α-tocopherol) content, as the vitamin C level of tomatoes fluctuates drastically depending on the ripening stage. Very high initial levels of vitamin C have been reported for less ripe tomatoes, declining in the final stages of the tomato’s shelf life to 28 mg per 100 g fresh weight (Valle and Rodríguez, 2011). Given this wide variation, vitamin C is not deemed to be a good indicator of quality for tomatoes from a specific geographical area. Tocopherol compounds exhibit more stability as the tomatoes ripen. Small changes in the concentration of these compounds as ripening progresses (between 7,7 and 11,6 µg per g fresh weight) have been reported (Quadrana et al., 2013). Furthermore, vitamin C and tocopherols are interchangeable in terms of their antioxidant capacity; it has long been known that the two types of compound exhibit antioxidant synergism and cooperation (Niki et al., 1987). Tocopherols are therefore considered suitable indicators of the beneficial health properties of the tomatoes, and can be used instead of Vitamin C and are more effective in this regard. Various factors influence the tocopherol content of the tomato varieties, such as the salinity of the irrigation water, the amount of potassium in the nutrient solution, the genetic variety in question, and the special environmental conditions (sunshine, temperature and humidity) peculiar to the area. The tocopherol content of ‘Tomate La Cañada’ is more than the typical average for similar types of tomato outside the geographical area. This is particularly relevant in the case of α-tocopherol, which is the one that has vitamin E activity and is therefore the most significant of the tocopherol compounds from a nutritional perspective. Tocopherol synthesis and high tocopherol levels are also stimulated by osmotic salt stress caused by high electrical conductivity. The typical average α-tocopherol values of ‘Tomate La Cañada’, are between 0,56 and 0,72 mg per 100 g fresh weight, depending on the commercial type chosen, whereas the values most frequently encountered in tomatoes not covered by the PGI are ≥ 0,14 mg per 100 g fresh weight. Therefore the minimum α-tocopherol value for a tomato covered by the PGI is set at 0,30 mg per 100 g fresh weight. The high lightness of hue results from the fruit’s considerable firmness. It should also be taken into account that the value of this parameter depends on ripeness; less ripe tomatoes exhibit higher lightness values. Nevertheless, tomatoes which have already started to turn red, contain a lot of lycopene, exhibit high lightness values and have high α-tocopherol content constitute an exception.

5.4. Subsection F.3 of the product specification, ‘Causal link between the geographical area and the characteristics of the product’, is adjusted to reflect the replacement of the ‘vitamin C’ parameter. The text: ‘The factors affecting the quality and specific characteristics of “Tomate La Cañada” (lightness of hue (L), lycopene and vitamin C) are the irrigation water and the soil as a source of nutrition.’ is replaced by: ‘The factors affecting the quality and specific characteristics of “Tomate La Cañada” (lightness of hue (L), lycopene and tocopherols) are the irrigation water and the soil as a source of nutrition.’ The text:

‘(a) Vitamin C. Irrigation using salt water, as is the practice in the defined geographical area, with the water obtained exclusively from hydrogeological units [an administrative concept comprising a number of aquifers] 06.11 and 06.12 (both extremely saline), increase the concentration of vitamin C. An increase in the electrical conductivity of the irrigation water, which is directly related to the concentration of salts in the water, increases the vitamin C content of the tomato. C 431/24 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

The intensity of the light in the defined geographical area, and to which the tomato plants are exposed before harvesting, also has a bearing on the amount of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in the ripe tomato.’ is replaced by:

‘(a) Vitamin E (α-tocopherol) Various factors influence the tocopherol content of the tomato varieties, such as the salinity of the irrigation water, the amount of potassium in the nutrient solution, the genetic variety in question, and the special environmental conditions (sunshine, temperature and humidity) peculiar to the area. Tocopherol synthesis and high tocopherol levels are also stimulated by the osmotic salt stress caused by high electrical conductivity.’

5.5. The specific reference to the date of planting of the various varieties has been removed from subsection B.2 of the product specification. — For the commercial type ‘Redondo Liso’ [smooth round]: Planting varies between the last week of August and the first week of September for long and short crop cycles and takes place in springtime for short crop cycles. — For the commercial type ‘Tomate Cereza (incluido cóctel)’ [cherry tomato, including the ‘cocktail’ variety]: Planting is from September onwards. — For the commercial type ‘Asurcado’ [ribbed]: Planting is from September onwards. — For the commercial type ‘Oblongo o Alargado’ [oblong or elongated]: Planting is done in the middle of or late in the season. Reasons: The planting date will depend on the weather in a particular year, as well as on new structures with new and more efficient ventilation systems which could result in the start of the cycle being brought forward, while at the same time leaving the characteristics of the tomato intact.

5.6. In section (E), ‘OBTAINING THE PRODUCT’, of the product specification, and in subsection E.1. ‘Growing techniques’, the now-defunct Order of 10 October 2007 has been removed from the list of standards on growing ‘Tomate La Cañada’ and replaced by the Order of 15 December 2015 (currently in force). The UNEGAP standard has also been included. Reasons: The Order of 10 October 2007 approving the Specific Regulation for Integrated Production of Protected Horticultural Crops was repealed by the Order of 15 December 2015 and therefore the reference in the product specification has been replaced. An additional growing standard (UNEGAP) has also been included. This is a system for the certification of good agricultural practices developed on the basis of the requirements of the UNE 155000 standard, which was benchmarked as an equivalent scheme by GLOBALG.A.P. and recognised as a certification standard by the Spanish accreditation body ENAC in March 2014, i.e. after the ‘Tomate La Cañada’ PGI was registered on 9 June 2012.

5.7. Subsection E.2, ‘Stages in the production process’ has been amended to include variables in the handling process depending on the characteristics of the fruit and a resource optimisation policy. The reference to Commission Regulation (EC) No 790/2000 of 14 April 2000 has also been removed. The text: ‘Trusses of tomatoes harvested in the field have particulate debris (dust, bits of leaves, etc.) attached, making it necessary for them to be passed through a washing and drying tunnel. This is done automatically, using machinery designed specifically for this purpose, following which the tomatoes are passed through a washing and drying tunnel.’ is replaced by: ‘If trusses of tomatoes harvested in the field have particulate debris (dust, bits of leaves, etc.) attached, they will need to be passed through a washing and drying tunnel. This is done automatically, using machinery designed specifically for this purpose, following which, if necessary, the tomatoes are passed through a washing and drying tunnel.’ 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/25

The text:

‘Smaller tomatoes are classified for sale as “imperfect produce”.’

is replaced by:

‘Smaller tomatoes are marketed without the protected geographical indication “Tomate La Cañada”.’

The text:

‘Once the tomatoes have been packaged into cardboard or plastic boxes, palettes are assembled.’

is replaced by:

‘Once the tomatoes have been packaged, palettes are assembled.’

Reasons:

The reason for this amendment is to include an element of conditionality: the tomato will not be washed unless this is necessary, thereby avoiding any negative impact on its shelf life and preventing water from being wasted.

Selling off non-PGI tomatoes aims to avoid the generation of large amounts of waste in tomato processing plants. We also avoid mentioning the type of packaging, as it will depend on the client’s demands and does not influence the quality and characteristics of the tomato.

The reference to Commission Regulation (EC) No 790/2000 of 14 April 2000 has been removed, as it has been repealed.

5.8. Soil conductivity and water values have been adjusted in subsection F.1.2. ‘Specificity of the geographical area: natural factors’ and in point 5 of the Single Document, ‘Link with the geographical area’.

The text:

‘Tomatoes with the Protected Geographical Indication must be grown in soils whose conductivity is equal to or greater than 4,5 dS/m.

The irrigation water used on holdings where “Tomate La Cañada” is grown comes exclusively from hydrogeological units [an administrative concept comprising a number of aquifers] 06.11 and 06.12.

The electrical conductivity of the irrigation water in the defined geographical area of the PGI “Tomate La Cañada” must be at least 2,5 dS/m.’

is replaced by:

‘Tomatoes with the Protected Geographical Indication must be grown in soils whose conductivity is equal to or greater than 4 dS/m.

The irrigation water used on holdings where “Tomate La Cañada” is grown comes from hydrogeological units [an administrative concept comprising a number of aquifers] 06.11 and 06.12 and from rainwater.

The electrical conductivity of the irrigation water in the defined geographical area of the PGI “Tomate La Cañada” must be at least 2,0 dS/m.’

Reasons:

Tomatoes with the Protected Geographical Indication must be grown in soils whose conductivity is equal to or greater than 4,5 dS/m and whose pH is less than 8,5. Nowadays, owing to the generalised use of rainwater, soil conductivity in the region is at least 4 dS/m throughout the growing cycle. This generalised use of rainwater (to protect the aquifers in the area from overexploitation) results in the conductivity of the irrigation water declining slightly, which in turn results in a decline in soil conductivity. This variation does not translate into a reduction in the quality of the tomato – values for lycopene and lightness of hue (L*) remain high.

This use of rainwater has been achieved by modernising the systems used in growing the tomatoes, i.e. improving greenhouse design by replacing the original horizontal (flat) roof (which meant the plastic had to be perforated to prevent the structure from collapsing when it rained) with a gabled or multi-tunnel structure. The main advantage of these new structures is the fact that rainwater can be collected and channelled to the irrigation reservoir on the farm, which enables water to be saved. C 431/26 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

5.9. Section (I) LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS is deleted. Reasons: This part is deleted, as it is not a requirement for the product specification under the terms of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

5.10. The following figures and tables are removed from subsection F of the product specification: — Figure 1: Lightness of hue (L) values for the four commercial types of ‘Tomate La Cañada’. Figure 2: Vitamin C content of ‘Tomate La Cañada’. Figure 3: Lycopene content of ‘Tomate La Cañada’. Table 1: Soil solution analysis for the various soils in which the tomato is grown. Table 2: Average composition of irrigation water in the different areas. Reasons: The figures and tables have been removed to simplify the product specification, as these merely reproduced the information found in the text in graphic and tabular form. Furthermore, vitamin C is a parameter no longer found in the amended specification, whereas lycopene and lightness of hue are still included, but with other values. The tables been deleted because they contain comparative analytical information on soil and irrigation water from different geographical areas, and such information is more appropriate for a supporting study than a product specification.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘TOMATE LA CAÑADA’

EU No: PGI-ES-0664-AM01 – 12. 3.2018

PDO () PGI (X)

1. Name(s) ‘Tomate La Cañada’

2. Member State or Third Country Spain

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product Class 1.6. Fruit, vegetables and cereals fresh or processed

3.2. Description of product to which the name in 1 applies Fruit of the tomato plant (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) of the commercial types ‘Redondo Liso’ [smooth round], ‘Tomate cereza’ [cherry tomato] ‘Asurcado’ [ribbed] and ‘Oblongo o alargado’ [oblong or elongated]. — ‘Redondo Liso’ [smooth round]: is intense and very dark in colour, with an intensely green peduncle and an exquisite ripening colour. The colour grade scale used to determine the state of the fruit ranges from 1 to 13. The red ‘Redondo Liso’ variety is harvested when its colour falls between 7 and 10 on the scale, whereas the green ‘Redondo Liso’ variety is harvested when its colour falls between 2 and 3. This type of tomato has a lightness of hue (L) of ≥ 35. It must display a good degree of uniformity throughout the cycle, its quality remaining very good also under more difficult winter conditions. The tomatoes have an excellent flavour and keep well. They may be from the size categories ‘GG’, ‘G’, ‘M’ or ‘MM’ (between 47 and 102 mm). The vitamin E (α-tocopherol) content of this type of tomato is ≥ 0,40 mg per 100 g fresh weight. 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/27

This type of tomato has a total lycopene content of ≥ 26 mg per 100 g fresh weight. — ‘Tomate Cereza (incluido cóctel)’ [cherry tomato, including the ‘cocktail’ variety]: the fruit of this variety is distinguished by its flavour, sugar content and crack resistance. It produces trusses which are long and well- divided. These tomatoes are round and elongated and intensely red in colour. The tomato is harvested and subsequently marketed when the colour grade ranges between 10 and 11 on the colour chart. This type of tomato has a lightness of hue (L) of ≥ 35. The tomatoes are marketed at diameters of between 20 and 35 mm. The vitamin E content of this type of tomato is ≥ 0,30 mg per 100 g fresh weight. This type of tomato has a total lycopene content of ≥ 26 mg per 100 g fresh weight. — ‘Asurcado’ [ribbed]: has ribbed, uniform, dark-coloured fruit, with a very intensely green peduncle and an exquisite flavour. The tomatoes marketed are from size categories ‘G’, ‘M’ or ‘MM’ and have a diameter of between 47 and 82 mm. The planting date will depend on the weather in a particular year, and for harvesting, the colour grade chosen is between 2 and 3 on the colour chart. This type of tomato has a lightness of hue (L) of ≥ 35. The vitamin E content of this type of tomato is ≥ 0,31 mg per 100 g fresh weight. This type of tomato has a total lycopene content of ≥ 26 mg per 100 g fresh weight. — ‘Oblongo o Alargado’[oblong or elongated]: has fruit which is very uniform, ovoid in shape, of consistent quality and excellent flavour, and is distinguishable from the other types by its less acidic flavour and the fact that it grows on multiple branches forming a fan shape. These tomatoes exhibit a very attractive ripening colour: a very intense red. They must be harvested when their colour grade falls between 8 and 9 on the colour chart. This type of tomato has a lightness of hue (L) of ≥ 35. Tomatoes from size categories ‘M’ and ‘MM’ (from 47 to 67 mm) are selected to be marketed. The vitamin E content of this type of tomato is ≥ 0,31 mg per 100 g fresh weight. This type of tomato has a total lycopene content of ≥ 26 mg per 100 g fresh weight.

3.3. Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only) —

3.4. Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area The specific step which takes place is the cultivation of the tomato.

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 Any type of packaging in which a tomato with the Protected Geographical Indication is shipped must bear numbered labels issued by the Regulatory Board, on which the words ‘Indicación Geográfica Protegida ‘Tomate La Cañada’’ and the PGI logo for ‘Tomate La Cañada’ must appear.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area The geographical area where the tomatoes covered by the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Tomate La Cañada’ are produced consists of land located on hydrogeological units [an administrative concept comprising a number of aquifers] 06.11 (Campo de Níjar) and 06.12 (Andarax-Almería). Both units are composed of aquifers affected by salinisation, with predominantly sodium chloride facies. The land irrigated using water from these aquifers is also affected by salinity. These particular aspects of the defined area have an impact on the specific character of the product. C 431/28 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

The defined geographical area is located in south-eastern Spain within the province of Almería, hemmed in to the north by large mountain ranges (Sierra Nevada and Sierra de Los Filabres), further to the south by the Sierra Alhamilla and the Sierra Cabrera, and to the west by the Sierra de Gador. To the south and east the area is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea.

The production area contains 22 municipalities, although some of these only partially: Almería, Huercal de Almería, Pechina, Viator, Gador, Benahadux, Rioja, Santa Fe de Mondujar, Santa Cruz de Marchena, Alsodux, Alhabia, Huécija, Instinción, Illar, Alboloduy, Bentarique, Terque, Alhama de Almería, Níjar, Carboneras, Lucainena de la Torres and Sorbas.

5. Link with the geographical area

— Specific nature of the geographical area

Soils: The flat terrain stretching from the fertile plain of the River Andarax (Almería) to the fields of Níjar is composed of alluvial soils. Elsewhere, sand dunes and sandy material predominate, comprising 95 % sand.

These are deep soils which in most cases have developed from limestone, are generally poorly fertile and are subject to intense erosion.

The two groups of soils predominant in the area are calcaric salic fluvisols (very saline soils) and salic cumulic anthrosols, which are also markedly saline, thereby making the soil in which the ‘Tomate La Cañada’ is cultivated conform to the definition of a saline sodic soil.

The soils within the defined geographical area have high electrical conductivity, reflecting the high salinity levels of the majority of soils in the area, as a result of the high proportion of chlorine and exchangeable sodium. Tomatoes covered by the Protected Geographical Indication must be grown in soils whose conductivity is equal to or greater than 4,0 dS/m and whose pH is less than 8,5.

As regards the exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), it may be observed that the ‘Tomate La Cañada’ is grown in soils with higher ESP values (saline sodic soils) than those of soils used for growing tomatoes in other areas. The soils in which the ‘Tomate La Cañada’ is grown have an ESP of more than 15 %. In the other growing areas, the ESP values are lower; in the case of Poniente Almeriense (Western Almería) they are 50 % lower.

Water: Sodium chloride waters, with a high ion content and high electrical conductivity, are used to irrigate the farms. The predominant ions in the irrigation water are sodium, chlorides, sulphates and calcium, such that the Cl– and Na+ ions are found in concentrations of 40 % and 35 % respectively, which are greater than those in irrigation water in the other growing areas.

The irrigation water used in the cultivation of ‘Tomate La Cañada’ has high electrical conductivity, attaining values 70 % greater than those in the other growing areas. Similarly the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of the irrigation water used for the cultivation of ‘Tomate La Cañada’ is around four times greater than that of the water used in other areas, which also explains why there is a greater amount of exchangeable sodium in the soil in which ‘Tomate La Cañada’ is grown.

The electrical conductivity of the irrigation water in the defined geographical area of the PGI ‘Tomate La Cañada’ must be at least 2,0 dS/m (water which is already considered quite saline and gives rise to significant decreases in production).

Climate and orography: In general, the defined geographical area falls within an area classified in climatic terms as arid (aridity curve from 3 to 6) and subdesert, i.e. the most arid region of Europe, characterised by a lack of frosts and such low rainfall that it can be referred to as an arid desert environment.

The characteristics of this aridity are low rainfall, average annual rainfall ranging between 200 and 400 mm, a high average annual temperature of between 16,8 and 18,3 °C and an atmosphere which is strongly conducive to evaporation.

Rainfall is torrential and irregular from month to month and year to year. These natural conditions, along with the hydrogeological characteristics of the area, explain the lack of surface water, making it necessary to draw continually on groundwater resources.

The high average annual temperature, along with low average annual precipitation, results in strong evapotran spiration and limited drainage, allowing soluble salts to remain in the soil and raising the soil’s electrical conductivity. 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/29

Local conditions also have an influence, as the area is hemmed in to the north by large mountain ranges such as the Sierra Nevada and Sierra de Los Filabres, to the south by the Sierra Alhamilla and Sierra Cabrera, and to the west by the Sierra de Gador, which isolates the area from climatic influences from the north and from westerly and northerly winds. The position of the area adjacent to the Mediterranean Sea to the south and east also has an impact. The district’s position leeward of the northerly air masses, coupled with its latitude and the influence of the Mediterranean, confer on it exceptional thermal conditions. The average annual relative humidity is around 73 %, which remains largely stable throughout the year, not always resulting in condensation. This means that the area has very few foggy days. Net incident solar radiation: The average number of annual hours of sunshine in the defined geographical area is considerable (3 040), whereas cloud cover is the lowest in Spain, with an average of 35 overcast days a year. The average annual incident solar radiation in greenhouses is 137,58 W/m2. — Specificity of the product: Lightness of hue (L) of the tomatoes: Hunter measuring instruments use the parameters ‘L’, ‘a’ and ‘b’ to simulate a rectangular three-dimensional colour space, based on the theory of opposing colours. Within this space, the ‘Tomate La Cañada’ exhibits an L (lightness) value in excess of 35. The range on the colour chart within which each commercial type of tomato is harvested is as follows: ‘Redondo Liso’ [smooth round]: harvesting at values of between 7 and 10 on the colour chart. ‘Cereza’ [cherry]: harvesting at values of between 10 and 11 on the colour chart. ‘Asurcado’ [ribbed]: harvesting at values of between 2 and 3 on the colour chart. ‘Oblongo’ [oblong]: harvesting at values of between 8 and 9 on the colour chart. Lycopene content: The lycopene content is ≥ 26 mg per 100 g dry weight for the four types of tomato cultivated in the defined geographical area and is much greater than that found in the literature for the same commercial types of tomato cultivated in other production areas. Vitamin E (α-tocopherol) content: The vitamin E content of the types of tomato grown in the defined geographical area is much greater than that found in the literature for the same commercial types of tomato grown in other production areas. ‘Redondo Liso’ [smooth round]: ≥ 0,40 mg per 100 g fresh weight. ‘Cereza’ [cherry]: ≥ 0,30 mg or above per 100 g fresh weight. ‘Asurcado’ [ribbed]: ≥ 0,31 mg or above per 100 g fresh weight. ‘Oblongo’ [oblong]: ≥ 0,31 mg per 100 g fresh weight. — Causal link between the geographical area and the characteristics of the product. The factors affecting the quality and specific characteristics of the ‘Tomate La Cañada’ (lightness of hue, vitamin C content and lycopene content) are the irrigation water, the soil as a source of nutrition (saline sodic soils irrigated with this saline water), and the special environmental conditions peculiar to the area (sunshine, temperature and humidity).

(a) Vitamin E (α-tocopherol) Various factors influence the tocopherol content of the tomato varieties: the salinity of the irrigation water, the amount of potassium in the nutrient solution, the genetic variety in question, and the special environmental conditions (sunshine, temperature and humidity) peculiar to the area. Tocopherol synthesis and high tocopherol levels are also stimulated by the osmotic salt stress caused by high electrical conductivity.

(b) Lycopene Irrigation with saline water increases the lycopene content. An increase in the electrical conductivity of the irrigation water, which is directly related to the concentration of salts in the water, increases the lycopene content of the four commercial types of tomato. Temperatures between 18 and 26 °C favour the synthesis of lycopene (and carotenoids in general). The average of 18 °C attained in the defined geographical area facilitates synthesis of lycopene and thus the high lycopene content of the ‘Tomate La Cañada’. C 431/30 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

The synthesis and high levels of lycopene in the ‘Tomate La Cañada’ are also brought about by the osmotic salt stress caused by the high electrical conductivity of the soils in which the tomato is grown.

(c) Lightness of hue (L) of the tomato fruit The L values, referring to the Hunter Lab colour space, depend on the incident solar radiation, temperature, use of saline water and cultivation in saline soils. Irrigation using saline water and cultivation in saline soils enhances the fruit’s L value. It is the chloride ions (Cl–) that most increase the electrical conductivity at equal concentration, followed by the calcium (Ca2+) and sodium (Na+) ions. This explains the greater electrical conductivity of the soils in which ‘Tomate La Cañada’ is grown, as in other areas the Cl– and Na+ concentrations are substantially lower. A high degree of incident solar radiation and sunny days with between 8 and 16 hours of sunshine are required for the tomato plant to develop well and produce fruit of a uniform colour. The high amount of radiation influences the flowering, fertilisation and vegetative development of the plant by increasing water and nutrient absorption and thus productivity. The fact that ‘Tomate La Cañada’ is grown in the part of Europe with the most hours of sunshine means that the tomatoes grown in the defined geographical area attain their optimal colour in winter. Greenhouses are used to protect the fruits from excess light in spring and summer. To carry out photosynthesis, the chloroplasts, which react directly to solar energy, line up perpendicularly to the rays of light. If the light is very strong (in spring and summer), the use of greenhouses prevents the chloroplasts from arranging themselves in such a way that incident radiation strikes them at oblique angles, which would result in their receiving less light and have an effect on the colour and ripening of the fruit. The effect of temperature on the colour is also well-known: the average temperatures in the defined geographical area (between 16,8 and 18,3 °C) favour the production of better-coloured tomatoes.

Reference to publication of the specification

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)

The full text of the product specification can be found at:

https://juntadeandalucia.es/export/drupaljda/Pliego_Tomate_modificado.pdf

or via the homepage of the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Sustainable Development (http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/agriculturaypesca/portal), by following the navigation pathway: ‘Áreas de actividad’/ ‘Industrias y Cadena Agroalimentaria’/‘Calidad’/‘Denominaciones de calidad’/‘Frutas y Hortalizas’; the specification is located under the name of the Quality Designation. 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/31

Publication of an application for amendment pursuant to Article 17(6) of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the definition, description, presentation, labelling and the protection of geographical indications of spirit drinks and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1576/89

(2019/C 431/15)

This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 27 of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1).

APPLICATION FOR THE AMENDMENT OF THE TECHNICAL FILE OF A GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION

‘RATAFIA DE CHAMPAGNE’

EU No: PGI-FR-02062-AM01 — 5.7.2018

Language of amendment: French

Intermediary Member State(s): France Intermediary name: Ministère de l’agriculture et de l’alimentation (Ministry of Agriculture and Food)

Address: Direction Générale de la Performance Économique et Environnementale des Entreprises (Directorate-General for the Economic and Environmental Performance of Companies) Service du développement des filières et de l’emploi (Sectoral and Employment Development Service) Sous-direction des filières agroalimentaires (Sub-Directorate for Agri-Food Sectors) Bureau du vin et des autres boissons (Office for Wines and Other Drinks) 3 Rue Barbet de Jouy 75349 Paris Cedex 07 SP FRANCE Tel. +33 149554955 Email: [email protected]

Name of the geographical indication Ratafia de Champagne

Specification headings affected by the amendment — Protected name, — Other: Method of production and Specific labelling rules

Amendment Amendment to the product specification entailing an amendment of the main specifications

Explanation of the amendment

(1) Changing the name of the designation from ‘Ratafia de Champagne’ to ‘Ratafia champenois’ When the technical file for the GI was submitted to the European Commission pursuant to Article 20 of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008, the producers stated that they would like the name of the GI to be changed to ‘Ratafia champenois’ so that consumers are clearly informed of the link between the spirit drink and the Champagne wine region whilst giving the ‘Champagne’ PDO exclusive use of the designation. The word ‘Champagne’ has become increasingly reserved for sparkling wines. Still wines produced in the geographical area, which have historically been called ‘vins natures de Champagne’, were recognised as a designation of origin in 1974 and, more recently, were registered as a PDO under the name ‘Coteaux champenois’.

(1) OJ L 130, 17.5.2009, p. 1. C 431/32 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

The name ‘Ratafia de Champagne’ has been changed to ‘Ratafia champenois’ in every instance where it appears in the technical file. It was granted national recognition under the Order of 22 January 2015, as amended on 12 February 2015, which is conditional upon approval by the European Union.

(2) Method for obtaining the spirit drink In the ‘Raw materials’ section, under point 2 on the alcohols used, the following has been added: ‘[…] from grapes which may be used to produce wines covered by the “Champagne” PDO’. This clarification has been added to ensure consistency with point 2 of the section on human factors under the heading ‘Details of the geographical area relevant to the link’, where it is stated that the basic alcohol used to produce ‘Ratafia champenois’ is alcohol of vinous origin which, in accordance with local practice, is made from grapes intended for the ‘Champagne’ PDO.

(3) Specific labelling rules By changing the designation name, use of ‘Ratafia Champenois’ as an additional name in the section of the technical file on labelling rules becomes redundant. It has therefore been removed.

MAIN SPECIFICATIONS OF THE TECHNICAL FILE

‘RATAFIA CHAMPENOIS’

EU No: PGI-FR-02062-AM01 — 5.7.2018

1. Name ‘Ratafia champenois’

2. Category of spirit drink Category 32: Liqueur

3. Description of the spirit drink

Physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics The colour of ‘Ratafia champenois’ ranges from straw yellow to amber. It is characterised by its fruity, mineral aromas and boasts a balance between sugar and acidity. The prolonged wood maturation of ‘Ratafia champenois’ improves the blending of the alcohol and grape must. It develops an aromatic complexity in which hints of dried fruit, dried nuts (walnuts, roasted almonds), liquorice and cinnamon emerge. At the point it is sold to consumers, the liqueur has the following characteristics: — an alcoholic strength by volume of between 16 % and 22 %, — a minimum sugar content of 110 grams per litre expressed as invert sugar,

— total acidity of less than 10 grams per litre (expressed as H2SO4), — a sulphur dioxide content of less than 80 milligrams per litre.

Specific characteristics (compared to spirit drinks of the same category) ‘Ratafia champenois’ is produced by flavouring alcohol of vinous origin with grape must which may be used to produce wines covered by the ‘Champagne’ PDO. It is sold after maturing in tanks or barrels for a minimum of 10 months or, in the case of products marketed using the word ‘aged’, after ageing in wood for a minimum of 3 years. A fresh, mineral and fruity must is obtained thanks to the grape varieties used, the prevention of damage to the grapes from the moment they are harvested, the pressing of whole grape bunches as soon as possible after harvest, the gentle and progressive pressing of the grapes, and the limited volumes of juice extracted. 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/33

These characteristics are brought out when the alcohol is added, blending in when the product is matured in tanks. If necessary, these characteristics can take on an aromatic complexity if aged in wood.

4. Geographical area concerned

Subject to the following rules, Article V of the Act of 22 July 1927 on the ‘Champagne’ registered designation of origin, repealing and replacing Article 17 of the Act of 6 May 1919, defines the areas where grapes for producing must and alcohol may be produced, where must and alcohol may be made, and where ‘Ratafia champenois’ may be produced, matured and, where necessary, aged.

— In the district of Vitry-le-François (Marne), the demarcated parcel area is the area approved by the relevant national committee of the National Institute of Origin and Quality at its meeting of 7 and 8 November 1990. Maps of the area were submitted to the town halls concerned.

— In the communes of Arsonval, Cunfin, Dolancourt and Jaucourt (Aube), the demarcated parcel area is the area approved by the relevant national committee of the National Institute of Origin and Quality at its meetings of 23 June 1994, 8 September 1994 and 19 May 1995. Maps of the area were submitted to the town halls of the communes concerned.

— In the communes of Marcilly-le-Hayer and La Villeneuve-au-Châtelot (Aube), no parcel area was demarcated in line with the decision of the relevant national committee of the National Institute of Origin and Quality at its meeting of 10 September 1997.

— In the communes of Brienne-le-Chateau, Epagne, Précy-Saint-Martin and Saint-Léger-sous-Brienne (Aube) and Esclavolle-Lurey, Potangis, Saint-Quentin-le-Verger and Villiers-aux-Corneilles (Marne), no parcel area was demarcated in line with the decisions of the relevant national committee of the National Institute of Origin and Quality at its meetings of 23 and 24 June 1994, 7 and 8 September 1994, 18 and 19 May 1995 and 6 and 7 September 1995.

— In the commune of Marne de Fontaine-sur-Aÿ (Marne), the demarcated parcel area is the area approved by the relevant national committee of the National Institute of Origin and Quality at its meeting of 9 and 10 September 1999. Maps of the area were submitted to the town hall of the commune concerned.

— In the communes of Corfélix, Corrobert, Le Thoult-Trosnay, Verdon, Reuves and Broussy-le-Petit (Marne), no parcel area was demarcated in line with the decision of the relevant national committee of the National Institute of Origin and Quality at its meeting of 5 and 6 September 2001.

5. Method for obtaining the spirit drink

Raw materials

1. Characteristics of the grape musts

Grape musts for making ‘Ratafia champenois’ come from grapes which may be used to produce wines covered by the ‘Champagne’ PDO.

In obtaining the musts, a maximum of 2 666 litres of raked must is obtained per 4 000 kg of grapes.

Musts may not be enriched in any way.

2. Characteristics of the alcohols used

The following may be used on their own or blended together in order to produce ‘Ratafia champenois’: wine spirit, grape marc spirit, wine distillate and vinous distillate made from grapes which may be used to produce wines covered by the ‘Champagne’ PDO.

To prevent the initial grape must aromas from being masked, grape marc spirit may account for no more than 20 % of the total volume of pure alcohol used during the production process. C 431/34 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

Preparation The product must be prepared within 20 days of pressing the grapes used to make the musts.

Ageing Once prepared, the liqueurs are matured for a minimum of 10 months prior to bottling. The product is matured in tanks or barrels. Use of wood chips is prohibited. During this stage, alcohol complying with the aforementioned characteristics may be added in order to adjust the actual alcoholic strength by volume. Liqueurs covered by the ‘Ratafia champenois’ geographical indication and also referred to as ‘aged’ must be aged in oak containers with a capacity not exceeding 10 hecolitres for a minimum of three years from the date they are transferred to a wooden container. The maturation stage may count as part of this period if it occurred in oak containers with a capacity not exceeding 10 hectolitres. The minimum durations set out above are uninterrupted, with the exception of operations necessary for making the products.

Finishing Caramel is all that may be added to the product and solely for the purpose of adjusting its colour.

6. Link with the geographical environment or origin

Specific characteristics of the spirit drink attributable to the geographical area The colour of ‘Ratafia champenois’ ranges from straw yellow to amber. It is characterised by its fruity, mineral aromas and boasts a balance between sugar and acidity. The prolonged wood maturation of ‘Ratafia champenois’ improves the blending of the alcohol and grape must. It develops an aromatic complexity in which hints of dried fruit, dried nuts (walnuts, roasted almonds), liquorice and cinnamon emerge.

Details of the geographical area or origin relevant to the link

Natural factors The geographical area covered by the ‘Champagne’ PDO is situated in the north-east of France and spans communes in the departments of Aisne, Aube, Haute-Marne, Marne and Seine-et-Marne. The landscape is characterised by steep-slope vineyards established on three imposing geomorphological structures, namely the Côte d’Île-de-France, the Côte de Champagne and the Côte des Bar, which are predominantly chalky, with an ideal easterly or southerly exposure. The vineyards are subject to the impact of two climates: — an oceanic climate supplying regular rainfall, with limited temperature differences between seasons, and — a continental climate giving rise to frost, sometimes with destructive effects, and in summer providing sunshine which helps the grapes to ripen.

Human factors ‘Ratafia champenois’ was originally a product that would have been made at home. The liqueur would be made when the grapes were harvested using fresh grape juice. The mixture of alcohol and grape must flavoured the product whilst preserving the initial grape aromas. As of the mid-20th century, various larger-scale traders in particular sought to improve the quality of the product, so creating the product as it is today. ‘Ratafia champenois’ is currently produced, on the one hand, by wine-growers and, on the other hand, by cooperatives and traders. ‘Ratafia champenois’ is made from the juice of grapes which may be used to produce wines covered by the ‘Champagne’ PDO. Predominantly the following three champagne grape varieties are used: Chardonnay B, Pinot noir N and Meunier N. The quality of the juice is preserved by harvesting the grapes in whole bunches and by pressing them gently to produce no more than 2 666 litres per 4 000 kg of grapes. The juice is obtained using presses designed to obtain musts intended solely 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/35

for sparkling wines. By mixing this juice with alcohol obtained from grapes which may be used to produce wines covered by the ‘Champagne’ PDO, the primary aromas of the champagne grape varieties are preserved.

Causal link

‘Ratafia champenois’ derives its main characteristics from the raw material used to produce it sourced from grapes intended for the ‘Champagne’ PDO and from local knowledge regarding grape handling and liqueur production. The link with the ‘Ratafia champenois’ geographical area is based on the following:

The specific quality of the grape harvest in the Champagne region:

The northerly location of the vineyards situated in the Champagne region give them their originality. The soil and climate conditions in the geographical area resulted in the emergence of a specific vine cultivation method demonstrated, in particular, through the choice of the three main grape varieties, namely Chardonnay B, Pinot noir N and Meunier N. These grape varieties, in combination with the conditions in the geographical area, provide a raw material which is naturally acidic, thereby lending ‘Ratafia champenois’ its elegance, minerality and finesse.

Careful handling of the grapes:

Local methods for picking and pressing the grapes are tailored to producing sparkling wine. For this reason, in accordance with the conditions for producing the ‘Champagne’ PDO, the grapes are harvested in whole bunches and transported in perforated crates to avoid any deterioration or colouring of the grapes. Although many of the grapes are black grape varieties, the pressing technique used in the Champagne region allows ‘white’ musts to be obtained for use in ‘Ratafia champenois’. The colour of the product, ranging from straw yellow to amber, is linked to the grape varieties used and the way the liqueur is aged. Furthermore, by harvesting the grapes in whole bunches and gently pressing them, the fruity, mineral aromas characteristic of ‘Ratafia champenois’ are preserved.

Skilled flavouring of the product:

‘Ratafia champenois’ is made by mixing alcohol of vinous origin with grape must in order to flavour the product. This is done very soon after the grapes have been pressed so that the freshness of the must is preserved. The amount of grape marc spirit which may be added is limited so as not to mask the initial fruity aromas. The quality of the end product depends on the skilful execution of this stage.

The expert knowledge of producers and cellar masters helps to ensure that the must and the alcohol used for mutage blend well and that the ‘Ratafia champenois’ fully expresses its aromatic complexity derived from its raw material, where appropriate supplemented by aromas resulting from its ageing.

7. Applicant

Association des producteurs de boissons spiritueuses à indication géographique champenoises (Association of ‘Champagne’ Spirit Drink Producers) Villa Bissinger 15 rue Jeanson 51160 AŸ FRANCE

8. Specific labelling rules

Presentation

In order to preserve the essential characteristics of the liqueurs they are sold in glass bottles.

They may not be sold in glass bottles of the type used for ‘sparkling wines’. Furthermore, ‘mushroom’ stoppers made from cork or other materials which may be brought into contact with food and which are held in place by an attachment and, where necessary, covered by a cap, may not be used.

General rules

The name of the geographical indication, i.e. ‘Ratafia champenois’ must feature on all labelling concerned in characters of the same size, colour and font.

None of the terms comprising the geographical indication ‘Ratafia champenois’ may feature separately. In this way, the indication always forms an indivisible whole. C 431/36 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

The origin of the grapes and musts may not be claimed or stated on the labelling of liqueurs bearing the ‘Ratafia champenois’ geographical indication.

Terms relating to ageing The following terms relating to a period of ageing may be used to complement the ‘Ratafia champenois’ geographical indication only under the following conditions: — the term ‘Old’ for liqueurs aged for at least three years from the date they were transferred to a wooden container, — the term ‘Very old’ for liqueurs aged for at least eight years from the date they were transferred to a wooden container. These terms which are featured on the labelling of the liqueurs must be in characters no larger than half the size of the characters used for the name of the geographical indication. 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/37

Publication of an application for registration of a name 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

(2019/C 431/16)

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) within three months from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘PODPIWEK KUJAWSKI’

EU No: PGI-PL-02212 – 19.7.2017

PDO () PGI (X)

1. Name(s) ‘Podpiwek kujawski’

2. Member State or Third Country Poland

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product Class 1.8. other products listed in Annex I to the Treaty (spices etc.)

3.2. Description of the product to which the name in 1 applies ‘Podpiwek kujawski’ is a dark brown, carbonated, fermented, sweetened, non-alcoholic roasted grain beverage, the main ingredients of which are: roasted barley grains, roasted ground chicory root and aromatic hops. ‘Podpiwek kujawski’ is placed on the market in two forms: as a ready-made carbonated drink and as a dry mixture that can be made into a drink at home. ‘Podpiwek kujawski’ does not contain chemical preservatives, flavouring agents (natural flavourings, nature identical flavourings, synthetic flavourings) or colours (natural colours, nature identical colours). Physico-chemical and organoleptic characteristics of the ready-made drink: — dry matter content – from 8 to 12 % (m/m) (acceptable deviation ±1,0), — sugar content – not more than 50 g/l, — ethyl alcohol content – 0,5 % (acceptable deviation from - 0,1 to + 0,5) — taste – the roasted grain drink has a refreshing, distinctive, yeasty taste. It is slightly sweet with a hint of bitterness and slightly tart, — dark brown in colour. The raw materials of the ready-made drink are: dry mixture, water, yeast, sugar and antioxidant: ascorbic acid. Acid content in g/unit of dry matter – not less than 0,015.

‘ Podpiwek kujawski’ – dry mixture: — roasted barley grains – 89,92 % of the mixture (acceptable deviation ± 2 %), — roasted ground chicory root – 9,93 % of the mixture (acceptable deviation ± 2 %), — citric acid 0,15 % (acceptable deviation ±0,05 %). The packaging also includes dried aromatic hop pellets (packed separately) – 5 % of the weight of the mixture.

(1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1. C 431/38 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

The ready-to-drink mixture, according to the recipe on the packaging, is mixed with water, sugar and yeast. The proportion of additives for 200 g of mixture is respectively: 10 l of water, 500 g of sugar, 5 g of fresh baker’s yeast or brewer’s yeast (dry yeast in appropriate proportions is also acceptable).

Physico-chemical and organoleptic characteristics of the dry mixture: — water content – not more than 12 %, — loose consistency, fine-grained, lumps which disintegrate under finger pressure permissible. Fineness may range from small (passes through a sieve with a 1,5 mm square mesh) to large (whole roasted barley grain, roasted chicory meal or flakes 3-5 mm), — brown to dark brown in colour, lighter or darker particles acceptable, — somewhat bitter taste with the characteristic taste of roasted-grain beverages. An acidity regulator (citric acid) or an antioxidant (ascorbic acid) may be added to ‘podpiwek kujawski’ (dry mixture and ready-made drink).

3.3. Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only) —

3.4. Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area Dry mixture – the following steps in production must take place in the identified geographical area: — roasting of the barley grains and ground chicory root, — preparation of the dry mixture in accordance with the proportions set out under 3.2. Ready-made drink – the following steps in production must take place in the identified geographical area: — roasting of the barley grains and ground chicory root, — preparation of the dry mixture in accordance with the proportions set out under 3.2, — boiling of the grain mixture and addition of the roasted chicory root (wort), — addition and boiling of the aromatic hop pellets, — addition of the sugar, — cooling, — straining, — addition of the yeast and fermentation, — bottling, — pasteurisation or another method of making the yeast inactive. Fermentation takes place in the bottle and is terminated by pasteurisation or another method of making the yeast inactive, which keeps the alcohol level low.

3.5. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to The ‘podpiwek kujawski’ ready-made drink is placed on the market in dark glass bottles. The ‘podpiwek kujawski’ dry mixture is placed on the market in packets.

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

4. Concise definition of the geographical area Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province, as defined by its administrative boundaries.

5. Link with the geographical area ‘Podpiwek kujawski’ derives its specificity from the product’s particular qualities and reputation, which are attributable to its geographical origin. 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/39

Favourable soil and climatic conditions for growing barley and chicory have meant that these raw materials are available in abundance in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province. The unique method of producing the beverage, using roasted barley and chicory root, has developed in this area as a result of the wide availability of the raw materials employed to make ‘podpiwek kujawski’ and the human skills of the local producers. It is in this area – thanks to the knowledge and skills of the local producers – that it was possible to determine the right proportions of ingredients, the extent to which the barley and chicory root should be roasted, and the appropriate conditions in terms of fermentation temperature and duration, all of which guarantee the high quality and specific characteristics of ‘podpiwek kujawski’.

5.1. Dry mixture

The history of the production of ‘podpiwek kujawski’ dates back to 1816 when the Bohm brothers opened a factory in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province. It was at this factory that the barley and chicory mixture with the addition of hops (dry mixture) was created, along with the recipe that consumers used at home to make the refreshing drink, which has become a permanent fixture in the region’s history. The ready-made drink obtained from the producer’s recipe was not a standard ‘podpiwek’ (watery beer) in terms of the brewed raw materials (barley malt), but rather a roasted barley grain drink to which roasted ground chicory root and hops were added.

The dry mixture used to make the refreshing drink at home was sold under the name ‘podpiwek’. This dark brown beverage enjoyed widespread popularity before the Second World War, as demonstrated by the dishonest practices of competitors, who forged the original packaging of the dry mixture and the recipe for producing this drink. In 1938, because of imitation by the competition, the chicory factory Zjednoczone Fabryki Cykorii Ferd. Bohm and Co i Gleba S.A. in Włocławek applied for and obtained a patent for ‘podpiwek’. The name ‘podpiwek’ could be used only for the dry mixture described under point 3.2. The patent was renewed for the last time in 1969. The next company that had the rights to the recipe did not renew the patent for the name ‘podpiwek’ but added ‘kujawski’.

5.2. Ready-made drink

The emergence of ‘podpiwek kujawski’ as a ready-made drink is inextricably linked with the history of the dry mixture used to make it and the ability of producers to carry out fermentation. The first tests on the fermentation of the drink that would later become known as ‘podpiwek kujawski’ were recorded by the chicory factory in Włocławek in 1938. Initially the beverage was to be ready three days after its preparation. As the product turned out to be most popular during harvest time, when temperatures in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province were at their highest, the recipe was modified and consumers were advised to keep the drink in a warm place for one day and in a cooler place for another two days. It was ready for consumption on the fourth day.

A standard ‘podpiwek’ is a type of drink that is a by-product of beer made from barley malt (malt drink), sweetened and artificially enriched with carbon dioxide. In contrast to other beverages named ‘podpiwek’, ‘podpiwek kujawski’ is the only fermented beverage based on roasted grains. Other beverages named ‘podpiwek’ fall into two categories: carbonated sweetened drinks and malt drinks. ‘Podpiwek kujawski’ is produced by alcoholic fermentation, as a result of which it has around a third of the sugar of carbonated drinks of this name. In the final fermented beverage, no more than 50 g of sugar per litre remain. This is less than in a carbonated sweetened drink, which contains on average 100 g/l. When ‘podpiwek kujawski’ ferments, the yeast converts sugar to alcohol while producing gas, so, unlike other carbonated drinks with the name ‘podpiwek’, ‘podpiwek kujawski’ is not artificially enriched with carbon dioxide. Other differences are the lack of chemical preservatives to extend shelf life and the lack of flavouring and colouring agents, which are not added due to the intense flavour, colour and taste obtained by the traditional production method.

The reputation that ‘podpiwek kujawski’ currently enjoys among consumers is confirmed by its presence at national trade fairs and local events promoting traditional and regional products, and by the prizes and awards it has won in national competitions. For example, in 2009 ‘podpiwek kujawski’ was awarded first prize in the ‘Nasze Kulinarne Dziedzictwo – Smaki Regionów’ (Our Culinary Heritage – Tastes of the Regions) competition organised regularly by the Polish Chamber for Regional and Local Products to promote traditional products made in a given region. The particular qualities of ‘podpiwek kujawski’ were also recognised in 2011 by the organisation Slow Food Polska, which gave the drink its recommendation. Numerous articles in the local press and on the internet, as well as prizes, attest to the reputation of ‘podpiwek kujawski’. Most of the press articles on ‘podpiwek kujawski’ were published when culinary competitions began to be organised to promote traditional, local foods. Also in 2011, ‘podpiwek kujawski’ won prizes in three categories (first prize in the drinks category, first prize in the artists and journalists category and the Festival Grand Prize) at Poland’s largest festival, the Flavour Festival in Gruczno. In the same year, at the international Polagra Food Trade Fair in Poznań, ‘podpiwek kujawski’ received the highest accolade given to C 431/40 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

traditional products – the ‘Perła’ prize. It was during this time that ‘podpiwek kujawski’ was most visible in the press, on culinary blogs and websites, and on the radio and television. Information about this beverage often appears in press articles describing typical foods of Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province, which proves its importance and shows that it is held in high regard by the local population.

Reference to publication of the specification

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)

https://www.gov.pl/web/rolnictwo/wnioski-przekazane-komisji-europejskiej 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/41

Publication of an application for approval of amendments, which are not minor, to a product specification 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

(2019/C 431/17)

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF AMENDMENTS, WHICH ARE NOT MINOR, TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF A PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN OR PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION

Application for approval of amendments in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

‘KAKI RIBERA DEL XÚQUER’

EU No: PDO-ES-02288 — 9.2.2017

PDO (X) PGI ()

1. Applicant group and legitimate interest Consejo Regulador de la Denominación Geográfica Protegida ‘Kaki Ribera del Xúquer’ (‘Kaki Ribera del Xúquer’ PDO Regulatory Board) Plaça del País Valencià,7.- 46250 Alcudia (Valencia), España Tel. +34 962997702 Email: [email protected] The ‘Kaki Ribera del Xúquer’ PDO Regulatory Board is the legitimate interested party in the amendment to the specification as it is the inspection body for the aforementioned PDO, approved under standard UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17065. It is comprised of persimmon producers from the defined geographical area and promotes and distributes the product.

2. Member State or Third Country Spain

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 Labelling Other (to be specified)

(1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1. C 431/42 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

5. Amendment(s)

1.- The first amendment extends the geographical area to include the following municipalities: Picassent, Alcàsser, Cotes, Xàtiva, La Llosa de Ranes, Rotglà i Corberà, Llocnou d’En Fenollet, Bartxeta, Genovés, Benigànim, Quatretonda, Llutxent and La Pobla del Duc.

Since the first steps taken by the Valencian Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 1998 to register the Designation of Origin ‘Kaki Ribera del Xúquer’ and subsequent publication of the text approving the PDO in the Official Journal of the European Union in 2002, production has increased rapidly in the defined geographical area, in the province of Valencia, from just 4 000 t in 1997 to over 200 000 t in 2015, with the economic and social importance that this represents.

When the Regulatory Board (Consejo Regulador) was set up in 1998 the crop was more or less confined to a small area of La Ribera, with production being concentrated in just five municipalities. However, over the years production has increased considerably and persimmons are now grown throughout the Ribera area and also in neighbouring districts (comarcas).

According to the official figures available since 2002, the area under cultivation in the province of Valencia has increased from just over 1 900 ha to over 14 659 ha in 2015, with the crop being grown mainly in the comarcas of La Ribera, but also in municipalities in neighbouring comarcas, where the soil and climatic conditions are the same as in the area currently defined.

The introduction of the crop in these municipalities over a decade ago has been successful, as the trees have adapted in the same way as they did in the municipalities already covered by the PDO and the persimmons produced have identical physico-chemical and organoleptic characteristics.

It is therefore proposed to extend the area covered by the designation of origin, given the expansion and adaptation of the crop in certain municipalities and above all its quality, thus ensuring that persimmons grown in those areas meet the same requirements as those grown in the area currently defined. This could lead to a maximum increase of 20 % of the production currently covered.

The climatic conditions in the areas proposed are similar to those in the area currently covered, and persimmons grown in those areas are the same as persimmons grown in the current area. In addition, the list of municipalities includes Cotes, which was omitted from the initial specification by mistake, as this is a municipality in the comarca of Ribera Alta, surrounded by municipalities that were included in the initial list in the first specification.

In addition, the following sentence has been deleted: ‘In this area around 2 300 ha are used for growing persimmon, and around 1 800 ha are registered.’.

The section on the geographical area needs to include only the localities covered by the designation of origin. The number of hectares under cultivation — whether or not registered with the inspection body — may change and there is therefore no point in mentioning this in the specification.

2.- The second amendment concerns the section entitled ‘Description of product’. Specifically, the words ‘on dispatch, the persimmons must be presented with the calyx and the peduncle attached’ are replaced by ‘on dispatch, the persimmons must be presented with the calyx attached, with or without the peduncle’.

In section 2, ‘Description of the product’, it is stipulated that on dispatch, the persimmons must be presented ‘with the calyx and the peduncle attached’. However, in section 5, ‘Method of production’, it is stated that ‘When picking, the peduncle is cut so that the calyx remains attached to the fruit’, as also stated in the Single Document that was published. Confusion could arise from the fact that in one place it is stated that the peduncle must be attached but later that it must be cut. 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/43

Therefore, in order to avoid misinterpretation, in section 2, ‘Description of the product’, the words ‘with the calyx and the peduncle attached’ have been replaced by ‘with the calyx attached, with or without the peduncle’, as when the peduncle is cut during harvesting, the length may vary but may never protrude above the calyx to ensure that it does not pierce other fruit in the crate. It should be noted that part of the peduncle is below the top of the fruit as there is a depression around the calyx, although it is recommended that the peduncle be completely removed to prevent fruit being damaged during harvesting.

3.- The third amendment consists of deleting the following sentence under ‘Description of product’: ‘On dispatch, the persimmons must be presented free of any foreign smell and/or taste’.

The defect described is rarely found in this type of fruit, as ‘foreign smells’ can only be due to rotting or physiological changes which are easily detected and already covered by the quality standards, while ‘foreign taste’ implies that tastings should be carried out, which is pointless, as foreign tastes can only be due to changes in the fruit that are easily detected by visual inspection and are associated with disease or physiological disorders.

All the features that ensure quality are already checked during the inspections carried out by the inspection body and those carried out by the operators. The sentence has been deleted to avoid confusion in the context of the control and certification inspections.

4.- The fourth amendment consists in adding the following words: ‘along with the tolerances for non-standard fruit’. Under the heading ‘Description of product’, where the tolerances for imperfections are defined, it is added twice.

As well as laying down verifiable requirements, the product description includes information describing the appearance of the fruit, including permitted surface imperfections. A maximum permitted size has thus been established for both roundish and rectangular surface imperfections. However, the aesthetic imperfections (both roundish and rectangular) include different types of imperfection, and for each type there are different limits. This more detailed classification is set out in the ‘Kaki Ribera del Xúquer’ PDO quality manual.

The quality standards for fruit and vegetables establish categories (Extra, I, II, etc.). For each category a small number of fruit that do not meet the standards are permitted. These are known as ‘non-standard fruit’.

This amendment lays down tolerances for non-standard fruit. Limits for surface imperfections are laid down in the specification and these match the Designation of Origin quality manual, where the various imperfections are listed together with their limits, which depend on the type of imperfection. Those standards and existing quality standard models also cover fruit that do not meet the standard, i.e. fruit which exceed the prescribed limits, for which the Regulatory Board’s quality standards also establish limits.

The words ‘along with the tolerances for non-standard fruit’ have been added to avoid any arbitrary interpretations in this respect. The percentages allowed are clearly set out in the quality standards and, if there is no reference to them in the specification, misinterpretations could arise at the product control and certification stage, if the specification does not cover this point but the inspection body’s quality standards do, so the two documents need to be harmonised.

5.- The fifth amendment concerns the section entitled ‘Method of production’ and updates the information regarding the persimmon harvesting period.

It was previously stated in this section that ‘The fruit is picked from the end of September to the beginning of November’. The amended text as proposed reads ‘Harvesting usually starts at the end of September and may continue until the end of December or beginning of January’.

Since the PDO was first entered in the register, climate change and developments in crop management techniques have extended the harvesting period. For some years now, harvesting has continued to the end of December or even the beginning of January, so the specification must be amended accordingly. C 431/44 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

6.- The sixth amendment concerns the section entitled ‘Link’, which describes the natural factors that help shape the specificity of the protected area.

The following text has been deleted: ‘Ribera del Xúquer is a natural region in the province of Valencia. It is surrounded by a large quaternary valley or alluvial plain through which the Júcar (Xúquer in Valencian) and Magro rivers flow.’ It is replaced by ‘Ribera del Xúquer is an extensive area which comprises the comarcas of Ribera Alta and Ribera Baixa, as well as neighbouring comarcas crossed by the River Júcar (Xúquer in Valencian) and its tributaries, in the province of Valencia. It is situated within a large quaternary valley or alluvial plain through which the Júcar and Magro rivers flow.’.

The first amendment extends the area to include more municipalities. The section of the specification on the link includes a description of the geographical area’s natural features. Logically, the link must be consistent with the defined area as extended, so the description of the protected area has been amended to take account of the new localities proposed for inclusion.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘KAKI RIBERA DEL XÚQUER’

EU No: PDO-ES-02288 — 9.2.2017

PDO (X) PGI ( )

1. Name

‘Kaki Ribera del Xúquer’

2. Member State or Third Country

Spain

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.6. Fruit, vegetables and cereals, fresh or processed

3.2. Description of product to which the name in (1) applies

Fruit of the persimmon tree (Diospyros kaki) of the ‘Rojo Brillante’ variety, to be consumed fresh. The fruit is a berry that is normally formed through parthenocarpy; as there is no pollination, the fruit is seedless.

Fruit characteristics: orangey-yellow in colour when picked and deep red when ripe. Semi-adhesive skin of medium thickness. The flesh is firm to the touch, orangey-red when picked and deep red when ripe. The fruit is bitter until ripe, when it acquires a sweet flavour. Its cross-section is round and its longitudinal section is slightly elongated.

On dispatch, the persimmons must be presented:

— whole,

— with the calyx attached, with or without the peduncle,

— healthy (fruit whose flesh is damaged or rotten are excluded),

— clean, practically free from any visible foreign matter,

— free of abnormal external moisture.

Fruit eligible for the designation of origin must have a minimum diameter of 61 mm. 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/45

The flesh of the fruit must not be damaged, although slight aesthetic imperfections of the skin that do not affect the general condition of the product, its quality, preservation and presentation in the packaging may be allowed within the following limits:

— a maximum of 1 cm2 of the total surface for elongated or rectangular aesthetic imperfections (that do not affect the flesh of the fruit). The maximum authorised tolerance is 2 cm2 and must never exceed 20 % of the fruit. In both cases, the different limits are laid down in the quality standards for the protected designation of origin ‘Kaki Ribera del Xúquer’ according to the type of imperfection, along with the tolerances for non-standard fruit.

— An area corresponding to a circle with a maximum diameter of 1,5 cm for roundish aesthetic imperfections (that do not affect the flesh of the fruit). The maximum authorised tolerance is 2,5 cm2 and must never exceed 20 % of the fruit. In both cases, the different limits are laid down in the quality standards for the protected designation of origin ‘Kaki Ribera del Xúquer’ according to the type of imperfection, along with the tolerances for non-standard fruit.

3.3. Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

—

3.4. Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area

All the steps in production 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

Each operator’s commercial labels may be examined by the inspection body to check that the nomenclature and logos of the protected designation of origin are being used correctly. The labels must bear the words ‘protected designation of origin Kaki Ribera del Xúquer’.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The production area comprises suitable land in the following municipalities: Albalat de la Ribera, Alberic, Alcàntera de Xúquer, Alcàsser, L’Alcúdia, Alfarp, Algemesí, Alginet, Almussafes, Alzira, Antella, Bartxeta, Beneixida, Benicull de Xúquer, Benifaió, Benigànim, Benimodo, Benimuslem, Carcaixent, Cárcer, Carlet, Catadau, Corbera, Cotes, Cullera, L’Ènova, Favara, Fortaleny, Gavarda, Genovés, Guadassuar, Llaurí, Llombai, Lloc Nou d’en Fenollet, La Llosa de Ranes, Llutxent, Manuel, Masalavés, Monserrat, Montroy, La Pobla del Duc, La Pobla Llarga, Picassent, Polinyà de Xúquer, Quatretonda, Rafelguaraf, Real de Montroy, Riola, Rotglà i Corberà, Sant Joanet, Sellent, Senyera, Sollana, Sueca, Sumacàrcer, Tous, Turís, Villanueva de Castellón and Xàtiva, which are all in the province of Valencia, in the Community of Valencia.

5. Link with the geographical area

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area:

Historical factors

The persimmon tree is a fruit tree belonging to the Ebenaceae family. It originated in China, where its cultivation began in the 8th century. The cultivation of persimmons was introduced in Western Europe in the second half of the 19th century and in Spain in the 1870s. Today much of Spain’s production takes place in the Community of Valencia, where the area covered by the designation of origin ‘Kaki Ribera del Xúquer’ is located. Half of all production is concentrated in this area.

The ‘Rojo Brillante’ persimmon emerged by chance after seeds were sowed on the edge of a plot in the municipality of Carlet. Later, around 1960, the first homogeneous plantation was grafted in the municipality of Alcudia. This paved the way for the rapid development of the variety in the region. C 431/46 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

Natural factors Ribera del Xúquer is an area which comprises the municipalities along the course of the River Júcar and its tributaries in the province of Valencia, located in the comarcas of Ribera Alta and Ribera Baixa and in neighbouring comarcas crossed by the River Júcar (Xúquer in Valencian) and its tributaries, in the province of Valencia. It is situated within a large quaternary valley or alluvial plain through which the Júcar and Magro rivers flow. Much of the agricultural land is situated on the low plain on the banks of the Júcar and Magro, where the soils are very rich and compact owing to the build-up of alluvial deposits from the Júcar and its tributaries that flow down from the upland regions. Moreover, in the lower part of the valley slopes, where the incline is gentle, there are colluvial soils, pink in colour and loose, which particularly lend themselves to intensive cultivation. The average annual temperature is 17 °C, with temperatures averaging 9-10 °C in January and 24-25 °C in August. Cloudy conditions are infrequent, and the average annual rainfall hardly exceeds 400 to 500 mm. In addition, the surrounding hills protect the crops from frost, especially in the tributary valleys.

5.2 Specificity of the product The ‘Rojo Brillante’ is a variety native to the area. It is the result of the spontaneous mutation of another local variety and is therefore perfectly adapted to the region of Ribera del Xúquer, where the crop reaches its full potential. Persimmons grown in the protected area have a greater height/diameter ratio and a more pointed shape. The ‘Kaki Ribera del Xúquer’ is distinguished by its pointed shape, which is slightly more elongated than normal. The height/ diameter ratio is thus greater and this gives fruit obtained in the protected area a characteristic shape. In addition, they are larger on average than in other production areas owing to the mild climate and the absence of extreme temperatures. The ‘Kaki Ribera del Xúquer’ also has a characteristic deep red colour and a sweet flavour at maturity, which is reached at an earlier stage thanks to the prevailing conditions in the area. The fruit may also be harvested before it is ripe. The method used to remove the bitterness makes it possible to market the fruit when its flesh is firm and very sweet and has acquired the typical taste of persimmons produced in the Ribera del Xúquer region.

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) It is said that the Ribera del Xúquer region is the cradle of the ‘Rojo Brillante’ persimmon, as that is where this variety emerged as a result of a spontaneous mutation. Nowadays it is well established in the region and on the market. The particular climatic and soil conditions in the defined geographical area are reflected in the persimmon’s characteristics. The mild climate owing to the proximity of the Mediterranean Sea and the colluvial agricultural land resulting from the Júcar and Magro watercourses surrounding the region combine to endow the ‘Kaki Ribera del Xúquer’ with its principal distinctive characteristics, i.e. a more pronounced pointed shape leading to a greater height/diameter ratio as well as a larger size and a distinctive colouring when ripe.

Reference to publication of the specification (the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation) http://www.agricultura.gva.es/modificacion_pc_kakiriberadelxuquer 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/47

(2019/C 431/18)

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF NON-MINOR AMENDMENTS TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION FOR A PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN OR PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION

Application for approval of amendments in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

‘TOMME DES PYRENEES’

EU No: PGI- FR-0176-AM01 — 31.5.2017

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1. Applicant group and legitimate interest ‘LES FROMAGERS PYRÉNÉENS’ Registered office Chambre d’Agriculture des Pyrénées-Atlantiques 124 Boulevard Tourasse 64 000 Pau FRANCE Administrative headquarters 2 avenue Daniel Brisebois Auzeville, B.P. 82256 31 322 Castanet-Tolosan Cedex FRANCE Tel. +33 561754282 Fax +33 561754280 Email: [email protected] Membership: The group comprises milk producers, processors and ripeners. It therefore has a legitimate right to propose the amendments.

2. Member State or third country France

3. Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment(s) Name of product Description of product Geographical area Proof of origin Production method Link

(1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1. C 431/48 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

Labelling Other: applicant group, inspection body

4. Type of amendment(s) Amendments to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI not to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 Amendments to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI for which a Single Document (or equivalent) has not been published and which cannot be qualified as minor within the meaning of the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

5. Amendment(s)

5.1. Heading ‘Description of product’ Raw materials Raw cow’s milk and raw or pasteurised ewe’s milk and goat’s milk have been added to the list of milks which may be used to produce ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ as traditional cheese production methods in the geographical area have not been confined solely to the use of pasteurised cow’s milk. Milk other than pasteurised cow’s milk has long been used (raw or heat-treated ewe’s milk, goat’s milk and mixed milk) in particular in farmhouse production. However, this was only represented by the applicant group to a limited extent at the time the PGI was registered, meaning that only cheese produced from pasteurised cow’s milk currently qualifies for the PGI. Ewe’s milk may only be used as part of a mixture of milk as this represents practice throughout the geographical area, contrary to the use of pure ewe’s milk which occurs in a single part of the area. The specific characteristics of ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ which are set out in the ‘Link with the geographical area’, namely: — semi-hard cheese with a soft, melty and creamy texture and aromas which become stronger the longer the cheese is ripened for, — its shape, with a diameter-to-height ratio which is always between 2 and 3, ensuring that regardless of its weight, wastage (loss of moisture) is constant and the body of the cheese a consistent colour, apply to all cheeses produced from pasteurised or raw cow’s milk, ewe’s milk contained within mixed milk, or goat’s milk. Physical characteristics In order to better characterise the product, it has been added that ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ is a semi-hard, uncooked cheese, in line with the methods used by producers. The words ‘semi-pressed cheese’ which were used in the summary have been deleted as they were not precise. The words ‘Cylindrical shape: diameter 210 mm to 240 mm, height 80 mm to 110 mm; net weight 3,5 kg to 4,5 kg’ have been replaced by ‘It has a regular cylindrical shape, with two flat parallel sides and rounded edges. The cheese has a diameter-to-height ratio of between 2 and 3. It has a minimum weight of 400 g and a maximum weight of 5,5 kg.’. This change was made following the introduction of cheeses produced from mixed milk and goat’s milk, various versions of which exist. It also takes into account specialist and farmhouse production methods which are known to vary. Finally, by adding the possibility of marketing whole ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ in a version weighing a minimum of 400 g, processors would like to offer consumers the possibility of buying whole cheeses. The shape of ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ has also been clarified so that the different versions of the product look the same. The cheese has a regular cylindrical shape, with two flat parallel sides and rounded edges. By defining its diameter-to-height ratio, which is between 2 and 3, this ensures that cheeses are the same shape regardless of their weight. Chemical characteristics The ratio of ‘fat to dry matter: minimum of 50 g per 100 g of cheese when dried’ has been replaced by a minimum fat content of ‘24 g of fat per 100 g of end product’. The purpose of this amendment is: — to change how the ratio is expressed so that consumers are better able to understand it. This change is aimed at bringing the description of the product into line with national legal requirements on cheese labelling (Decree No 2007-628 of 27 April 2007 concerning cheeses and speciality cheeses). For this reason, the minimum fat content is expressed as a proportion of the end product and not as a proportion of the cheese when dried, 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/49

— to take into account the lower fat content of goat’s cheese. In the current specification, the combination of ‘fat to dry matter: minimum of 50 g per 100 g of cheese when dried’ and ‘53 g of dry matter per 100 g of product’ resulted in a minimum content of 26,5 g of fat in the end product. This has been reduced from 26,5 g to 24 g accordingly.

The reference to the sodium chloride content (1,5 % to 2 %) has been removed in order to take into account the different methods used by specialist and farmhouse producers across the geographical area.

Organoleptic characteristics:

The following paragraph:

‘The criteria are set in accordance with the following:

— Firmness and external appearance

— Colour and consistency of the body

— Taste.

A series of appropriate descriptors enable a typical sensory profile to be determined for

— Products with a black rind

— Products with a gold-coloured rind

— Pre-packaged products.’

has been replaced by:

‘Rind:

The rind is orange in colour, with at least a hint of white, yellow or grey. Moreover, the rind is smooth, with rough patches permitted in places.

Heat-treated “Tomme des Pyrénées” may have a black or gold-coloured coating.

Body:

— Consistent and uniform in colour, ranging from white to ivory to yellow.

— Texture: soft, melty, creamy and consistent, generally dotted in a consistent manner throughout with openings of an irregular shape and size. As it ripens, the texture becomes firmer.

— Taste: depending on the duration of the ripening and type of milk used, the taste varies from fresh whey aromas to more pronounced aromas which are not excessively bitter.’.

Other than offering a more precise description, the purpose of this amendment is to remove the reference to ‘firmness’ from the organoleptic criteria as this is inappropriate for ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ with a ‘black rind’ which has a minimum ripening time of 21 days. The texture becomes increasingly firm as the cheese ripens and the possibility of using milk other than cow’s milk gives rise to distinctions in terms of the chemical composition — governed by the production method — and in terms of the taste which may vary depending on the milk proportions used. The rules concerning the production method ensure that cheeses with similar characteristics are produced.

Indeed, cheeses bearing the ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ PGI have common characteristics. They are characterised by the following descriptors:

— Texture, aromas: semi-hard, uncooked cheese, with a soft, melty and creamy texture and aromas which become stronger the longer the cheese is ripened for,

— Shape: diameter-to-height ratio which is always between 2 and 3, ensuring that regardless of its weight, wastage (loss of moisture) is constant and the body of the cheese a consistent colour.

Presentation for sale

The introduction of small versions of ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ has resulted in inclusion of the possibility that ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ ‘may be sold whole’, in addition to being sold cut or pre-packaged. C 431/50 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

5.2. Heading ‘Geographical area’

The communes from the departments included in the geographical area, i.e. Aude (11), Haute-Garonne (31) and Pyrénées Orientales (66), have been listed.

The map included in the current specification has been replaced by a more accurate map.

The geographical area has been extended to include new communes in the Pyrenees situated in the departments of Aude, Haute-Garonne and Pyrénées-Orientales.

The purpose of this change was to supplement the geographical area by adding the eastern part of the Pyrenees. In this area, production of Tomme cheeses with specific characteristics similar to those of ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ is significant. Consequently, the geographical area now covers the entire French side of the Pyrenees, reflecting traditional and current methods for producing the cheese.

5.3. Heading ‘Proof of origin’

Information relating to traceability which was limited to keeping daily milk collection entry/exit and cheese production logs, dated and ordered chronologically, have been replaced by the following:

— The procedure for identifying operators wishing to become involved in milk production, cheese production or cheese ripening, has been added.

— The traceability system helps to guarantee to the consumer that ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ complies with the characteristics certified under the PGI. The system consists in keeping adequate and essential information in order to trace the origin and composition of products throughout the stages in their production, processing and distribution. Their origin is guaranteed through product identification and through a system of top-down and bottom-up traceability.

— The system uses a table which allows the required documents, records and minimum information to be summarised for each stage in the lifecycle of the product (feed origin, milk production, collection, milk delivery to dairies, production, transportation to ripening facilities, ripening, transportation to cutting and packaging facilities). These documents must be available to inspectors.

The new wording strengthens product traceability.

5.4. Heading ‘Method of production’

Milk production — Animal feeding

The description of the production method has been supplemented by the following information with regard to how dairy herds must be fed:

‘The feed ration comprises fodder and supplements. The fodder consists of grass, cereals and derivatives thereof in dried or wet form, and dried plant material. 70 % of the fodder is sourced each year from the defined geographical area.

Animals used for their milk in order to produce cheese made from raw or heat-treated milk must be fed according to the following criteria: at least 25 % of the dry matter included in the annual feed ration made up of grass which is grazed, dried or fed and sourced from the geographical area, with a minimum of 91 grazing days per year.

Supplements which may be used consist of concentrates (of cereal, oil meal, nitrogen compounds), whey, plant- based feed, minerals, vitamins and trace elements.’.

This change has no effect on the product. The purpose of the change is to include in the specification how ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ is produced, i.e. using milk from the geographical area which corresponds to the French side of the Pyrenees. It has always been important within the geographical area that dairy herds feed on local fodder. These rules are justified on account of the soil composition and precipitation in the geographical area which make it an ideal high-quality grassland area, encouraging operators to make the best possible use of its resources. Cereals produced in the geographical area are also used. For raw milk production, which occurs mainly on farms, resources are used through grazing. 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/51

The sentence ‘Ewe’s milk is sourced from the following breeds: Basco-béarnaise, Castillonnais, Black-face Manech and Red-face Manech’ has been added. The reason for this change is that the use of ewe’s milk has been added. The dairy sheep breeds listed have historically been found in the geographical area as they are suited to the mountain environment of the Pyrenees. These are the breeds which are predominantly found on farms and from which milk is used to produce the cheese.

Milk collection:

The sentence ‘At dairies, milk is collected at most once every two days’ has been added as it describes how these businesses work and guarantees that milk — in particular raw milk — of a satisfactory quality is obtained. This addition does not affect the essential characteristics of the product.

Aids and additives

The following have been removed from the current specification: ‘Tank storage with or without maturation (milk starter cultures), with or without the addition of calcium chloride (Ca Cl2)’, ‘Addition of animal rennet’, ‘No other additives [with the exception of calcium chloride (CaC12), milk starter cultures and animal rennet] may be used other than flavouring or ripening flora’. A list of permitted processing aids and additives has been added in place of the above.

The following processing aids are added:

— any type of coagulating enzyme may be used (no longer just animal rennet), thereby reflecting current practice at major production facilities,

— ‘organic acids’, thereby bringing together all acids used (e.g. vinegar applied to the rind for drying and cleaning purposes),

— CO2 (or carbon dioxide) used where necessary to lower the pH in the vat before moulding.

The above were added in order to incorporate the methods used at production and ripening facilities. They do not change the specific characteristics of the product.

The following text authorising certain treatments (fungicides, plasticisers, paraffin, colourings (annatto)):

‘— In the case of “Tomme des Pyrénées” with black rind, treatment of the rind with a fungicide and/or plasticiser and/or coloured paraffin in accordance with current standards,

— In the case of “Tomme des Pyrénées” with gold-coloured rind (yellow to orange in colour), treatment of the rind with a fungicide, use of the colouring E160B (annatto) whether or not for colouring, use or not of surface flora with turning.’

has been replaced by the following text applying to all ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ cheeses:

‘— Additives:

— cheese preservatives: lysozyme hydrochloride;

colourings (carotene, annatto E160B, caramel, coal) and rind preservatives (fungicides: natamycin, sorbate). Colourings and rind preservatives may not be used in farmhouse production or in cheese produced from raw milk. The following may be used to coat cheeses made from heat-treated milk and weighing at least 1,5 kg and no more than 5,5 kg: polyvinyl acetate, paraffin.’.

These changes have been made for the following reasons:

Lysozyme hydrochloride is used to prevent swelling of the cheese caused by butyric fermentation.

As regards rind treatments, the term ‘black rind’ has been removed as it is inappropriate. Plasticisers and paraffin are in fact a coating and do not constitute the rind. Furthermore, the new wording allows producers and ripeners to use authorised colourings and rind preservatives to obtain the appearance described under the heading ‘Description of product’. Rind preservatives are those fungicides listed in the current specification. Colourings allow a consistent rind colour to be obtained for a single batch of cheese.

Rind colourings, fungicides and coating products are not used when producing cheese from raw milk, in line with current practice at facilities where such cheese is produced. C 431/52 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

Production The list of successive production stages has been amended and supplemented as follows:

5.4.1. Milk storage and/or ripening The words ‘Storage with or without cooling’ and ‘Tank storage with or without maturation (milk starter cultures), with or without the addition of calcium chloride (CaCl2) have been replaced by the following: ‘When producing cheese from raw milk, milk may not be deferred for longer than 48 hours between the earliest milking and renneting or controlled ripening. When producing cheese from heat-treated milk, the first heat treatment must occur no later than 18 hours after the milk is received. After it has been heat-treated, milk may be stored in a temperature-controlled environment for a maximum of 30 hours prior to renneting. Milk may be stored at a maximum temperature of 15 °C for no longer than 15 hours, during which controlled ripening is possible.’ The purpose of these changes is to clearly define standard practice in the production of ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’. Furthermore, the milk proportions in mixed milks have been added to tie in with the changes made to the section ‘Description of product’.

5.4.2. Conditions regarding the use of milk The following has been added: ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ may be made from: — cow’s milk, — goat’s milk, — mixed milk in the following proportions: — cow’s milk mixed with ewe’s milk, with a minimum of 30 % and maximum of 50 % ewe’s milk (by volume), — cow’s milk mixed with goat’s milk, with a minimum of 30 % and maximum of 50 % goat’s milk (by volume), — goat’s milk mixed with ewe’s milk, with a minimum of 30 % and maximum of 50 % ewe’s milk (by volume). This change is due to the introduction of cheeses produced from goat’s milk and ewe’s milk. The proportions, expressed in terms of volume, ensure there is a significant share of each of the milks, guaranteeing a truly mixed milk. The aforementioned proportions are in line with the methods used by producers.

5.4.3. Standardisation It has been added that the standardisation of protein and fat content is authorised as this forms part of the description of methods used by producers.

5.4.4. Heat treatment The following has been added: ‘For milk undergoing heat treatment, the method for doing so is laid down by product category (thermised or pasteurised) in the legislation in force.’. This has been added in order to emphasise that milk treatment conditions differ depending on whether milk is thermised or pasteurised.

5.4.5. Culturing In order to be more precise regarding the types of flora used, the words ‘flavouring or ripening flora’ have been replaced by ‘natural or selected lactic flora and ripening flora’.

5.4.6. Renneting The words ‘Renneting temperature less than or equal to 35°C’ have been replaced by: ‘Renneting is performed with a coagulating enzyme at a temperature which is less than or equal to 40°C.’. 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/53

In order to reflect actual practice, the term ‘rennet’ has been replaced by ‘coagulating enzyme’. This term has a broader definition than rennet which must come from calf abomasum.

The maximum authorised temperature has been increased from 35 °C to 40 °C as the optimum temperature for coagulating enzyme activity is approximately 38°C.

These changes do not affect the essential characteristics of the product.

5.4.7. Coagulation

The following has been added: ‘In total, coagulation may last for a maximum of 60 minutes.’. This has been added in order to cover the methods used by producers during this important stage. This period characterises the ‘rennet- style’ curdling (or coagulation) needed to obtain a semi-hard cheese.

5.4.8. Cutting-stirring-heating

The words ‘Cutting the curd’ have been replaced by: ‘Cutting consists of cutting the curd with a cutting tool. The curd-whey mixture must not be heated beyond a temperature of 45 °C.’. This maximum temperature is characteristic of uncooked cheeses. This amendment formalises the methods used by producers.

5.4.9. Lactose removal

The words ‘Washing the curd grain after partially removing the whey’ have been replaced by: ‘Lactose removal may be carried out as follows:

— Drawing off the whey: 0 to 45 % of the milk volume used,

— Addition of drinking water: 0 to 45 % of the milk volume used (the temperature of the mix must be below 45 ° C).’.

This amendment also sets out the methods used by producers.

5.4.10. Moulding

The words ‘Transfer to the mould with or without a cloth’ have been replaced by ‘The cheese is moulded mechanically or by hand’. The purpose of this change is to reflect the methods used by producers. This change has no effect on the product.

5.4.11. In-mould draining, acidification

The words ‘Draining and turning of black rind “Tomme des Pyrénées”’ and ‘Draining, pressing and turning of gold rind “Tomme des Pyrénées”’ have been replaced by ‘The cheese is turned over a number of times (at least twice). Pressing is optional. Acidification is considered to be complete once the pH is less than or equal to 5,3 or the acidity greater than 40° Dornic.’.

These changes have been made as there is no longer any reference to the black and gold-coloured rinds. The changes add detail regarding the methods used so as to clearly define how ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ is produced.

5.4.12. Salting

The words ‘Salting in brine or dry salt’ have been replaced by the following:

— in brine: it has been added that brine consists of water, salt, lactic acid, must always be saturated, have a temperature which is less than or equal to 16 °C and a pH which is less than or equal to 5,6,

— in dry salt: it has been added that the temperature where the cheese is salted must be less than or equal to 14 ° C. C 431/54 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

These changes do not affect the essential characteristics of the product. The purpose of the changes is to add to the conditions for preparing the cheese, integrating farmhouse, specialist and industrial production methods. These additional details are provided with a view to clearly defining the method for producing ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’. They not only reflect the methods used by producers of ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ who alone benefit from the PGI at present, but also producers of cheese made from mixed milk and goat’s milk.

5.3.13 Ripening and 14. The words ‘Ripening must take place in a temperature-controlled and humidity-controlled environment’ have been replaced by the following:

— Ripening may be deferred in the case of vacuum-packed pre-ripened cheese solely where made from mixed milk or goat’s milk and according to the following conditions (time limit, temperature, duration): deferral may begin no later than 10 days after salting, storage temperature of between –2 °C and +4 °C, may not be frozen, deferral may not exceed 10 months, ripening period calculated from the day deferral ends. Deferral makes it possible to market throughout the year ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ made from mixtures containing ewe’s milk and goat’s milk, both of which are only produced at certain times of the year. The reason for this change is that cheese made from mixed milk has been added.

— Ripening conditions: The following text has been added ‘Ripening takes place in cellars at a temperature of between 7 °C and 16°C’ and ‘Cheeses are turned over and manipulated so as to produce them with a regular shape’. The purpose of these rules is to clarify the ripening conditions, taking into account the different versions of the cheeses covered by the PGI and the ripening times for those cheeses. The aforementioned rules reflect the specific expertise of producers.

— The following text has been added in relation to ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ produced from raw milk: ‘Manipulations include dry rubbing, wet rubbing with or without the addition of ripening cultures, or with brine.’. This change has been made in order to more clearly define the ripening conditions.

— The following minimum ripening periods have been added for the different categories of ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’, calculated from the date of renneting:

— for cheeses weighing a minimum of 400 g and a maximum of 1,5 kg:

— 30 days for cheese made from heat-treated goat’s milk or mixed milk and raw cow’s milk or goat’s milk,

— 40 days for cheese made from raw mixed milk,

— for cheeses weighing more than 1,5 kg and a maximum of 5,5 kg:

— 21 days for cheese with a black coating made from heat-treated cow’s milk and 45 days for cheese made from heat-treated cow’s milk with a rind or gold-coloured coating,

— 60 days for cheese made from heat-treated goat’s milk or mixed milk and raw cow’s milk or goat’s milk,

— 90 days for cheese made from raw mixed milk.

— These periods are calculated from the date of renneting.

— This information has been added due to the introduction cheese made from goat’s milk and mixed milk including ewe’s milk. With regard to cheeses made from cow’s milk, information has been added which clarifies that the ripening period lasts a minimum of 21 days (black rind) or 45 days (gold-coloured rind), with a distinction between heat-treated and raw milk. The durations adapted to the different versions of the product are designed to clearly define the methods used which influence ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’. Thus, cheese in a large format, as with cheese made from raw cow’s milk, needs to be ripened for longer in order to express its qualities, as compared to cheese in a small format or cheese made from pasteurised milk.

5.5. Heading ‘Link’

In the current specification, the section ‘Details bearing out the link with the geographical area’ only refers to historic aspects. These aspects have been supplemented to include details on the specific characteristics of the geographical area, the specific nature of the product and the causal link between the product and its origin based on its quality. 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/55

Beyond the drafting changes which were made, the section now mentions cheese produced from non-pasteurised cow’s milk, goat’s milk and mixed milk, as has long been practised in the Pyrenees, using available grass feed and production methods broadly shared throughout the geographical area.

In the Pyrenees, cheese production using cow’s milk — whether raw or not — ewe’s milk, goat’s milk or mixed milk, is an ancient practice. This is linked to the uniform mountain terrain of the Pyrenees (with its embedded valleys) and the comparable methods which developed there. As the producers of cheese made from cow’s milk were organised in a more advanced manner, their products and methods were described in the specification before this was done for cheeses made from other milks.

The changes made to the specification allow for cheeses to be included which are made from goat’s milk, mixed milk and non-pasteurised cow’s milk, so reflecting historic practice.

The specific expertise of cheesemakers in the Pyrenees, as described in the section ‘Method of production’ enable:

— a semi-hard cheese to be produced with a soft, melty and creamy texture, employing the same techniques in all local production as regards renneting temperatures, stirring of the curd, the temperature during the stirring of the curd,

— adequate acidification to be achieved and ripening of the cheese whereby excess protein degradation is avoided on account of other production parameters related to the types of milk used,

— a shape with a diameter-to-height ratio which is always between 2 and 3, ensuring that regardless of its weight, wastage (loss of moisture) is constant and the body of the cheese a consistent colour,

— a taste to be achieved which varies between fresh whey aromas in the case of coated cheeses and, for the other types of cheese, more pronounced aromas depending on the ripening time and manipulation of the rind during ripening.

Furthermore, the list of producers indicated when the PGI application was submitted has been deleted as this information was not binding and, in any case, it is no longer up to date.

5.6. Heading ‘Labelling’

The rules on pre-packaging have been removed as this is not one of the stages which must take place in the geographical area.

Specific information on the form of the label and the inclusion of certain information (trade mark, seal of the certification body) has been removed. This is partly because the applicant group no longer wishes to impose a particular type of label and partly because some of the information included on the label is covered by general legislation.

The following labelling rules have been added in line with national legislation:

Besides the compulsory references laid down in the rules on labelling and presentation of foodstuffs, the labelling of ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ features the product’s sales description and an indication of the animal species:

— ‘from cow’s milk’ or ‘from goat’s milk’ where a single species is used,

— the milks used in the case of mixed milk, listed in descending order on the basis of their proportion by weight in the dry matter used in the mix.

Furthermore, the labelling of ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ also mentions any treatment applied to the milk during production.

A rule has also been added stating that the EU logo should be included on the label in the same visual field as the registered name. C 431/56 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

5.7. Heading ‘Other’ — Tidying up of the specification Various drafting changes have been made to the specification (e.g. paragraphs have been moved around in particular in the sections on the description, link with origin and historical references; paragraphs have been merged; the link with the product’s origin has been rewritten in order to identify the specific characteristics of the geographical area, the specific nature of the product and the causal link). Furthermore, references to EU and national legislation have been removed (holdings free from tuberculosis and brucellosis, legislation relating to Directive 92/46/EEC and other references to national law) as these are not supposed to feature in the specification. These drafting changes were made to bring the specification into line with EU legislation. — Applicant group The list of members of the Association des Fromagers Pyrénéens (AFP) has been removed (only the categories of operator were retained) and its contact details have been updated. — Monitoring The rules on the ‘means of inspection’ have been removed as inspections are described in the inspection plan related to the specification. The contact details of the inspection services have been updated. The contact details of the inspection body have been replaced by those of the competent authority for inspections. The aim of this amendment is to avoid having to amend the specification if the inspection body changes. — National requirements A table has been added indicating the main aspects which are inspected and the assessment methods used in order to simplify product inspections.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘TOMME DES PYRENEES’

EU No: PGI- FR-0176-AM01 — 31.5.2017

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1. Name(s) ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’

2. Member State or third country France

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product Class 1.3. Cheeses

3.2. Description of product to which the name in (1) applies ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ is a semi-hard, uncooked cheese. It has a regular cylindrical shape, with two flat parallel sides and rounded edges. The cheese has a diameter-to-height ratio of between 2 and 3. It is made from heat- treated or raw milk. It may be made from: — cow’s milk, — goat’s milk, — mixed milk in the following proportions: 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/57

cow’s milk mixed with ewe’s milk, with a minimum of 30 % and maximum of 50 % ewe’s milk (by volume); cow’s milk mixed with goat’s milk, with a minimum of 30 % and maximum of 50 % goat’s milk (by volume); goat’s milk mixed with ewe’s milk, with a minimum of 30 % and maximum of 50 % ewe’s milk (by volume).

The cheese has a minimum weight of 400 g and a maximum weight of 5,5 kg.

The rind is orange in colour, with at least a hint of white, yellow or grey. Moreover, the rind is smooth, with rough patches permitted in places.

Cheeses made from heat-treated milk and weighing at least 1,5 kg and no more than 5,5 kg may have a black or gold-coloured coating. The minimum ripening period, calculated from the date of renneting, is:

— for cheeses weighing a minimum of 400 g and a maximum of 1,5 kg:

— 30 days for cheese made from heat-treated goat’s milk or mixed milk and raw cow’s milk or goat’s milk,

— 40 days for cheese made from raw mixed milk,

— for cheeses weighing more than 1,5 kg and a maximum of 5,5 kg:

— 21 days for cheese with a black coating made from heat-treated cow’s milk and 45 days for cheese made from heat-treated cow’s milk with a rind or gold-coloured coating,

— 60 days for cheese made from heat-treated goat’s milk or mixed milk and raw cow’s milk or goat’s milk,

— 90 days for cheese made from raw mixed milk.

The cheese contains a minimum of 53 g of dry matter per 100 g of cheese and 24 g of fat per 100 g of cheese.

The cheese is consistent and uniform in body, ranging from white to ivory to yellow in colour. It has a soft, melty, creamy and consistent texture, generally dotted in a consistent manner throughout with openings of an irregular shape and size. As it ripens, the texture becomes firmer.

Depending on the duration of the ripening and type of milk used, the taste varies from fresh whey aromas to more pronounced aromas which are not excessively bitter.

‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ is sold whole, cut or pre-packaged.

3.3. Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

The raw material is heat-treated or raw cow’s milk, ewe’s milk or goat’s milk. Ewe’s milk may only be used if mixed with other milk and must be sourced from the following breeds: Basco-béarnaise, Castillonnais, Black-face Manech and Red-face Manech.

The feed ration comprises fodder and supplements. The fodder consists of grass, cereals and derivatives thereof in dried or wet form, and dried plant material. 70 % of the fodder is sourced each year from the defined geographical area.

Supplements which may be used consist of concentrates (of cereal, oil meal, nitrogen compounds), whey, plant- based feed, minerals, vitamins and trace elements.

Animals used for their milk in order to produce cheese made from raw or heat-treated milk are reared according to the following criteria:

— at least 25 % of the dry matter included in the annual feed ration is made up of grass which is grazed, dried or fed and sourced from the geographical area of the PGI,

— a minimum of 91 grazing days per year.

3.4. Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area

The milk is produced and the cheese manufactured and ripened in the geographical area. C 431/58 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

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

Besides the compulsory references laid down in the rules on labelling and presentation of foodstuffs, the labelling features the registered name of the product and the EU PGI logo in the same visual field.

The labelling of ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ includes a sales description and an indication of the species:

— ‘from cow’s milk’ or ‘from goat’s milk’ where a single species is used,

— the milks used in the case of mixed milk, listed in descending order on the basis of their proportion by weight in the dry matter used in the mix.

Furthermore, the labelling of ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ also mentions any treatment applied to the milk during production.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area comprises the French side of the Pyrenees. It includes:

— the entire departments of Ariège, Hautes-Pyrénées and Pyrénées-Atlantiques;

— in the department of Aude: the mountain region comprising:

— the entire cantons of Limoux and Quillan;

— the canton of Fabrezan, other than the following communes: Boutenac, Camplong-d’Aude, Fabrezan, Fontcouverte, Luc-sur-Orbieu, Montséret and Saint-André-de-Roquelongue;

— the communes of Arquettes-en-Val, Caunettes-en-Val, Escueillens-et-Saint-Just-de-Bélengrad, Fajac-en-Val, Labastide-en-Val, Mayronnes, Monthaut, Montlaur, Pomy, Pradelles-en-Val, Rieux-en-Val, Serviès-en-Val, Taurize, Verzeille, Villar-en-Val, Villefloure and Villetritouls.

— in the department of Haute-Garonne:

— the district of Saint-Gaudens, comprising the cantons of Bagnères-de-Luchon, Saint-Gaudens and part of Cazères;

— the following mountain communes in the district of Muret: Gouzens, Lahitère, Le Plan, Mauran, Montberaud, Montbrun-Bocage, Montclar-de-Comminges, Montesquieu-Volvestre, Plagne, Saint-Christaud and Saint-Michel;

— in the department of Pyrénées-Orientales, the mountain region comprising:

— the entire cantons of Le Canigou and Les Pyrénées catalanes,

— the canton of La Côte Vermeille, other than the communes of Palau-del-Vidre and Saint-André,

— the canton of La Vallée de l’Agly, other than the communes of Cases-de-Pène, Espira-de-l’Agly, Opoul- Périllos, Rivesaltes, Salses-le-Château and Vingrau,

— the canton of Vallespir-Albères, other than the communes of Montesquieu-des-Albères, Saint-Génis-des- Fontaines and Villongue-dels-Monts,

— the communes of Banyuls-dels-Aspres, Caixas, Calmeilles, Ille-sur-Têt, Llauro, Montalba-le-Château, Montauriol, Oms, Passa and Tordères.

5. Link with the geographical area

The link to the origin of ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ is based on the product being a semi-hard, uncooked cheese, with a soft, melty, creamy texture, a uniform shape and a taste varying from fresh whey aromas to more pronounced aromas depending on how long it is ripened for. It is made using raw or heat-treated milk from different species which are reared in mixed-farming systems (cows, ewes, goats) according to methods derived from the Pyrenees cheese-making tradition. 23.12.2019 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 431/59

The geographical area comprises the French side of the Pyrenees, between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, where foothills and mountains, steep and gentle slopes, and many, often plunging, valleys yielding limited wood resources coexist. There are large expanses of grassland due to abundant rainfall (600 mm to 1 000 mm in the foothills, 1 300 mm to 1 500 mm in north-facing mid-mountain areas and up to 2 500 mm on slopes exposed to rain/snow-laden winds).

Different livestock is farmed (ewes, cows and goats) in order to make optimal use of the grassland. This is linked to the fact that ewes and goats are able to access certain areas which cows cannot, with each species having its preferred feed depending on the exposure of the slope.

There is evidence of cows, goats and ewes being farmed and cheese being produced in the area dating back the 12th century. The use of milk produced on farms in order to make traditional farmhouse cheese has varied over time and across different valleys.

Cheeses are largely made from mixed milk owing to the mixture of species in dairy herds and the fact that livestock farmers are relatively subsistent thereby making collective farming difficult.

Communication between valleys is difficult due to the mountain terrain of the Pyrenees. Mountain communities therefore used to live a subsistence lifestyle which made it advantageous for shepherds to produce long-life cheese during the summer. Livestock farmers could make and preserve their cheeses as they farmed. Cheeses would generally be marketed after summer pasture had ended. The shape of the cheese and its rind allowed for it to be ripened without the need for particularly cold conditions and the long storage period killed off any germs (unwanted bacteria would die during the ripening process). Finally, due to the limited availability of wood, the inhabitants of the Pyrenees chose not to cook the cheese as is the case with long-life cheeses made in the Alps and the Jura.

This cheese-making tradition has been maintained over the years, reflecting how livestock farming and the mountain economy in the valleys of the Pyrenees have changed. During the 19th century, production gradually shifted from the hands of farmers to the hands of skilled craftsmen. The first ‘fruitières’ (cooperatives) emerged in 1867. Skilled production developed, with cheeses being made more from cow’s milk and mixed milk. Private industrial and specialist cheese dairies later emerged.

At the same time, farmhouse production was encouraged as large parts of the geographical area had no milk collectors.

‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ is a semi-hard, uncooked cheese with a soft, melty and creamy texture, which becomes firmer as it ripens. It is consistent and uniform in colour, ranging from white to ivory to yellow. Moreover, it has a typical shape in terms of its diameter-to-height ratio of between 2 and 3 and a taste varying from fresh whey aromas to more pronounced aromas in ripened cheese.

The specific characteristics of the Pyrenees, including their geographical location, mixed-farming practices and cheese-making tradition, have given ‘Tomme des Pyrénées’ its identity.

The nature of the product as a semi-hard, uncooked cheese was brought about by the historic lack of wood in the Pyrenees. Its character has remained the same in farmhouse, specialist and industrial cheese production

The specific expertise of cheesemakers in the Pyrenees, employing the same techniques in all local production, has directly influenced the particular characteristics of the cheese.

— The semi-hard cheese with its soft, melty and creamy texture is obtained thanks to the renneting temperatures, stirring of the curd, temperature during stirring of the curd, adequate acidification and ripening of the cheese whereby excess protein degradation is avoided on account of other production parameters related to the types of milk used.

— The shape of the cheese, with a diameter-to-height ratio which is always between 2 and 3, ensures that regardless of its weight, any wastage (loss of moisture) during ripening is constant and the body of the cheese, in particular the colour, is consistent.

— The taste of the cheese varies between fresh whey aromas in the case of coated cheeses and more pronounced aromas in other cheeses depending on the ripening time and manipulation of the rind during ripening. C 431/60 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 23.12.2019

Reference to publication of the specification

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)

https://extranet.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/CDC-TomPy-190411.pdf

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