This communication is published in accordance with Article 6b(5) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 (1).

COMMUNICATING THE APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF A PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN OR PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION ORIGINATING IN A MEMBER STATE

(Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012)

‘Pimiento de Gernika / Gernikako Piperra’

EU No: PGI-ES-0673-AM02 - 22.8.2024

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name of product

‘Pimiento de Gernika / Gernikako Piperra’

2.   Member State to which the geographical area belongs

Spain

3.   Member State authority communicating the standard amendment

Quality and Food Industries Directorate

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4.   Description of the approved amendment(s)

Explanation that the amendment(s) fall under the definition of a standard amendment as provided for in Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

The proposed change does not affect any of the elements listed in Article 24(3) of Regulation (EU) No 2024/1143, and the proposed amendment should therefore be considered minor. Its sole aim is to allow for improved product selection.

Removal of the limitations laid down on the maximum length.

At present, the fourth paragraph of the section on the description of the product provides that ‘The fruits are harvested when they are still a uniform green all over and before having reached their full maturity and final size. They are between 6 and 9 cm long, excluding the stalk, between 2 and 3 cm wide, and they weigh between 10 and 12 grams’.

The text of that paragraph would read as follows: The fruits are harvested when they are still a uniform green all over and before having reached their full maturity (when they become red in colour). They are at least 6 cm long (excluding the stalk) and their maximum length depends on when they become red in colour. They are between 2 and 3 cm wide, and they weigh* between 10 and 12 grams.

In the section on the characteristics of the product, the second paragraph reads as follows: ‘Length between 6 and 9 cm.’

The proposed text would read:

—	Minimum length of 6 cm until they become red in colour.

Reason:

Grounds for this amendment

The desirable characteristics of Gernikako Piperra – Pimiento de Gernika are its green colour, absence of discernible skin and its lack of or low pungency. These attributes have made it popular to fry and eat this pepper before it reaches phenological maturity. When the fruit of the authorised varieties ripen, they become red in colour and may develop a thicker skin, known as ‘pergamino’ or ‘gabardina’ in Spanish (‘parchment’ or ‘gabardine’). The length of the pepper is considered appropriate as long as the fruit remains green and does not develop a thicker skin, while also retaining the other morphological and freshness characteristics specific to the product (number of lobes, shape, section, tip, stalk, thickness of flesh, texture and appearance).

Initially, a number of characteristics regarding colour, length and skin were chosen to ensure that the peppers have no red colour and no thickening of the skin. For the product to have its characteristic taste and green colour, the fruit must have a minimum length (without stalk) of 6 cm, as indicated in the current product specification. Initially, a maximum length of 9 cm was also established, but we now know from experience in recent years and a study carried out by NEIKER (a member of BRTA, the Basque Research and Technology Alliance) that even longer fruit can have the desirable characteristics of Gernikako Piperra-Pimiento de Gernika, and that the maximum length of the fruit is not an indication of maturity.

This study drew on 3 145 pieces of data on the 19 varieties of Pimiento de Gernika used. Data was gathered on the length of the ripe fruit when it starts to turn red in colour, which is also when the parchment (gabardine) and the undesired stinging feeling of the fruit appear. The data show that ripe fruit can range from 6,61 cm up to a maximum of 17,07 cm, and that the only characteristic shared by all the ripe fruit is the appearance of the colour red.

Therefore, while a minimum length of 6 cm is necessary for the product to have its characteristic taste and green colour, the maximum length is not an objective parameter for selecting fruit with the desired characteristics of Gernikako Piperra-Pimiento de Gernika. The only selection criterion should be the appearance of the red colour indicating ripeness.

This amendment affects the single document.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Pimiento de Gernika / Gernikako Piperra’

EU No: PGI-ES-0673-AM02 - 22.8.2024

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name(s) [of PDO or PGI]

‘Pimiento de Gernika / Gernikako Piperra’

2.   Member State or Third Country

Spain

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Combined Nomenclature code

—	07 - EDIBLE VEGETABLES AND CERTAIN ROOTS AND TUBERS

—	08 - EDIBLE FRUIT AND NUTS; PEEL OF CITRUS FRUIT OR MELONS

—	10 - CEREALS

—	11 - PRODUCTS OF THE MILLING INDUSTRY; MALT; STARCHES; INULIN; WHEAT GLUTEN

—	20 - PREPARATIONS OF VEGETABLES, FRUIT, NUTS OR OTHER PARTS OF PLANTS

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

The ‘Pimiento de Gernika’ / ‘Gernikako Piperra’ peppers covered by the Protected Geographical Indication are fruits of the species Capsicum annuum L., which belong to a local cultivar of the Gernika variety. They are marketed for human consumption fresh as unripe peppers for frying. Various lines from this local cultivar have been selected, and two of them have been entered into the Commercial Varieties Register with the names ‘Derio’ and ‘Iker’.

Any other line within this local cultivar that has the characteristics that define the ‘Pimiento de Gernika’ variety may also be protected by the Protected Geographical Indication.

‘Pimiento de Gernika’ is a sweet pepper containing little or no capsaicin, meaning that in the environmental conditions of the Basque Country the peppers are not usually spicy. It has thin flesh (2 to 3 mm thick*) and when cut lengthways has a medium to elongated triangle shape, which corresponds to types C3 and C1 of Pochard’s classification (1966). The main way of using this pepper is to fry it fresh in its unripe state. This has become the most popular method of consumption. The fruits are harvested when they are still a uniform green all over and before having reached their full maturity (when they become red in colour).

They are at least 6 cm long (excluding the stalk) and their maximum length depends on when they become red in colour. They are between 2 and 3 cm wide, and they weigh* between 10 and 12 grams. The colour tone varies from medium to dark green. They are narrow and elongated. When cut lengthways they are triangular and their cross-section is elliptical to triangular with two or three lobes that are only slightly pronounced. The tip is pointed and the stalk is intact, long and thin. The area where the stalk joins the fruit is usually flat or convex. The skin is thin, not leathery or noticeable to the eater. The peppers are smooth and look fresh. They contain pearl-coloured seeds that are not completely formed.

The Gernika variety is also known as ‘pimiento choricero’ and ‘pimiento de Bizkaia’. The majority of these peppers are consumed fresh, before reaching their final size.

(* Characteristics of the pepper in a ripe state)

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

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

The peppers must have been produced in the geographical area. They must be planted either in the open air or under cover. They are produced using the most appropriate cultivation techniques for perfect development and fruiting. No products or systems that could harm the quality of the product may be used. Open-air planting shall be done between April and May, and planting in greenhouses shall be done earlier, in February, March and April; a second planting cycle is allowed from June. Peppers shall be harvested from June in the first case and from mid-April in the second case. Most of the crop shall be harvested between April and November. Density shall be up to 4 plants per square metre. Any treatments must be minimal and necessary. Biological pest control treatments and techniques should be used wherever possible.

Harvesting shall be done manually and in stages, making as many passes as necessary. It is done when the product is at the optimum stage of development and is done very carefully so as not to damage the fruit and to guarantee its physical properties.

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

The product is harvested at the optimum stage of development, so this is done frequently and during the same day.

Exceptionally and at times of peak production, packaging may take place over the next few days.

It is a fresh product with a short shelf life. It is not advisable to store the product in a refrigerator or to transport the product or keep it any longer than necessary as this can have a negative impact on its quality. Due to their special characteristics (sold fresh, thin skin and flesh, unripe), the peppers are very sensitive to sudden changes in temperature or humidity and age rapidly. Any handling or transport beyond that which is strictly necessary for preparing them for the consumer could diminish the quality of the product.

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

In addition to the information that is generally required by law, the labelling used for peppers covered by the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Pimiento de Gernika’ / ‘Gernikako Piperra’ must include the words ‘Pimiento de Gernika’ / ‘Gernikako Piperra’ and its logo.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area includes the provinces of Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia, and the following areas of Álava: the Cantábrica Alavesa area, which includes the municipalities of Ayala, Okondo, Llodio, Amurrio and Artziniega, and the Estribaciones del Gorbea area, the municipalities of Urkabustaiz, Zuya, Zigoitia, Legutiano and Aramaio.

5.   Link with the geographical area

5.1.   Specificities of the geographical area

The geographical area suitable for producing these peppers is limited to the Atlantic coastal region of the Basque Country, which has a mesothermal climate characterised by moderate temperatures and abundant rainfall. There is not one dry month and rainfall peaks in autumn and winter. It is an Atlantic climate dominated by marine currents from the west to the east, which explains why the climate in this area is much cooler (average annual temperature of 13 °C and temperature variation of 11 °C) and more humid than could be expected for its latitude.

Optimum relative air humidity is between 60 and 75 %. Lower air humidity accompanied by periods of increased temperature and sunshine can lead to physiological problems, which diminish the marketable quality of the fruits. One example is a skin that is too thick (which reduces its value for its main use as a frying pepper). If on top of these environmental conditions there is a lack of water and high evapotranspiration, other physiological changes can occur that reduce the quality of the fruits, such as blossom end rot and/or the appearance of some spicier peppers due to an increase in the capsaicin content.

The climate of the Basque Country fits the pepper’s agroclimatic needs perfectly. The Atlantic coastal region of the Basque Country provides the pepper with the right temperature, which is moderate and not excessively hot, and the certainty that there will be no frosts. The defined geographical area’s agroclimatic conditions give this pepper some of the individual quality characteristics that have made it famous whilst preventing or reducing the defects that devalue it, such as spiciness, skin that is too thick or blossom end rot.

5.2.   Specificity of the product

‘Pimiento de Gernika’ / ‘Gernikako Piperra’ is a local cultivar that is perfectly adapted to the agroclimatic conditions of the Atlantic coastal region of the Basque Country. The agroclimatic conditions in the production area give this pepper some of its individual characteristics such as the absence of spiciness and the delicate flesh that have made it famous. This type of pepper is demanding in terms of temperature. Temperatures below 15 °C slow its growth, which stops altogether at less than 10 °C. Temperatures above 35 °C can cause the blossom and newly formed fruits to fall. The optimum temperature for vegetative development and fruiting is 25/18 °C day/night. At 1 °C plants suffer frost damage. For the plant to develop, the soil temperature must be above 12 °C and if the crop is to develop properly the average daily ambient temperature should reach 20 °C, with just a slight variation between night and day. Also, size is another of its particularities, since harvesting the pepper early ensures that its flesh is delicate, that the skin is not noticeable to the eater, and that it has a pleasant taste. This pepper is known for its extraordinary taste and great quality and is usually eaten fried as a snack, garnish or starter. It is one of the most typical items in Basque cuisine.

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)

The link between the defined geographical area and Pimiento de Gernika or Gernikako Piperra is based on its reputation and growing practices dating back to antiquity, which is borne out by aspects such as the pepper’s great popularity among consumers in the Basque Country and its market value.

Pimiento de Gernika or Gernikako Piperra is one of the oldest plants known in the Basque Country and its seeds and the secrets of its cultivation have been passed from generation to generation for centuries and form part of Bizkaia’s history. Great food critics from the Basque Country and the rest of Spain (Llona Larrauri, Busca Isusi, J.L. Iturrieta, J.J. Lapitz, José Castillo, Marquesa de Parebere or Ignacio Domenech) have praised this product in their articles or have included it in some of their recipes. World-famous Basque chefs such as Arguiñano or Subijana use this product in their recipes too.

The ‘Cofradía del Gernikako Piperra’ was founded in 1998 with the sole aim of raising awareness of the ‘Pimiento de Gernika’ / ‘Gernikako Piperra’. This association organises various promotional activities for Pimiento de Gernika, including, in particular, tastings at the traditional market in Gernika. The pepper takes its name from this town because it was traditionally the area where it was most grown. The famous fruit and vegetable market where the pepper is one of the main attractions is held there every Monday. The ‘last Monday of Gernika’ is the largest agricultural fair in the Basque Country. It attracts more than 100 000 visitors and is held on the last Monday of October. The founding charter of the town of Gernika from 1366 contains references to this fair.

The product’s fame was also confirmed by a study carried out by the market research company IKERFEL on products of recognised quality, which was drawn up using a quantitative methodology based on 900 interviews that were held between 16 and 30 July 2009 with those responsible for household shopping in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country. According to this study, the name ‘Pimiento de Gernika’ / ‘Gernikako Piperra’ is recognised (spontaneous + suggested) by 83 % of the population of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country.

As already mentioned, in addition to reputation and growing practices, the climate in the defined geographical area is fundamental to the quality and particularity of this product.

The climate in the geographical area combines the temperatures and humidity that this type of pepper needs for its proper vegetative and reproductive development. When this pepper is grown in other areas in the south of Spain with a warmer climate and at times when temperatures are high and humidity is low, the marketable quality of the fruits is lessened because a higher proportion of the fruit is affected by the physiological problems described above (skin that is too thick, blossom end rot and/or hotter peppers). The local cultivar is the direct result of the insight and expertise of farmers in the area. It reflects its relationship with the environment and is particularly well adapted to the climatic conditions in the area. Over a long period of time, man has been able to successfully maintain and grow the Pimiento de Gernika variety and retain the particular commercial use which is made of it. This has made it possible to conserve the originality of this type of pepper. ‘Pimiento de Gernika’ owes its particularity to the fact that it is perfectly adapted to the production area.

Reference to publication of the product specification

https://www.euskadi.eus/web01-a2elikal/es/contenidos/informacion/dop_pimiento/es_agripes/index.shtml

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(1)   OJ L 179, 19.6.2014, p. 17.