Publication of an amendment application pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs

2011/C 129/10

This publication confers the right to object to the amendment application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (1). Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months of the date of this publication.

AMENDMENT APPLICATION

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

AMENDMENT APPLICATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 9

‘DAUNO’

EC No: IT-PDO-0117-1517-31.07.2003

PGI ( ) PDO ( X )

1.   Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment:

2.   Type of amendment(s):

3.   Amendment(s):

3.1.   Proof of origin:

Both the product specification and the summary sheet have been brought into line with the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 1898/2006, with the incorporation of procedures that operators must implement to establish the proof(s) of origin.

3.2.   Method of production:

Introduction of innovative harvesting methods (although still involving direct harvesting from the tree) for the olives to be used to produce the PDO extra virgin olive oil, such as the use of harvesting machines capable of exercising neutral action on the drupes. Such methods are undoubtedly comparable to directly picking the drupes by hand from the tree. In practice, apart from some rare exceptions mainly linked to private use, no olive producers pick olives by hand; instead, they are harvested directly from the tree by machines capable of ensuring the same quality standard at a significantly lower cost.

The requirement for the olives to be pressed in the various sub-areas has been abolished, although the condition that it must be carried out in the area identified in the product specification has been retained. Technological innovations and the new rules governing processing have led to a reduction in the number of oil mills and made it necessary to abolish the requirement for the olives to be pressed within the individual sub-areas. Accordingly, the area in which it is possible to press the olives to be used to produce ‘Dauno’ PDO will be extended to the whole Province of Foggia.

3.3.   Labelling:

The label must indicate both the year of production of the olives and the batch number. The name of the holding, estate or farm and its location may be given only if the product was produced exclusively from olives harvested on groves belonging to the holding, estate or farm in question. The requested amendments answer the need for better provision of information to consumers.

3.4.   National requirements:

The requirements laid down by Law No 169 of 15 February 1992 on the rules governing the approval of registered designations of origin for virgin and extra virgin olive oils and by Ministerial Decree No 573/93 have been abolished.

SUMMARY

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘DAUNO’

EC No: IT-PDO-0117-1517-31.07.2003

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

This summary sets out the main elements of the product specification for information purposes.

1.   Responsible department in the Member State:

2.   Group:

3.   Type of product:

4.   Specification:

(summary of requirements under Article 4(2) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)

4.1.   Name:

‘Dauno’

4.2.   Description:

When released for consumption, ‘Dauno’ extra virgin olive oil must have the following chemical and organoleptic characteristics:

—   maximum acidity: 0,6 %,

—   peroxides: less than or equal to 12 mEq O2/kg,

—   total polyphenols: greater than or equal to 100 ppm,

—   colour: from green to yellow,

—   aroma: fruity,

—   flavour: fruity, possibly with slight spicy and bitter hints.

These values vary, although always within more restrictive limits, for each of the geographical references allowed.

The other chemical/physical parameters are in line with the current EU legislation.

4.3.   Geographical area:

The production area of ‘Dauno’ oil is the Province of Foggia.

4.4.   Proof of origin:

Each operator in the chain (olive grower, mill operator and packager) is to carry out a series of checks to verify the traceability of the product, each for the stage of the production process in which he is involved. More specifically, when delivering olives to a mill, olive growers are to ensure that they have complied with the prescribed growing rules, the yields and harvesting dates and that the olives are being delivered to mills that are registered with the PDO group, providing proof by means of the transport documentation or the replacement documentation. On receiving olives, mill operators are to verify their origin and check that they are correctly identified, that the harvesting dates have been complied with, and that the data on the transport or similar documentation is suitable, complete and consistent. They must also store the olives in appropriately identified areas by sub-area of origin. When the olives are being pressed, they must record all data concerning pressing activities that allow the traceability of the batches of oil on the basis of the batches of pressed olives. The oil obtained must be appropriately identified and separated by sub-area and variety provided for by the specification. Lastly, it should be stored in tanks marked with the words ‘ “Dauno” PDO oil — olive variety, geographical reference’. All the information concerning the date of pressing, olive variety, geographical reference, oil yield and so on must be recorded by mill operators in special documents and kept carefully. On receiving the product, packagers are to check that batches of potential ‘Dauno’ PDO oil have been produced using olives from olive growers registered with the PDO group and pressed at mills registered with the PDO group and verify that they are accompanied by traceability documentation (transport documentation and appropriate records of the storage and movements of the oil batches). They must record all data concerning packaging activities that allow the traceability of the batches of oil.

4.5.   Method of production:

‘Dauno’ extra virgin olive oil is produced from healthy olives harvested by 30 January. Olive production in the specialised olive groves must not exceed 10 000 kg/hectare and the maximum oil yield is 25 %. The oil may be extracted using only mechanical and physical processes that give rise to oil that reflects, as faithfully as possible, the distinctive, original characteristics of the fruit.

4.6.   Link:

Olive growing in the Province of Foggia undoubtedly dates back a very long time. This is attested to by the rubble fragments, similar to the trapetum oil mill of the Roman era, found in the monastic valley of Santa Maria di Pulsano at Monte S. Angelo (Gargano). This valley, known as the ‘Valle del Campanile’, descends to the Gulf of Manfredonia. In the 18th century, rules on the storage of and trade in oil were issued by means of a papal bull drawn up at Monte S. Angelo. Over the centuries, the spread and development of olives have been very significant in this area, to the extent that they have become fundamentally important for its economy.

Daunia was the name used in antiquity for the area of the Province of Foggia, with the Dauni being the ancient inhabitants of the area. Olive growing, which is one of the main production sectors in the area, began in the Gargano before gradually extending to the rest of the province. It was most common in the 17th century when thousands of hectares were already entirely given over to specialised growing. The oil trade was very intense, particularly by sea. Towards the end of the 18th century and throughout the 19th century, olive growing rapidly extended to the most diverse parts of the Daunia area. Given the conformation of the land, the way in which the crop spread throughout the Province of Foggia led to the development of specific geographical products which, although having a shared production template, have distinctive characteristics in terms of their quality image. These characteristics are the result of both the different percentage composition of the varieties used to produce ‘Dauno’ oil and the specific topographic conformation of the four production areas corresponding to the four additional geographical references in the product specification, namely ‘Dauno Alto Tavoliere’, ‘Dauno Basso Tavoliere’, ‘Dauno Gargano’ and ‘Dauno Sub-Appennino’. The inclusion of these references with the main designation is mainly aimed at specifying and preserving, in the geographical image linked to the origin of ‘Dauno’ oil production, the different local production contexts in the Province of Foggia which, over the years, have developed significant landscape renown that is highly attractive to tourists.

4.7.   Inspection body:

4.8.   Labelling:

Any geographical reference must be given on the label in print that is no larger than that used for the protected designation of origin ‘Dauno’ alongside the following additional geographical references: ‘Alto Tavoliere’, ‘Basso Tavoliere’, ‘Gargano’ and ‘Sub-Appennino’.

It is permitted to use the names of holdings, estates and farms and their geographical location, as well as reference to packaging on the olive holding, only if the product was produced exclusively from olives harvested on groves belonging to the holding, estate or farm in question. Such names or locations must be given in print no more than half the size of that used for the protected designation of origin.

(1)  OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12.