19.7.2016

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 261/7

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

(2016/C 261/07)

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

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF 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

‘POMMES ET POIRES DE SAVOIE’/‘POMMES DE SAVOIE’/‘POIRES DE SAVOIE’

EU No: FR-PGI-0117-01376 — 24.9.2015

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

1.   Applicant group and legitimate interest

Syndicat Fruits des Savoie

Maison de l’Agriculture

52 avenue des Îles

74994 Annecy Cedex 9

FRANCE

Tel. +33 479338317

Fax +33 479339253

Email: syndicatfruitsdessavoie@haute-savoie.chambagri.fr

The syndicate is composed of fruit producers, producer-shippers, producer-storers and shipping stations. 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 name
—	☒	Description of product
—	☒	Geographical area
—	☒	Proof of origin
—	☒	Method of production
—	☐	Link
—	☒	Labelling
—	☒	Other: Name and address of the group, references to the inspection body

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
—	☐	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)

The applicant group wishes to update the form of the product specification and take into consideration a number of practices that are shared within the geographical area and reinforce the PGI’s link to the territory.

5.1.   Product name

It is requested that the following names be added to the present name ‘Pommes et Poires de Savoie’: ‘Pommes de Savoie’ and ‘Poires de Savoie’. The group would like to be able to use the names ‘Pommes de Savoie’ and ‘Poires de Savoie’ on packaging or labelling when the products constitute apples or pears only. Until now these simple names have not been used, because operators have used the name ‘Pommes et poires de Savoie’ on the labels of their products.

5.2.   Description of product

This chapter has been reorganised and supplemented.

The description of the fruit comprises a visual, physico-chemical and organoleptic description. The marketing categories for the fruit have been extended to cover category 2 for fruit with scab on an area of less than 1 cm2 of the total surface of the fruit. The objective of the group is to allow access to the PGI for organic fruit.

The registered product specification presents a summary description for a few authorised varieties (Golden Delicious, Reinette Blanche du Canada et Melrose), and a description has been added for apples of the Idared, Reinette Grise du Canada and Jonagold varieties and for pears of the Passe Crassane variety.

The list of authorised varieties has been supplemented with the following varieties:

—	Apples: Reine des Reinettes, Elstar, Delgollune, Gala, Delcorf, Pinova, Fuji, Suntan, Initial, Pilot, Belle de Boskoop, Dalinco and Opal;

—	Pears: Williams, Louise Bonne d’Avranches, Conférence, Doyenné du Comice and Général Leclerc.

This change reflects the specificity of the Savoie orchard, where extremely diverse varieties are cultivated. The great range of altitudes, types of exposure and soils have made it easy for numerous varieties to adapt to the area. This diversity meets the needs of the short and semi-short marketing channels widely used in Savoie. These marketing methods require a broad selection of varieties so as to make it possible to protect the stored fruit and apply a very restrictive ban: no use of post-harvest chemical treatments.

The varieties listed in the draft product specification have all been tested to verify their specificities and their causal link with the climatic and soil conditions of the geographical area.

The indication of a minimum size that concerns only three apple varieties has been deleted. All the fruit must comply with European legislation in particular as regards size. The group applies the size definition specific to each commercial category.

Furthermore, the Mutsu apple variety has been removed from the product specification. When drafting the product specification, the group drew up a list of varieties that seemed to correspond to the production expectations for ‘Pommes et Poires de Savoie’, and this was done before receiving the results from the testing stations. The results of these tests for the Mutsu variety did not meet expectations, and therefore that variety has never been planted for the purpose of production.

In order to make it easier to verify that the fruit comply with their organoleptic and physico-chemical descriptions, target values have been added to the product specification.

5.3.   Geographical area

The geographical area, defined originally according to purely administrative criteria, has been recentred in the historical production region, which does not include the municipalities situated in the high mountains, where it is difficult for the fruit to reach a sufficient level of maturity. In order to strengthen the link between the product and its territory, the geographical area has been limited to certain municipalities of the two departments of Savoie and Haute-Savoie and extended to cover seven additional municipalities of the department of Ain with proven functional links to the operators in the geographical area. All of these municipalities have the same climatic characteristics.

Below are the criteria for defining the geographical area:

—	a municipality where apples and pears are produced under the conditions laid down in the product specification of the PGI;

—	an altitude between 200 and 1 500 m;

—	rolling hills typical of the submountainous region;

—	deep soils resting mostly on calcareous sedimentary formations;

—	a continental climate with a southern influence leading to substantial rainfall (1 000 mm);

—	a place of mixed farming and livestock farming.

The geographical area of ‘Pommes et Poires de Savoie’/‘Pommes de Savoie’/‘Poires de Savoie’ extends over 463 municipalities instead of 650.

5.4.   Proof of origin

The operators’ obligations as regards declarations have been clarified in order to provide a better framework for data recording for the purpose of checks. Furthermore, a traceability system has been established to facilitate product monitoring.

Identification marks of the fruit: in order to ensure traceability, it has been specified that fruit with the ‘Pommes et Poires de Savoie’/‘Pommes de Savoie’/‘Poires de Savoie’ PGI must be identified individually by a sticker bearing this indication when they are presented in bulk to consumers. However, this requirement does not apply in the case of direct sales between the producer and the consumer or when the fruit are marketed in tamper-resistant packaging.

5.5.   Method of production

This part of the product specification has been reorganised and supplemented according to two objectives:

—	drawing up clear rules that can be checked easily. Provisions that constitute an explanation or a recommendation have been removed from the currently registered product specification.

—	preserving and clarifying the rules for managing the orchards in a way that maintains the physical condition of the soil and the plants, thereby reinforcing the production of fruit linked to the natural environment.

The life cycle of the product has been added.

These rules concern:

The introduction of a procedure for selecting varieties:

Each new variety must meet the acceptance criteria meant to identify the specificities set out in the description of the product. The procedure includes the following requirements:

—	compliance with the characteristics of ‘Pommes et Poires de Savoie’/‘Pommes de Savoie’/‘Poires de Savoie’;

—	the use of certified or virus-free plant material;

—	the inclusion of varieties grown in the geographical area in accordance with the provisions of the product specification;

—	observation of the crop behaviour and health behaviour.

Choice of plant material

In order to protect the production potential of the orchard, an obligation to use virus-free seedlings has been introduced. The obligations of seedling producers and fruit growers in the case of the direct use of seedlings have been specified.

Planting density

In order for the trees to have a sufficient volume of soil and favourable lighting, the planting density has been set at a maximum of 3 500 plants per hectare each time new planting takes place.

Soil maintenance

The provisions concerning this chapter have been supplemented in order to make the grassing of plantings compulsory from the 3rd year after planting and so that grass accounts for a minimum of 60 % of the surface area of the inter-row, with a grass strip of at least 2 metres. Grassing of the soil contributes to humidity variations between day and night, which is conducive to the development of a rosy colour on one side of the fruit.

Furthermore, in order to promote cultivation practices that are less aggressive towards the environment and thus to protect the original characteristics of the soils, the use of synthetic chemicals to disinfect the soils has been prohibited.

Irrigation, fertilisation and plant protection

The purpose of all these provisions is to promote the wise use of different inputs. The objectives are:

—	to protect more efficiently the integrity of the production factors (soils, plant material) in order to maintain the distinguishing features of the PGI’s territory.

—	to manage the production of the tree in a way that encourages regular nourishment of the tree while controlling its vigour so as to ensure the slow and even ripening of the fruit. The purpose of this is to obtain firm and crisp fruit, in particular with regard to apples.

The group has added the possibility to raise operators’ awareness of the adequate use of plant protection products on the basis of technical observations on the ground. The aim is to limit the inadvertent use of plant protection products and thereby strengthen the link between fruit production and the area of production.

Pollination

Pollination by bees is encouraged through the obligation to have at least one hive near the orchards within a distance of no more than 4 kilometres. This distance corresponds to the average foraging range of a foraging bee.

Harvesting of the fruit

A physico-chemical analysis has been made compulsory at harvest. Its purpose is to verify the characteristics of the fruit. This information allows the operator to decide on the storage conditions and on the most suitable marketing date.

In addition, chemical treatment of the fruit after harvesting has been prohibited, thus providing an incentive for the operators to obtain quality fruit well suited to being stored.

The storage conditions have been specified

The provisions on the duration of storage on the basis of the marketing speed and type of storage for the fruit have been deleted. The operators have efficient storage equipment for preserving the qualities of the product. Practical issues are left to the discretion of the operator, who manages changes in the maturity of the different varieties, the varying storage conditions (temperature, humidity) and the marketing conditions over a period of time.

The analyses described in the section ‘Description of product’, made at the time of marketing, help to ensure that the original characteristics of the fruit have been preserved successfully.

The obligations of the storers and shippers have been described, in particular the ban on using pallets for the final packaging and the obligation to mark each fruit by affixing an individual sticker on it.

5.6.   Labelling

The labelling obligations have been supplemented and clarified.

In particular, they allow for the labelling of packaged products by type of product.

5.7.   Other amendments

The name and address of the group and the references to the inspection body have been updated.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘POMMES ET POIRES DE SAVOIE’/‘POMMES DE SAVOIE’/‘POIRES DE SAVOIE’

EU No: FR-PGI-0117-01376 — 24.9.2015

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

1.   Denominations

‘Pommes et Poires de Savoie’/‘Pommes de Savoie’/‘Poires de Savoie’

2.   Member State or Third Country

France

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 in (1) applies

‘Pommes et Poires de Savoie’/‘Pommes de Savoie’/‘Poires de Savoie’ are fresh fruit.

‘Pommes de Savoie’ are obtained from the following varieties and their mutants: Belle de Boskoop, Dalinco, Delcorf, Delgollune, Elstar, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Idared, Initial, Jonagold, Melrose, Opal, Pinova, Pilot, Reine des reinettes, Reinette blanche du Canada, Reinette grise du Canada and Suntan.

‘Poires de Savoie’ are obtained from the following varieties and their mutants: Conférence, Doyenné du Comice, Général Leclerc, Louise Bonne d’Avranches, Passe Crassane and Williams.

‘Pommes de Savoie’ and ‘Poires de Savoie’ have the following characteristics:

—	For the yellow apple varieties: a rosy colour on one side.

—	For the bicoloured apple varieties: the size of the coloured surface must meet the requirements of the category Extra defined in the UNECE standard in force.

—	For the Reinette Blanche du Canada, Reinette Grise du Canada, Reine des Reinettes, Belle de Boskoop varieties, there must be russeting

—

For pears: an elongated shape and the presence of russeting in the case of the Conférence, Doyenné du Comice, Passe Crassane and Général Leclerc varieties. They correspond to the following commercial categories, as defined by the trade rules in force: — Category Extra or 1; — Category 2, for fruit where the only defect is the lack of russeting; the other characteristics of the fruit correspond to the categories Extra or 1.

Chemico-physical characteristics

When they leave the storage centre, ‘Pommes et Poires de Savoie’/‘Pommes de Savoie’/‘Poires de Savoie’ must have the following values:

For the yellow apples:

Varieties	Date	Firmness kg/cm2	IR % Brix	Acidity G of malic acid/litre of juice	Thiault index	Visual appearance CTIFL scale
Golden	Marketing before 1 November	≥ 5	≥ 12	≥ 4	175	≥ C4
	Marketing from 1 November to 31 December	≥ 5	≥ 12	≥ 3,5	165	≥ C4
	Marketing from 1 January to 28 February	≥ 5	≥ 12	≥ 3	160	≥ C4
	Marketing after 1 March	≥ 4,5	≥ 12	≥ 2,8	155	≥ C4
Opal		≥ 5	≥ 12	—	—	—

For the bicoloured apples:

Varieties	Firmness before 31 January	Firmness after 1 February	IR	Acidity	Visual appearance
Delbard Estival	≥ 5	≥ 4,5	≥ 12		≥ 1/3 of side coloured
Initial	≥ 5	≥ 4,5	≥ 12		≥ 1/3 of side coloured
Reine des Reinettes	≥ 5	≥ 4,5	≥ 12,5	≥ 6	≥ 1/3 of side coloured
Elstar	≥ 5	≥ 4,5	≥ 12,5	≥ 6	≥ 1/3 of side coloured
Gala	≥ 5	≥ 4,5	≥ 12		≥ 1/3 of side coloured
Belle de Boskoop and mutants	≥ 5	≥ 4,5	≥ 12	≥ 6
Suntan	≥ 5	≥ 4,5	≥ 12	≥ 6	—
Jonagold	≥ 5	≥ 4,5	≥ 12		≥ 1/3 of side coloured
Reinette Blanche du Canada	≥ 5	≥ 4,5	≥ 12	≥ 6
Reinette Grise du Canada	≥ 5	≥ 4,5	≥ 12	≥ 6	≥ 3/4 russeting
Pinova	≥ 5	≥ 4,5	≥ 13		≥ 1/3 of side coloured
Dalinco	≥ 5	≥ 4,5	≥ 12,5		≥ 1/3 of side coloured
Jubilé	≥ 5	≥ 4,5	≥ 12,5		≥ 1/3 of side coloured
Pilot	≥ 5	≥ 4,5	≥ 12	≥ 6	≥ 1/3 of side coloured
Melrose	≥ 5	≥ 4,5	≥ 12		≥ 1/3 of side coloured
Idared	≥ 5	≥ 4,5	≥ 12		≥ 1/2 of side coloured
Fuji	≥ 5	≥ 4,5	≥ 12,5		≥ 1/2 of side coloured

For pears:

Varieties	Firmness	IR	Visual appearance
William	2 to 6	≥ 11
Louise Bonne d’Avranches	2 to 6	≥ 12
Général Leclerc	2 to 6	≥ 12	Presence of russeting
Conférence	2 to 6	≥ 12	Presence of russeting
Comice	2 to 6	≥ 12	Possibility to have a coloured side
Passe Crassane	2 to 6	≥ 12	Presence of peduncular russeting

Organoleptic properties

‘Pommes de Savoie’ are characterised by a balance between their high sugar content and a sustained acidity and a firm and crisp flesh.

‘Poires de Savoie’ are characterised by a firm and juicy flesh, with a mild and sweet taste.

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 production and storage of the apples and pears are carried out in the geographical area.

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

Packaging must obligatorily take place in the geographical area owing to:

—	the fragility of the fruit and their sensitivity to shock, which requires particular vigilance at the packaging stations and minimum handling of the fruit;

—	the know-how of the storers and the close attention paid to the monitoring of the fruit quality during packaging;

—	the identification system for ‘Pommes et Poires de Savoie’/‘Pommes de Savoie’/‘Poires de Savoie’, which requires an individual sticker to be affixed indicating the geographical origin. The label is affixed on the basis of the results of the physico-chemical analyses at the time of marketing.

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

Irrespective of the regulatory references applicable to all apples and pears, the labelling of the fruit must comply with the following rules:

—	the name ‘Pommes et Poires de Savoie’ or ‘Pommes de Savoie’ or ‘Poires de Savoie’ must be indicated on all the packages;

—	the contact details of the producer or storer or packer must be specified;

—	the contact details of the certifying body must be specified.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The department of Ain: the following municipalities: Anglefort, Béon, Ceysérieu, Corbonod, Cressin-Rochefort, Culoz, Flaxieu, Lavours, Pollieu, Seyssel, Talissieu and Vongnes.

The department of Savoie: all the municipalities with the exception of the following: Aigueblanche, Aime, Albiez-le-Jeune, Albiez-Montrond, Les Allues, Aussois, Les Avanchers-Valmorel, Avrieux, Beaufort, Bellentre, Bessans, Le Bois, Bonneval, Bonneval-sur-Arc, Bourg-Saint-Maurice, Bozel, Bramans, Brides-les-Bains, La Chambre, Champagny-en-Vanoise, Les Chapelles, Le Châtel, Cohennoz, La Côte-d’Aime, Crest-Voland, Feissons-sur-Salins, Flumet, Fontaine-le-Puits, Fontcouverte-la-Toussuire, Fourneaux, Freney, La Giettaz, Granier, Hautecour, Hauteluce, Hermillon, Jarrier, Landry, Lanslebourg-Mont-Cenis, Lanslevillard, La Léchère, Mâcot-la-Plagne, Modane, Montagny, Montaimont, Montgellafrey, Montgirod, Montricher-Albanne, Montsapey, Montvalezan, Montvernier, Moûtiers, Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe, Notre-Dame-du-Cruet, Notre-Dame-du-Pré, Orelle, Peisey-Nancroix, La Perrière, Planay, Pontamafrey-Montpascal, Pralognan-la-Vanoise, Queige, Saint-Alban-des-Villards, Saint-André, Saint-Avre, Saint-Bon-Tarentaise, Saint-Colomban-des-Villards, Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise, Sainte-Marie-de-Cuines, Saint-Étienne-de-Cuines, Saint-François-Longchamp, Saint-Jean-d’Arves, Saint-Jean-de-Belleville, Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, Saint-Julien-Mont-Denis, Saint-Marcel, Saint-Martin-d’Arc, Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, Saint-Martin-de-la-Porte, Saint-Martin-sur-la-Chambre, Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne, Saint-Nicolas-la-Chapelle, Saint-Oyen, Saint-Pancrace, Saint-Sorlin-d’Arves, Salins-les-Thermes, Séez, Sollières-Sardières, Termignon, Tignes, Val-d’Isère, Valezan, Valloire, Valmeinier, Villard-sur-Doron, Villarembert, Villargondran, Villarlurin, Villarodin-Bourget and Villaroger.

The department of Haute-Savoie: all the municipalities with the exception of the following: Abondance, Arâches-la-Frasse, La Baume, Bellevaux, Bernex, Le Biot, Bonnevaux, Brizon, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, La Chapelle-d’Abondance, Châtel, Chevenoz, Combloux, Les Contamines-Montjoie, Cordon, La Côte-d’Arbroz, Demi-Quartier, Entremont, Essert-Romand, La Forclaz, Les Gets, Les Houches, Lullin, Megève, Mégevette, Montriond, Mont-Saxonnex, Morillon, Morzine, Nancy-sur-Cluses, Novel, Onnion, Le Petit-Bornand-les-Glières, Praz-sur-Arly, Le Reposoir, Reyvroz, Saint-Jean-d’Aulps, Saint-Sigismond, Samoëns, Servoz, Seytroux, Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval, Thollon-les-Mémises, Vacheresse, Vailly, Vallorcine, Verchaix and La Vernaz.

5.   Link with the geographical area

Specificity of the geographical area

Characteristics of the terrain and geology

The geographical area of ‘Pommes et Poires de Savoie’/‘Pommes de Savoie’/‘Poires de Savoie’ has clear natural limits. In the north it is delimited by Lake Geneva, in the east and in the south by the alpine range and in the west by the Colombier and Chartreuse mountain ranges.

It lies at an altitude of between 200 and 1 500 metres on relatively rolling terrain typical of the submountainous region of Savoie and Haute-Savoie.

As regards the nature of the soils, the sub-mountainous alpine region is characterised by a widespread calcareous formation called molasse, which is often associated with formations of the morainic type. All the soils are rich in mineral salts and water, and they are combined with soils that are rather rich in granulometric clay.

In addition, the soils of Savoie contain high levels of organic matter as a result of the numerous cattle farms.

Climate characteristics

The winters are long and sometimes harsh and the summers hot. The average annual rainfall exceeds 1 000 mm and may even reach 1 500 mm at the base of the pre-alpine mountain ranges. It is well distributed throughout the growing cycle of the trees.

This continental climate is characterised by wide temperature ranges, which mean fresh summer nights and marked humidity differences between day and night.

Average temperatures are low overall. They vary between 8 °C and 10 °C, depending on the altitude.

As regards human factors, the cultivation of apples and pears has a long history in Savoie and it is part of the traditional system of mixed farming and livestock farming.

Historical records show that at the end of the 1930s fruit production started being organised around small production areas on the basis of a multitude of varieties.

In these fruit-growing areas, fruit growers succeeded in their long-term work to select soils, plant material and varieties that were best suited to the local climatic conditions.

Specificity of the product

‘Pommes et Poires de Savoie’ are characterised by:

—	a firm and crisp flesh for the apples and a firm and juicy flesh for the pears;

—	a balance between the high sugar content and a sustained acidity, which gives them an acidic feel in the mouth.

—	a visually more elongated shape for the pears.

The reputation of ‘Pommes et Poires de Savoie’/‘Pommes de Savoie’/‘Poires de Savoie’ is well-established also at national level.

Causal link

The causal link of the ‘Pommes et Poires de Savoie’/‘Pommes de Savoie’/‘Poires de Savoie’ PGI is based on its specific quality and its reputation.

The natural conditions of the PGI’s geographical area are conducive to fruit cultivation owing to a number of factors:

all the soils are rich in mineral salts and water and they are combined with soils that are rather rich in granulometric clay and low mineral fertilisation, which allows the fruit to grow slowly: the fruit are less water-soaked but the cell multiplication rate remains high. This property is the reason for the crunchy nature of ‘Pommes de Savoie’.

The richness of the soils contributes to the ripening of the apples and pears, which must rapidly mobilise a large quantity of nutrients due to the short duration of the active growing cycle. The growing season is short because of the harsh climatic conditions.

The climate of the geographical area is also key to the specificities of ‘Pommes et Poires de Savoie’.

Finally, the ‘Pommes et Poires de Savoie’/‘Pommes de Savoie’/‘Poires de Savoie’ PGI’s reputation is now such that it is universally recognised for its quality. The École Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie of Yssingeaux, where training is provided by bakers who have been awarded the title of ‘Meilleurs Ouvriers de France’, refers to the gustatory quality of ‘Pommes et Poires de Savoie’. The quality of ‘Pommes de Savoie’ and ‘Poires de Savoie’ is recognised by restaurateurs.

Reference to publication of the specification

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

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-a92174df-5eea-4f3b-88bc-b1baa5ed9df9/telechargement

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(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.

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