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ISSN 1725-2423 doi:10.3000/17252423.C_2010.035.eng |
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Official Journal of the European Union |
C 35 |
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English edition |
Information and Notices |
Volume 53 |
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Notice No |
Contents |
page |
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II Information |
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INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES |
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European Commission |
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2010/C 035/01 |
Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case COMP/M.5599 — AMCOR/ALCAN) ( 1 ) |
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2010/C 035/02 |
Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case COMP/M.5584 — Belgacom/BICS/MTN) ( 1 ) |
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2010/C 035/03 |
Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case COMP/M.5764 — BNP Paribas/Dexia Epargne Pension) ( 1 ) |
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IV Notices |
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NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES |
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European Commission |
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2010/C 035/04 |
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Court of Auditors |
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2010/C 035/05 |
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NOTICES FROM MEMBER STATES |
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2010/C 035/06 |
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2010/C 035/07 |
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V Announcements |
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ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES |
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European Commission |
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2010/C 035/08 |
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OTHER ACTS |
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European Commission |
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2010/C 035/09 |
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2010/C 035/10 |
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(1) Text with EEA relevance |
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EN |
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II Information
INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES
European Commission
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12.2.2010 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
C 35/1 |
Non-opposition to a notified concentration
(Case COMP/M.5599 — AMCOR/ALCAN)
(Text with EEA relevance)
2010/C 35/01
On 14 December 2009, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to declare it compatible with the common market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. The full text of the decision is available only in English and will be made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:
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in the merger section of the Competition website of the Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/cases/). This website provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes, |
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in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/index.htm) under document number 32009M5599. EUR-Lex is the on-line access to the European law. |
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12.2.2010 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
C 35/1 |
Non-opposition to a notified concentration
(Case COMP/M.5584 — Belgacom/BICS/MTN)
(Text with EEA relevance)
2010/C 35/02
On 26 October 2009, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to declare it compatible with the common market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. The full text of the decision is available only in English and will be made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:
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in the merger section of the Competition website of the Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/cases/). This website provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes, |
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in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/index.htm) under document number 32009M5584. EUR-Lex is the on-line access to the European law. |
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12.2.2010 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
C 35/2 |
Non-opposition to a notified concentration
(Case COMP/M.5764 — BNP Paribas/Dexia Epargne Pension)
(Text with EEA relevance)
2010/C 35/03
On 8 February 2010, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to declare it compatible with the common market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. The full text of the decision is available only in French and will be made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:
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in the merger section of the Competition website of the Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/cases/). This website provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes, |
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in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/index.htm) under document number 32010M5764. EUR-Lex is the on-line access to the European law. |
IV Notices
NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES
European Commission
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12.2.2010 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
C 35/3 |
Euro exchange rates (1)
11 February 2010
2010/C 35/04
1 euro =
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Currency |
Exchange rate |
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USD |
US dollar |
1,3718 |
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JPY |
Japanese yen |
123,03 |
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DKK |
Danish krone |
7,4452 |
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GBP |
Pound sterling |
0,87750 |
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SEK |
Swedish krona |
9,9598 |
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CHF |
Swiss franc |
1,4663 |
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ISK |
Iceland króna |
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NOK |
Norwegian krone |
8,0975 |
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BGN |
Bulgarian lev |
1,9558 |
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CZK |
Czech koruna |
26,008 |
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EEK |
Estonian kroon |
15,6466 |
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HUF |
Hungarian forint |
270,50 |
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LTL |
Lithuanian litas |
3,4528 |
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LVL |
Latvian lats |
0,7094 |
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PLN |
Polish zloty |
4,0285 |
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RON |
Romanian leu |
4,1045 |
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TRY |
Turkish lira |
2,0758 |
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AUD |
Australian dollar |
1,5446 |
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CAD |
Canadian dollar |
1,4502 |
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HKD |
Hong Kong dollar |
10,6590 |
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NZD |
New Zealand dollar |
1,9633 |
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SGD |
Singapore dollar |
1,9377 |
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KRW |
South Korean won |
1 585,77 |
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ZAR |
South African rand |
10,5509 |
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CNY |
Chinese yuan renminbi |
9,3757 |
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HRK |
Croatian kuna |
7,3163 |
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IDR |
Indonesian rupiah |
12 850,95 |
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MYR |
Malaysian ringgit |
4,7018 |
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PHP |
Philippine peso |
63,404 |
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RUB |
Russian rouble |
41,3730 |
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THB |
Thai baht |
45,496 |
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BRL |
Brazilian real |
2,5342 |
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MXN |
Mexican peso |
17,9363 |
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INR |
Indian rupee |
63,7900 |
(1) Source: reference exchange rate published by the ECB.
Court of Auditors
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12.2.2010 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
C 35/4 |
OPINION No 1/2010
‘Improving the financial management of the European Union budget: Risks and challenges’
2010/C 35/05
The European Court of Auditors hereby informs you that Opinion No 1/2010 ‘Improving the financial management of the European Union budget: Risks and challenges’ has just been published on its website: http://www.eca.europa.eu
NOTICES FROM MEMBER STATES
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12.2.2010 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
C 35/5 |
Update of the list of residence permits referred to in Article 2(15) of Regulation (EC) No 562/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Community Code on the rules governing the movement of persons across borders (Schengen Borders Code) (OJ C 247, 13.10.2006, p. 1; OJ C 153, 6.7.2007, p. 5; OJ C 192, 18.8.2007, p. 11; OJ C 271, 14.11.2007, p. 14; OJ C 57, 1.3.2008, p. 31; OJ C 134, 31.5.2008, p. 14; OJ C 207, 14.8.2008, p. 12; OJ C 331, 31.12.2008, p. 13; OJ C 3, 8.1.2009, p. 5; OJ C 64, 19.3.2009, p. 15; OJ C 198, 22.8.2009, p. 9; OJ C 239, 6.10.2009, p. 2; OJ C 298, 8.12.2009, p. 15; OJ C 308, 18.12.2009, p. 20)
2010/C 35/06
The publication of the list of residence permits referred to in Article 2(15) of Regulation (EC) No 562/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2006 establishing a Community Code on the rules governing the movement of persons across borders (Schengen Borders Code) is based on the information communicated by the Member States to the Commission in conformity with Article 34 of the Schengen Borders Code.
In addition to publication in the Official Journal of the European Union, a monthly update is available on the website of Directorate-General for Justice, Freedom and Security.
CZECH REPUBLIC
Replacement of the list published in OJ C 57, 1.3.2008
Residence permits:
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In accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 1030/2002:
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Other:
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Other documents:
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SWITZERLAND
Amendment of the list published in the OJ C 331, 31.12.2008
The first indent of Section I, point (a) is replaced by the following:
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national visa category D bearing the indication ‘Vaut comme titre de séjour’ (valid as a residence permit) |
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12.2.2010 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
C 35/7 |
Update of reference amounts for the crossing of the external borders, as referred to in Article 5(3) of Regulation (EC) No 562/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2006 establishing a Community Code on the rules governing the movement of persons across borders (Schengen Borders Code) (OJ C 247, 13.10.2006, p. 19, OJ C 153, 6.7.2007, p. 22, OJ C 182, 4.8.2007, p. 18, OJ C 57, 1.3.2008, p. 38, OJ C 134, 31.5.2008, p. 19, OJ C 37, 14.2.2009, p. 8)
2010/C 35/07
The publication of reference amounts for the crossing of the external borders, as referred to in Article 5(3) of Regulation (EC) No 562/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2006 establishing a Community Code on the rules governing the movement of persons across borders (Schengen Borders Code), is based on the information communicated by the Member States to the Commission in conformity with Article 34 of the Schengen Borders Code.
In addition to publication in the Official Journal, a monthly update is available on the website of Directorate-General for Justice, Freedom and Security.
SPAIN
Replacement of the information published in OJ C 37, 14.2.2009
The Order of the Ministry of the Presidency (PRE/1282/2007) of 10 May 2007 on the financial means aliens are required to have in order to enter Spain specifies the amount that aliens have to prove is available to them in order to be able to enter Spain.
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(a) |
For the costs of their stay in Spain, the amount they have available to them must represent, in euro, 10 % of the gross national minimum wage (EUR 63,30 for 2010) or its legal equivalent in foreign currency multiplied by the number of days they intend to stay in Spain and by the number of dependent persons travelling with them. The minimum amount at their disposal must represent 90 % of the gross national minimum wage (EUR 570,00 for 2010) or its legal equivalent in foreign currency per person, regardless of the intended duration of the stay. |
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For their return to the state of provenance or for transit via third states, aliens must be able to produce a personal, untransferable and fixed-date ticket or tickets for the planned means of transport. |
Aliens must prove that they have the above means of subsistence either by producing them if they are in cash, or by producing certified cheques, traveller's cheques, receipts or credit cards, which must be accompanied by a recent bank statement (bank letters or Internet bank statements are not acceptable) or by other evidence clearly showing the amount of credit available on the card or bank account.
V Announcements
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
European Commission
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12.2.2010 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
C 35/8 |
Call for proposals under the work programme of the joint European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP)
2010/C 35/08
Notice is hereby given of the launch of a call for proposals for topic areas and followed by a call for proposals for related projects and associated researcher grants under the work programme of the European Metrology Research Programme.
Proposals are invited for the following call: EMRP Call 2010 within the following research areas:
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Metrology for Industry, |
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Metrology for Environment. |
The indicative call budget per research area is EUR 41,28 million.
Closing dates are 28 March 2010 for proposals for potential research topics and 11 October 2010 for proposals for projects and associated researcher grants.
Further information and Call documentation is published on the following website:
http://www.emrponline.eu
OTHER ACTS
European Commission
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12.2.2010 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
C 35/9 |
Publication of an 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
2010/C 35/09
This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006. Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months from the date of this publication.
SINGLE DOCUMENT
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006
‘HALBERSTÄDTER WÜRSTCHEN’
EC No: DE-PGI-0005-0615-02.07.2007
PGI ( X ) PDO ( )
1. Name:
‘Halberstädter Würstchen’
2. Member State or third country:
Germany
3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff:
3.1. Type of product:
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Class 1.2. |
Meat products (cooked, salted, smoked, etc.) |
3.2. Description of the product to which the name in point 1 applies:
‘Halberstädter Würstchen’ is a long, thin boiling sausage in tender natural skin (sheep's casing), sold only as a preserved product.
Characteristic features are the dark smoked colour and the unmistakable, intensive smoky taste and beechwood aroma. These are obtained by smoking the sausage in several phases in a chimney smoking plant with an underfloor smouldering furnace, whilst changing the humidity and density of the smoke using brief temperature peaks of up to 110 °C. Controlling the smoulder smoke temperatures produces colours and aromas which are the key to the taste and dark colour of the ‘Halberstädter Würstchen’.
— Thickness: 20-24 mm
— Length: 12-18 cm
— Weight: 50-90 g
— Composition of the sausage:
— pork: approx. 45 %
— beef/veal: approx. 15 %
— bacon: approx. 15 %
— natural skin (sheep's casing): approx. 1,5 %
— drinking water: approx. 18 %
— nitrite pickling salt: approx. 2 %
— spices (particularly white pepper and flower of nutmeg): approx. 1,5 %
— additives: approx. 2 %
— fat content: 20 % (± 5 %)
— meat albumin free of connective tissue protein: at least 7,5 %.
3.3. Raw materials (for processed products only):
—
3.4. Feed (for products of animal origin only):
—
3.5. Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area:
All the manufacturing stages, including pre-conditioning, drying, smoking, boiling, maturing and preservation take place in the identified geographical area.
3.6. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc.:
—
3.7. Specific rules concerning labelling:
—
4. Concise definition of the geographical area:
The area of the town of Halberstadt.
5. Link with the geographical area:
5.1. Specificity of the geographical area:
Production of ‘Halberstädter Würstchen’ takes place in the restricted geographical area of the town of Halberstadt. The product has a 100-year-old tradition and its good reputation was built up by the company Friedrich Heine and its successors, who only produced in the area of the town of Halberstadt.
A special smoking process in a chimney smoking plant with an underfloor smouldering furnace, as used in the indicated area, is the requirement for the product characteristics of the ‘Halberstädter Würstchen’, which has been produced using the traditional method for more than 100 years.
The chimney smoking plant is made of masonry firestone which is particularly important for the heat technology requirements of the plant. It also has the important characteristic of absorbing the negative constituents of the smoke through the inner wall of the plant, thereby preventing these constituents from reaching the sausage to be smoked and enabling only the taste-forming substances to develop on the inside and outside of the sausage.
Hot smoking lasts for 40 to 50 minutes at an average smoking temperature of 60 to 75 °C. Direct firing of the chimney allows the temperature in the smoking chamber of the chimney smoking plant to be regulated so that alternating brief temperature peaks above 110 °C occur and a continual reduction in humidity takes place in accordance with the changes in temperature. The production and transmission of smoke takes place in a single area and a carbonizing process occurs.
A beechwood cuttings — sawdust mix in a ratio of 70 to 30 percent mass with a humidity of 52 % is used to produce smoke. This is essential for conducting the smoking process at a temperature which ensures that sufficient quantities of all the necessary desirable smoke constituents are produced and precipitate on the surface of the skin. Controlling the smoulder smoke temperatures produces colours and aromas which are the key to the taste and dark colour of the ‘Halberstädter Würstchen’.
The direct smoking process takes place in several phases which are characterised by different smoking times and different temperatures for the chimney smoke, and temperature ranges and temperature peaks of 75 to 80 °C, 85 to 90 °C, 95 to 100 °C and above 110 °C are obtained.
The craftsman's skill of the smoking expert ensures that various temperatures are produced during the smoking process and that these temperature ranges are maintained for set periods of time. The temperatures and various temperature ranges are obtained by creating smouldering nests in the hearth of the chimney smoking plant. This is where the smoking expert uses his craftsman’s skill to control both the firing process and the process of achieving the smoking temperatures by creating smouldering nests or tearing them open in order to obtain the required temperature ranges. These actions require an underfloor smouldering furnace, as it is an essential prerequisite for the intricate smoking process for the product to be produced. This process is also the result of the manually controlled temperatures during smoking, as during the smoking process there are changes in, and a continual reduction of the humidity and density of smoke in the chimney, which is important for the creation of the product to be produced.
5.2. Specificity of the product:
‘Halberstädter Würstchen’ is characterised in particular by its unmistakable, intensive smoky taste and dark colour, which distinguish it from similar products of other origins.
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 specific product characteristics described under 5.2 are the result of the special traditional smoking process carried out in the chimney smoking plant described under 5.1.
These chimney fumes are unique and the smoking processes carried out in the chimney can essentially be distinguished from the smoking processes used in modern hot smoking plants.
The reduction of the relative humidity to < 25 % is, in addition to the stability of the sausage meat contained in the product, the reason why the sausages to be processed are able to withstand the extremely high heat without being damaged.
During the wet phases, the constituents of the smoke are basically absorbed, whilst during the dry, hot phases in particular the various smoke contents react with each other and with the constituents of the natural skin and the sausage meat inside it.
The traditional, typical seasoning and special processing of these products give the unmistakable taste and the particular appearance of the product. In addition to the traditional recipes and seasonings used, the traditional smoking process is the key to the unmistakable taste of ‘Halberstädter Würstchen’ and the temperature control used when producing the chimney smoke, which is achieved by the smoking expert using his craftsman’s skill, is the main prerequisite for attributing the typical taste and particular external colour of the sausage sheath.
The particular appearance of the ‘Halberstädter Würstchen’ is based on a tradition of sausage production in Halberstadt which dates back over 100 years.
‘Halberstädter Würstchen’ were produced for the first time on 23 November 1883 by the Halberstadt master butcher Friedrich Heine. A year later, he opened a factory in Halberstadt. In 1896, Friedrich Heine gained public recognition for his products at a cookery show and in 1896 these sausages were preserved in tins for the first time and exhibited at the cookery exhibition in Wiesbaden as a worldwide innovation. In 1913, Friedrich Heine set up a new company in Halberstadt which at that time was the most modern and largest sausage factory in Europe at that time.
At the beginning of the last century, virtually all station restaurants had ‘Halberstädter Würstchen’ on their menus. The same was true of the Mitropa dining cars of ‘Reichsbahn’ trains which also offered preserved ‘Halberstädter Würstchen’. Today several tonnes of ‘Halberstädter Würstchen’ are still produced each day in traditional factories in Halberstadt.
Reference to publication of the specification:
(Article 5(7) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)
The product specification and the granting decision of the German Patent and Trade Mark office was published in the German Markenblatt, Vol. 25 of 22 August 2007 — Part 7b.
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12.2.2010 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
C 35/13 |
Publication of an 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
2010/C 35/10
This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006. Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months of the date of this publication.
SINGLE DOCUMENT
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/06
‘SUSKA SECHLOŃSKA’
EC No: PL-PGI-005-600-23.04.2007
PGI ( X ) PDO ( )
1. Name:
‘Suska sechlońska’
2. Member State or third country:
Poland
3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff:
3.1. Type of product:
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Class 1.6 — |
Fruit, vegetables and cereals, fresh or processed |
3.2. Description of the product to which the name in point 1 applies:
The name ‘suska sechlońska’ comes from the local dialect. ‘Suska’ signifies a dried item of fruit, i.e. a dried and smoked prune. The adjective ‘sechlońska’ comes from the place-name Sechna, in the municipality of Laskowa, from where the tradition of drying originates.
‘Suska sechlońska’ is an unpitted or pitted prune which has undergone drying and smoking.
Its size depends on the size of the fruit of the plum variety used and ranges from 1,5 to 4,5 cm, with a weight of 44 to 99 prunes per kg. Its shape depends on the variety of the fruit destined for drying and may range from oblate to prolate. ‘Suska sechlońska’ is characterised by an elastic, pulpy flesh as well as a wrinkled and sticky skin of deep blue to black. It is slightly sweet in taste, with a smoky aftertaste and aroma. The water content of the finished product is between 24 and 42 % at the time of sale.
3.3. Raw materials (for processed products only):
Only fruits of Prunus domestica L. ssp. domestica and varieties derived therefrom are used for the production of ‘suska sechlońska’: Promis, Tolar, Nektawit, Valjevka and Stanley. Fruits of these varieties have desirable characteristics for the drying and smoking process, including a high sugar content and a relatively low water content.
The fruit must be healthy, without signs of rotting or mechanical damage and it must be free of visible damage caused by insects, mites or other pests. The fruit used must be free of any other damage, impurities or other unspecified organisms which would make it unfit for consumption.
3.4. Feed (for products of animal origin only):
—
3.5. Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area:
The kilns used for drying must be located within the defined geographical area, and the entire drying and smoking process must also take place there. The wood and raw materials used in production may come from outside the defined area. The use of resinous wood is forbidden. The entire drying and smoking process is carried out in special fruit kilns typical of the area.
3.6. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc.:
—
3.7. Specific rules concerning labelling:
—
4. Concise definition of the geographical area:
The geographical area in which ‘suska sechlońska’ is produced covers 239,55 km2 and is located within the administrative boundaries of four municipalities of Małopolskie voivodship: Laskowa, Iwkowa, Łososina Dolna and Żegocina. The name ‘sechlońska’ comes from the village of Sechna, a locality in the municipality of Laskowa, and is traditionally used throughout the geographical area in which ‘suska sechlońska’ is produced.
5. Link with the geographical area:
5.1. Specificity of the geographical area:
The area defined in point 4 is located at an altitude of over 300 m above sea level and its topography is very variable, with most slopes having gradients of between 5 and 25 °C.
Characteristic fruit kilns, designed and built by the local people in a style adapted to the local terrain, form an integral part of the landscape. The area covered by the four municipalities in question boasts as many as 677 such kilns. This is clear evidence of the product’s very close link to the geographical area. The number of kilns is one of the aspects distinguishing the area in question from neighbouring areas.
Kilns consist of brick foundations around a hearth and a covered chamber with a wooden grid. The average chamber size is from around 2 metres in width and from around 3,5 metres in length. A wooden barrier divides the chamber into two parts through its centre. The grid, consisting of adjacent knot-free wooden sticks of 4 cm in width, 3 cm in height and about 1 metre in length, forms the bottom part of the chamber. The sticks are placed on a level surface. They are arranged in such a way as to ensure the circulation of smoke and warm air at a height of around 180 cm above the hearth. The chamber is closed by means of a wooden door through which the fruit kiln can be filled with plums and which also helps to keep in the warmth and protect against adverse atmospheric conditions. There is an oven under each chamber. The structure is protected by a pitched roof. Fruit kilns usually have two or three chambers; it is, however, also possible to find kilns with only a single chamber or with as many as five chambers.
The temperature in the kiln when producing ‘suska sechlońska’ ranges from 45 to 60 °C.
Plums undergoing the drying and smoking process are arranged in a layer 30 to 50 cm thick. The producers turn the mass of drying plums once a day using a special shovel. The process lasts between 4 and 6 days, depending on the thickness of the plum layer. This method of drying and smoking plums has been developed thanks to the indigenous skills of local producers and is used solely for the production of ‘suska sechlońska’ in the defined geographical area.
5.2. Specificity of the product:
‘Suska sechlońska’ undergoes both drying and smoking. The process of drying and smoking in drying facilities is carried out with hot smoke, which distinguishes the ‘suska sechlońska’ from traditional prunes dried with warm air. During the smoking process, the plum loses some of the water from its tissues and absorbs smoke, which also has antiseptic properties. The reduction in the water content of the tissue during smoking and the antiseptic effect of the smoke hinder the development of putrefactive bacteria, thus prolonging the life of the product. The smoke gives the fruit a unique colour, aroma and taste.
As the plums are dried in a layer 30 to 50 cm thick and turned once a day, the juice coming from the plums during the drying process envelops the dried fruit, giving it a sweetish aftertaste. ‘Suska sechlońska’ produced this way is characterised by a distinctive sweet taste with a noticeable smoky aftertaste and aroma and by a sticky skin of deep blue to black.
5.3. Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product (for PDO) or a specific quality, reputation or other characteristic of the product (for PGI):
The link between ‘suska sechlońska’ and the region is based on its reputation, built on a long tradition of making the product and the unique skills of local producers.
‘Suska sechlońska’ owes its high quality to the unique skills of local producers and the traditional production methods they use. The design of the drying kilns and the method of drying reflect the know-how of local producers and differ considerably from production methods used in other parts of Poland as well as in the neighbouring regions. The way in which the drying kilns are made ensures that warm air and smoke circulate simultaneously, thereby drying and smoking the plums.
The link between ‘suska sechlońska’ and the geographical area is indeed reflected in the name of the village ‘Sechna’, which is derived from the Old Polish word ‘sechnie’, meaning drying. This demonstrates the product’s uniqueness and the deep-rooted tradition of the production method in the geographical area referred to in point 4.
Legend has it that the history of plum-drying began with a local clergyman, who spread the custom of plum-smoking among his parishioners. The long tradition of ‘suska sechlońska’ is evidenced in a work entitled Ujanowice – wieś powiatu limanowskiego by Jan Ligęza, published in 1905 (Work No 9 of the Ethnographic Commission of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences). The custom has survived to modern times and the production method has remained practically unchanged. The oldest drying facility, no longer operational, is more than 100 years old. The special drying facilities designed by local producers and still being used today constitute proof that the old method has survived. These drying facilities fit in perfectly with the landscape of the area.
Drying and smoking is so popular that songs and poems celebrating the tradition have been written about it. This old song is an example:
‘… Oj Sechna, Sechna ty skopciała wiosko, gdyby nie suszarnie byłabyś stolicą …’
(Oh Sechna, smoke-blackened Sechna, if it weren’t for the fruit kilns you would be the capital …)
The reputation of ‘suska sechlońska’ is also reflected in the prizes and distinctions awarded to it in various competitions: distinction in the 2000 ‘Nasze Kulinarne Dziedzictwo’ competition; prize at the ‘Perła 2004’ competition for the best Polish regional food product; first prize in the 2006 ‘Małopolski Smak’ poll.
The Prune Festival (Święto Suszonej Śliwki), held at Dobrociesz since 2001 and featuring prunes in various guises, also bears testimony to the product’s reputation, its link to the area and the tradition of drying plums. Further confirmation of the reputation of ‘suska sechlońska’ is the ‘prune tourist trail’ mapped out by the local authorities indicating farms with plum orchards and drying facilities.
Reference to publication of the specification:
(Article 5(7) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)
http://www.minrol.gov.pl/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabOrgId=1620&LangId=0