27.2.2020 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 64/41 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 (2020/C 64/13) 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 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 ‘BRIE DE MEAUX’ EU No: PDO-FR-00110-AM01 – 26 September 2018 PDO (X) PGI ( ) 1. Applicant group and legitimate interest Name: Union interprofessionnelle de défense, de gestion et de contrôle du Brie de Meaux et du Brie de Melun [Inter- professional union for the defence, management and control of Brie de Meaux and Brie de Melun] Address: 13 rue des Fossés – 77000 Melun, FRANCE Tel. +33 164371392/Fax +33 164870427 Email: [email protected] Composition: The group is made up of milk producers, farmers, processors and maturers of ‘Brie de Meaux’. 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) Product name Description of product Geographical area Proof of Origin Production process Link Labelling Other: contact details of the inspection body and the applicant group, national requirements. (1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1. C 64/42 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 27.2.2020 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. Description of the product The sentence: ‘Brie de Meaux’ is a soft cheese made from raw cow’s milk, with surface moulds. is replaced by the sentence: ‘Brie de Meaux’ is a soft cheese made from raw cow’s milk. ’ The sentence: ‘“Brie de Meaux” has a fine, white rind with red patches or streaks and a uniform paste. ’ is replaced by the sentence: ‘“Brie de Meaux” has a fine, white “bloomy” rind with red patches or streaks, and a uniform paste. ’ The appearance of the product is described more precisely by stating that the ‘Brie de Meaux’ has a ‘bloom’, linked to the development of Penicillium candidum, rather than ‘surface moulds’ which may be observed on other types of cheese. This sentence is also added in the Single Document replacing the sentence ‘Soft cheese made from raw cow’s milk, rind covered with a fine white mould-type down [...]’ from the summary. The sentence: ‘It is in the shape of a flat cylinder measuring approximately 36 cm in diameter and 2,5 cm in thickness.’ is replaced by the sentence: ‘It is in shape of a flat cylinder. The cheese is moulded in cylindrical moulds with an internal diameter of 36 to 37 centimetres.’ The dimensions of the cheeses sometimes proved to be inaccurate due to the deformation of the cheeses during maturation. It is therefore added that the size is that of the inside diameter of the moulds and a range of values is defined instead of the two disjoint values: ‘from 36 to 37 centimetres’. The thickness of the cheeses (2,5 centimetres) is deleted because their height depends on the ratio of the diameter and the weight of the cheeses, so this clarification is not necessary. This sentence is also added in the Single Document to replace the words ‘flat cylinder’ in the summary. The concept of ‘uniform cream shade’ is deleted because the colour of the paste varies from the centre to the rind, so it is not uniform. Moreover, the colour is not constant; it may vary according to the season and depending on the cows’ feed. The following paragraph is added: ‘At four weeks of maturation, “Brie de Meaux” is a quarter-aged cheese (i.e. at least a quarter of its full size). It has a lactic flavour and may be slightly salty with a hint of bitterness. Between four and six weeks, it matures gently from the rind to the centre, moving from a brittle to a supple consistency. Its aroma develops gradually. After six to eight weeks, the “Brie de Meaux” is fully mature and supple in consistency; it has a subtle aroma of cream, butter and hazelnut. ’ The appearance of the paste is described in line with the ageing stage of the cheese. — The consistency changes from brittle (cheese at four weeks) to supple (cheese at six to eight weeks) — With regard to the organoleptic criteria, at the end of the minimum maturation period (four weeks), the ‘Brie de Meaux’ has a lactic flavour and may be slightly salty with a hint of bitterness. Between four and six weeks, its aroma develops gradually. After six to eight weeks, it has a subtle aroma of cream, butter and hazelnut. 27.2.2020 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union C 64/43 This paragraph has also been added to the Single Document. The sentence: ‘It contains 45 % fat and 44 % dry matter’ is replaced by the sentence: ‘It contains at least 45 grams of fat per 100 grams of total dry matter and at least 44 grams of dry matter per 100 grams of cheese for marketing. ’ The fat content is expressed in grams per 100 grams of cheese in the dry matter instead of a percentage. Similarly, the dry matter content is expressed in grams of dry matter per 100 g of cheese instead of a percentage. It is also stated that these rates are minimum standards to be observed at the marketing stage, in order to clarify the conditions for checks. This sentence has also been added to the Single Document. The sentence: ‘It weighs around 2,6 kg [...]’ is replaced by the sentence: ‘It weighs between 2,6 kg and 3,3 kg. ’ This range takes into account the marketing of ‘Brie de Meaux’ at different stages of maturation. The more mature the cheese, the more it loses water, so its weight decreases. Below 2,5 kg, it is too dry and no longer displays the characteristics of the PDO. It is no longer specified that the weight relates to cheeses ‘after four weeks’ because this parameter is implicit insofar as the minimum maturation period of ‘Brie de Meaux’ is four weeks. This sentence is also added in the Single Document to replace the ‘2,6 kg average weight’. The following sentence is added: ‘“Brie de Meaux” may be segmented only into halves or triangular portions (cut from the centre to the rind) at the end of the minimum four-week maturation period. ’ ‘Brie de Meaux’ is rarely sold whole to the final consumer because it is a large cheese. Segmentation rules are added to ensure that traditional cutting practices are respected, namely that each piece has an edge of the rind (heel), thereby recalling the rounded shape and format of the cheese. It is further specified that it may only be segmented at the end of the minimum four-week maturation period. This sentence has also been added to the Single Document. 5.2. Geographical area The list of municipalities in the geographical area is added in order to facilitate checks. This list covers all the municipalities in the geographical area in which all the stages of milk production, cheese-making and maturation can be carried out, on the basis of the 2017 French Official Geographic Code. 5.3. Proof of origin The producers’ obligations as regards declarations are added. These amendments are linked to changes in national rules and legislation. They include: — an identification of the producers for authorisation recognising their ability to meet the requirements of the specification; — a paragraph on keeping records and documents on traceability; — the necessary declarations for understanding and monitoring production; — a paragraph on the checks carried out on the characteristics of products intended to be marketed as a designation of origin. C 64/44 EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 27.2.2020 5.4. Description of the production method Milk production conditions Paragraphs on livestock, housing, coarse fodder, concentrates and dietary autonomy (feed and maintenance of forage areas) are added to the specification in order to record traditional practices. Livestock The definition of the dairy herd is added, as follows: all the dairy cows on the holding, including weaned heifers and dry cows. This definition is intended to clarify which animals are referred to when the term ‘dairy herd’ is used in the specification, to avoid any confusion and facilitate checks. The composition of the dairy herd is added, as follows: at least 80 % of the animals must be born on the holding or come from dairy herds in the geographical area in order to ensure that the cows are best suited to the local livestock- rearing conditions (rearing on straw, type of rations) and for the processing of raw milk.