(1)

Pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the application from Ireland to register the name ‘Irish Grass Fed Beef’ as Protected Geographical Indication was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (2).

(2)

On 21 February 2022 the Commission received the notice of opposition including the related reasoned statement of opposition from the United Kingdom (Northern Ireland).

(3)

United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) claimed that product designated as Irish Grass Fed Beef has been produced in both Ireland and Northern Ireland, while historically the term ‘Irish’ has been used to refer to products produced in both jurisdictions. Therefore, registering the name ‘Irish Grass Fed Beef’ with the geographical origin limited to Ireland only would not be correct as it would neither reflect, nor respect the existing usage of that name and would cause detrimental effect on the products currently produced in Northern Ireland.

(4)

The opposition was deemed admissible. On 13 April 2022, the Commission invited the interested parties to engage in appropriate consultations to seek agreement.

(5)

Following the consultations, an agreement was reached between Ireland and the United Kingdom (Northern Ireland). It was communicated to the Commission by Ireland by letters of 11 July and 3 August 2022. Several amendments to the product specification were agreed. The production area was enlarged to comprise Northern Ireland and the application became a multi-country application (from Ireland and the United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)).

(6)

Since the single document had been substantially amended, in accordance with Article 51(4) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the Commission repeated the scrutiny of the application and concluded that the conditions for registration were fulfilled.

(7)

The extension of the geographical area to Northern Ireland is justified since grass fed beef produced in Northern Ireland – outside the geographical area covered by the original application – has similar qualities, reputation and characteristics as grass fed beef from Ireland. In the light of the above the Commission considered that the conditions laid down in Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 are fulfilled.

(8)

On 8 March 2022 the Commission received the second notice of opposition from an agricultural organisation in Ireland. In accordance with Article 51(1), second subparagraph, of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, natural or legal persons having a legitimate interest, resident or established in the Member State from which the application was submitted are excluded from the opposition procedure at the EU level as they already had the opportunity to participate in the national opposition procedure in accordance with Article 49(3) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. Accordingly, the opposition from the organisation established in Ireland is deemed inadmissible.

(9)

Pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the application to register the name ‘Irish Grass Fed Beef’, submitted by Ireland and the United Kingdom (Northern Ireland), was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (3).

(10)

As no statement of opposition under Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 has been received by the Commission, the name ‘Irish Grass Fed Beef’ (PGI) should therefore be entered in the register,