C 87/6 EN Official Journal of the European Union 7.3.2018 OTHER ACTS EUROPEAN COMMISSION Publication of an application for approval of minor amendments in accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (2018/C 87/05) The European Commission has approved this minor amendment in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 6(2) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 (1). APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF MINOR AMENDMENTS Application for approval of minor amendments in accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) ‘AIL BLANC DE LOMAGNE’ EU No: PGI-FR-0470-AM01 — 11.8.2017 PDO ( ) PGI ( X ) TSG ( ) 1. Applicant group and legitimate interest Name: Association de défense de l'ail blanc de Lomagne Address: Agropole Innovations Bâtiment AGROTEC — BP 206 47931 Agen Cedex 9 FRANCE Tel. +33 553772271 Fax +33 553772279 Members: producers and packagers The applicant group is made up of producers and packagers of the PGI ‘Ail blanc de Lomagne’, who have formed an association governed by the Law of 1y Jul 1901. It therefore has a legitimate right to request amendments to the product specification. 2. Member State or Third Country France 3. Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment(s) — Product description — Proof of origin — Production method — Link — Labelling — Other: [applicant group, product description, geographical area, proof of origin, link, labelling, national requirements, control structures.] 4. Type of amendment(s) — Amendment to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151 /2012, that requires no amend­ ment to the published single document. (1) OJ L 179, 19.6.2014, p. 17. (2) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1. 7.3.2018 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 87/7 — Amendment to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 and requiring an amend­ ment to the published single document. — Amendment to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151 /2012, for which a single docu­ ment (or equivalent) has not been published. — Amendment to the product specification of a r egistered TSG to be qualified as minor in accordance with the fourth subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. 5. Amendment(s) To the section on the ‘Production method’ Production diagram The production diagram figure has been amended so it complies with the amendments contained in this applica­ tion. It has been merged with the table showing the cultivation cycle. Choice of varieties The following paragraphs: ‘A mass selection undertaken in 1970 from local “Blanc de Lomagne” garlic populations has resulted in the cre­ ation of two varieties: Corail and Jolimont (both autumn varieties), which are well adapted to the production area (they are clones produced from native populations). Given their characteristics and adaptation to the production area (as they are clones from native populations) Corail and Jolimont are the recommended varieties for planting.’ Have been replaced by: ‘Corail and Jolimont (clones from native populations) are the authorised varieties; they are autumn varieties that are well adapted to the production area and were produced by mass selection of local “Blanc de Lomagne” garlic populations.’ This paragraph has been reworded for greater clarity, without any change in meaning, The wording: ‘The Messidrome and Thermidrome varieties, which have similar characteristics to the Corail and Jolimont varieties, but are produced from a native population of “Blanc de la Drôme”, are authorised for planting where the quantities of Corail and Jolimont seed for planting are not sufficient to meet demand.’ has been replaced by: ‘Planting Messidrome and Thermidrome varieties, which have similar characteristics to the Corail and Jolimont varieties, but are produced from a native population of “Blanc de la Drôme”, is also authorised.’ The wording has been amended to make it more readable, without any change to the meaning. The description of the varieties has been annexed to the specifications. The following sentence has been added accordingly: ‘A descrip­ tion of the varieties Corail, Jolimont, Messidrome and Thermidrome is set out in Annex 1.’ The Protocol on adding new varieties has been supplemented with details on how the expert group with the remit of selecting new varieties operates: the group is convened by the Association; at least three of the five members must be present; each member has one vote and decisions are taken by simple majority. It has also been specified that the applicant group is required to submit the list of varieties to the National Institute for Origin and Quality (INAO) annually. These documents have been moved to the Annex in order to make the specifications easier to read. The sentence: ‘Only white garlic varieties that have been certified by the SOC (France's Official Plant Inspection and Certification Authority) and registered in the CTPS ( Comité technique permanent de sélection — Standing Technical Committee on Plant Selection) catalogue are included in this list’ has been replaced by ‘Only white garlic varieties that have been registered in the CTPS (Comité technique permanent de sélection — Standing Technical Committee on Plant Selection) catalogue are included in this list’ The reference to SOC (France's Official Plant Inspection and Certification Authority) has been deleted because it is not needed, given that the only official requirement is registration in the official CTPS catalogue. C 87/8 EN Official Journal of the European Union 7.3.2018 Choice of seed The introductory paragraph on the history of the varietal selection has been moved to the section ‘Evidence of the link with the geographical area’. The previous reference to the seeds' phytosanitary quality has been deleted as it has no direct connection with the characteristics of the PGI. The main amendment concerns the option of using so-called farm seed. The following sentence has been added to this end: ‘At least 75 % of the seed sown must be certified, while the remaining 25 % may be farm seed from varieties listed in the PGI's annual list of varieties.’ This option has been added to ensure the supply of seed regardless of weather conditions, which can impact upon certified seed production; in the past the group has faced problems regarding the supply of certified seed, in partic­ ular due to phytosanitary problems. This amendment does not affect the quality of the product, given that only the varieties authorised in the specifications can be planted. Choice of plot The following paragraphs have been deleted because they were explanatory rather than binding provisions: ‘ The majority of the soils in the production area are moderate to very deep heavy clay soils (known locally as terreforts) with no physical barriers preventing the garlic from putting down roots. In dry weather, the clay shrinks leaving cracks, which enable good water reserves.’ ‘ Preparing the soil: This is done in dry weather between July and September to improve the soil structure: tilling the clay-limestone soil during dry weather avoids the soil lumping into furrows where it has been ploughed and therefore makes for a well-aerated soil structure. Tilling the soil early in the season improves the soil structure as, on the one hand, the alternation of wet and dry conditions has the effect of breaking up the clods and, on the other, the soil can always be tilled again to break up any remaining clods.’ The provision on crop rotation has been simplified by removing the aspects that were not binding: The sentence: ‘Producers rotate their crops. They choose a plot that has not been planted with garlic for the last three crop years to plant the crop. The length of the growing season for garlic in the climatic conditions in Lomagne makes it suitable for crop rota­ tion: a winter crop, followed by a summer crop. In Lomagne, garlic is often planted after a cereal crop grown for straw.’ has been replaced by: ‘The plots have not been planted with garlic for three years (replanting takes place in the fourth year).’ A further detail has been added concerning the end of the crop rotation ‘return to planting garlic in the fourth year’ to make the provision clearer to read. Sowing: the following provisions, which were non-binding, have been deleted: ‘sowing on soil with a well aerated structure. In Lomagne, at this time of the year, temperature and rainfall allow the clay to progressively decrease in temperature until it reaches an indicative temperature of between 3 and 7 °C, when the garlic therefore ceases to be dormant.’ Planting density has changed from ‘8 to 14 feet’ to ‘6 to 14 feet’ per linear metre: this amendment has been made to comply with changes in farming practices. Planting density depends on the size and weight of the cloves (seed) and on the size of the bulbs, which justify the difference in planting distances per linear metre. Furthermore, there may also be two, three or four rows per m2 so as to best tailor the application of nitrogen fertiliser to the plant's needs. The development of this type of farming practice, which is directly connected to limiting the use of nitrogen fertiliser, has enabled farmers to perfect their farming techniques and demonstrated that a planting density of 6 feet per linear metre for larger sized cloves was well suited to the production of ‘Ail blanc de Lomagne’ and had no negative impact on the quality of the product.