11.12.2014

Official Journal of the European Union

C 443/1

Commission communication in the framework of the implementation of Directive 2004/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on measuring instruments (1)

(Publication of the references to normative documents drawn up by OIML and the list of the parts thereof corresponding to the essential requirements (in conformity with Article 16(1) of the Directive))

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2014/C 443/01)

MI-007: Taximeters

in relation to:

OIML R 21 Edition 2007

Notes:

The column ‘Comment’ indicates the compliance between OIML R 21 and the relevant requirement in Directive 2004/22/EC.

The indication ‘Covered’ means that:

—	the requirement of OIML R 21 is identical to the one of Directive 2004/22/EC, or

—	the requirement of OIML R 21 is more severe than the one of Directive 2004/22/EC, or

—	all of the requirement of OIML R 21 fulfils requirements in Directive 2004/22/EC (even when Directive 2004/22/EC allows other alternatives),

—	in case the requirement is not fully covered, a short statement explains what is covered.

The indication ‘Not Covered’ means that the requirement in Directive 2004/22/EC is either not compatible with the relevant OIML R 21 requirement or not included in OIML R 21.

The indication ‘Not Relevant’ means that the requirement in Annex I of Directive 2004/22/EC is not relevant for taximeters.

Essential requirements in MID		OIML R 21 Edition 2007	Comment
ANNEX 1
1.1		2.4.5.4; 2.5.5	Covered
1.2		A.5.4.5	Covered
1.3		3.5.2	Covered
1.3.1		3.5.1; 5.1.2	Covered
1.3.2 (a)
M1:			Not relevant
M2:			Not relevant
M3:		A.5.4.4	Covered
1.3.2 (b)			Covered
1.3.3 (a)
E1			Not relevant
E2			Not relevant
E3	1st sentence	A.5.4.3; A.5.4.5; A.5.4.6; A.5.4.7	Covered on the provision that the field strength 24 V/m is used
	2nd sentence, 1st indent	A.5.4.3.2.	Covered
	2nd sentence, 2nd indent		Covered on the provision that Load dump, Test B according to ISO 16750-2:2010(E) is used
1.3.3 (b)		Annex A	Covered
1.3.4		Annex A	Covered
1.4
1.4.1		A.5.1	Covered
1.4.2		5.1.2	Covered
2		7.5	Covered
3		5.2.6	Covered
4			Not relevant
5		4.1	Covered
6		3.3	Covered
7
7.1		4.2.1	Covered
7.2		4.1; 4.9.1	Covered
7.3			Not relevant
7.4			Not relevant
7.5		4.1	Covered
7.6		4.2.3; 4.11	Covered when the test procedure is included in the operation manual
8
8.1		5.2.3.2	Covered
8.2		4.2.5	Covered
8.3		4.11.2.	Covered
8.4		4.10	Covered
8.5			Not relevant
9
9.1		4.12; 4.12.1	Covered
9.2			Not relevant
9.3			Not covered
9.4			Not relevant
9.5			Not relevant
9.6			Not relevant
9.7		3.4; 4.9.1	Covered
9.8		4.12.2	Covered
10
10.1		4.9.1	Covered
10.2		4.9.1	Covered
10.3		4.9.2	Covered
10.4		4.9.1	Covered
10.5			Not relevant
11
11.1			Not relevant
11.2			Not relevant
12		4.2.3	Covered
ANNEX MI-007
Definitions
Taximeter		2.1.1	Covered
Fare		2.3.1.1	Covered
Cross-over speed		2.3.1.2	Covered
Normal calculation mode S (single application of tariff)		2.3.1.3.1	Covered
Normal calculation mode D (double application of tariff)		2.3.1.3.2	Covered
Operating position		2.3.3; 2.3.3.1; 2.3.3.2; 2.3.3.3	Covered
1		3.1	Covered
2		2.3.3.2; 2.3.3.3; 3.1	Covered
3		4.3	Covered
4		5.2.3; 4.2.2	Covered
5		4.2.3; 4.2.5	Covered
6.1		A.5.4.4	Covered
6.2		3.5.1; 3.5.2	Covered
7		3.2.1.1	Covered
8
8.1		See Answer to Annex 1 § 1.3.3	Covered
8.2		5.1.3	Covered
9		5.2.5	Covered
10		3.1	Covered
11		4.5.3.b)	Covered
12		4.5.4	Covered
13		4.9.1	Covered
14.1		4.2.4	Covered
14.2		4.2.5	Covered when 4.2.5.i of OIML R 21:2007 is mandatory
14.3		See answer to Annex 1 § 8.3	Covered
15.1		4.7	Covered
15.2		4.7	Covered
15.3		4.9.1	Covered
16		4.8	Covered
17		4.1; 4.14.1	Covered
18		5.2.4; 3.2.1.1	Covered
19		4.14.1; 4.2.1	Covered
20		4.2.1	Covered
21		3.3	Covered
22		3.7	Covered
23		3.4	Covered

(1) OJ L 135, 30.4.2004, p. 1.

11.12.2014

Official Journal of the European Union

C 443/7

Council Conclusions

‘Training of legal practitioners: an essential tool to consolidate the EU acquis’

(2014/C 443/04)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

RECALLING:

The Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council of 29 June 2006 on Judicial Training in the European Union (COM(2006) 356 def.);

The Council Resolution on the training of judges, prosecutors and judicial staff in the European Union (2008/C 299/01);

Articles 81(2)(h) and 82(1)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, regarding Union support to training of the judiciary and of judicial staff in civil and criminal matters;

The 2010 Magna Carta of Judges of the Consultative Council of European Judges of the Council of Europe, which highlights that initial and in-service training is a right and a duty for judges and that training is an important element to safeguard the independence of judges as well as the quality and efficiency of the judicial system (CCJE(2010) 3 final);

The European Commission Communication ‘Building trust in EU-wide Justice — A new dimension to European judicial training’ (COM(2011) 551 final);

The Council conclusions of 27 October 2011 on European judicial training (2011/C 361/03);

The European Parliament resolution of 14 March 2012 on judicial training (2012/2575(RSP));

The European Commission Communication ‘EU Justice Agenda for 2020 — Strengthening Trust, Mobility and Growth within the Union’ (COM(2014) 144 final);

The European Council Strategic Guidelines for the area of freedom, security and justice of 27 June 2014 stating that ‘further action is required […] to enhance training for practitioners’ (EUCO 79/14);

UNDERLINES that:

Judges and prosecutors, as well as other legal practitioners, play a fundamental role in guaranteeing respect for the law of the European Union;

Justice, including judicial cooperation, has become a mature EU policy with the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty; the European area of justice must now be consolidated; training is a key tool in order to ensure that rights granted by EU legislation become a reality, that the effectiveness of the justice systems in the Member States increases and that legal practitioners trust each other’s justice systems. This in turn should help to ensure smooth cross-border proceedings and recognition of judgements;

WELCOMES:

The fact that more than 210 000 legal practitioners, whether judges, prosecutors, court staff, lawyers, notaries or bailiffs, took part in training in EU law between 2011 and 2013, as shown by the Commission yearly reports on European judicial training;

The dissemination of good training practices for judges, prosecutors, lawyers and court staff and the recommendations to improve training of these professions, resulting from the Pilot Project on European judicial training proposed by the European Parliament in 2012 and implemented by the European Commission in 2013 and 2014;

The adoption of the Justice Programme (1) for the period 2014-20, which shall support and promote judicial training with a view to fostering a common legal and judicial culture and that allocates 35 % of its global budget, i.e. EUR 132 million, to this objective;

The increased participation of judges and prosecutors in exchanges and other cross-border training activities that were performed, facilitated and coordinated by the EJTN in the past years;

ACKNOWLEDGES that:

While the situation is improving, more needs to be done to reach the ambitious target that half (around 700 000) of all legal practitioners should attend training in EU law between 2011 and 2020;

Training needs of legal practitioners are still not fully met and the situation varies between legal professions and Member States;

Good practices need to be widely disseminated, updated, reused and shared across legal professions;

Legal practitioners still face obstacles to taking part in training activities, e.g. because of the lack of time or budget, the lack of training courses which include EU law, or the lack of legal language skills that are necessary to take part in cross-border training activities;

At EU level, the EJTN is best placed to coordinate, through its members, national training activities and to develop a cross-border training offer for judges and prosecutors; it has received increasing co-funding support from the European Union over the past years;

CALLS ON THE NATIONAL JUDICIAL TRAINING PROVIDERS AND THE TRAINING PROVIDERS OF THE LEGAL PROFESSIONS TO:

Integrate systematically training in EU law and in particular in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union in initial and continuous training activities at national level, where necessary for the proper discharge of judicial or professional functions;

Follow-up on best practices and recommendations resulting from the Pilot Project on European judicial training, where relevant;

Facilitate that cross-border training activities in EU law in another Member State or by a European training provider are recognised as fulfilling national training obligations, where these exist;

Improve, where necessary, the collection of reliable data on training and share these data with the Commission, so as to allow the latter to further improve the accuracy of the yearly reporting on European judicial training;

Support the coordination of training provided by national organisations of liberal legal professions through their respective EU level entities;

CALLS ON THE MEMBER STATES TO:

Translate the priority of the June 2014 European Council Conclusions on legal practitioners’ training into concrete measures by:

—	allocating the necessary budgetary resources for the development of an adequate training offer; and

—	enabling legal practitioners to participate in the offered training activities;

Consider increasing, but at least maintain their financial support to the EJTN, taking into account the EJTN legal framework and Member States’ direct co-financing of certain EJTN training in line with relevant training needs, in order to match the EU’s contribution and enable the network to develop further its activities such as exchanges and cross-border training;

Support the collection of reliable data in this area;

INVITES THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO:

Draw on available expertise in the Member States and among stakeholders, and build upon the good work of the EJTN and the results of the Pilot Project on European judicial training, when it considers preparing a recommendation on standards of training covering all legal professions;

Continue reporting on the participation of legal practitioners in training in EU law and in the law of other Member States;

Organise regular EU-level meetings with the stakeholders involved in training of legal practitioners in order to take stock of progress and help preparing, where necessary, further improvements of European judicial training;

Organise a specific EU-level meeting with the stakeholders in order to map the existing training activities, identify possible gaps and propose improvements, focusing in particular on training of legal practitioners and public officials applying the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union;

Encourage training providers, whether public or, if appropriate, private, to organise more training in EU law and in foreign legal language skills for legal professions, bearing in mind the aim that such training be of high quality and cost-efficient;

Address the particular issue of court staff training, including in terms of improving training in EU law of the court staff whose duties comprise elements of EU law and of facilitating the cross-border cooperation of court staff training providers where relevant;

Increase progressively, respecting EU budgetary requirements and procedures, the financial support to the European Judicial Training Network, which is the essential tool to improve the training of judges and prosecutors in the EU;

Increase the financial support to cross-border training projects, as foreseen in the 2014-20 Justice financial programme, while reducing the administrative burden for the beneficiaries;

Continue developing the training section of the European e-Justice Portal, including e-learning, as an efficient tool to further develop European judicial training.

(1) Regulation (EU) No 1382/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a Justice Programme for the period 2014 to 2020 (OJ L 354, 28.12.2013, p. 73).

11.12.2014

Official Journal of the European Union

C 443/10

Euro exchange rates (1)

10 December 2014

(2014/C 443/05)

1 euro =

	Currency	Exchange rate
USD	US dollar	1,2392
JPY	Japanese yen	147,33
DKK	Danish krone	7,4397
GBP	Pound sterling	0,78975
SEK	Swedish krona	9,3276
CHF	Swiss franc	1,2024
ISK	Iceland króna
NOK	Norwegian krone	8,8765
BGN	Bulgarian lev	1,9558
CZK	Czech koruna	27,618
HUF	Hungarian forint	307,21
LTL	Lithuanian litas	3,45280
PLN	Polish zloty	4,1619
RON	Romanian leu	4,4430
TRY	Turkish lira	2,8000
AUD	Australian dollar	1,4846
CAD	Canadian dollar	1,4186
HKD	Hong Kong dollar	9,6059
NZD	New Zealand dollar	1,6034
SGD	Singapore dollar	1,6263
KRW	South Korean won	1 369,94
ZAR	South African rand	14,2430
CNY	Chinese yuan renminbi	7,6526
HRK	Croatian kuna	7,6680
IDR	Indonesian rupiah	15 298,55
MYR	Malaysian ringgit	4,3088
PHP	Philippine peso	55,250
RUB	Russian rouble	67,2763
THB	Thai baht	40,658
BRL	Brazilian real	3,2105
MXN	Mexican peso	17,8541
INR	Indian rupee	76,9233

(1) Source: reference exchange rate published by the ECB.

11.12.2014

Official Journal of the European Union

C 443/11

Publication of an 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

(2014/C 443/06)

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).

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs (2)

‘HOLLANDSE GEITENKAAS’

EC No: NL-PGI-0005-01176 — 6.11.2013

PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1. Name

‘Hollandse geitenkaas’

2. Member State or Third Country

Netherlands

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.3: Cheeses

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

‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ is a traditional, geographical name for a semi-hard, natural or foil-ripened cheese product produced in the Netherlands, prepared in a comparable way to Gouda cheese, made from goat's milk originating from goat-rearing holdings based in the Netherlands. ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ is ripened into a product ready for consumption, either naturally with rind formation or as rindless cheese in foil packaging. Natural ripening with rind formation must take place only in the Netherlands. The ripening period is four weeks, with a minimum of 25 days.

Characteristics:

Colour	:	During ripening the colour ranges from white in the case of young and matured ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ to ivory-coloured in the case of old ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’.
Texture	:	‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ is slightly soft to pliable at an age of four weeks. It becomes firmer as its moisture content decreases.
Composition	:	The milk supplied to the cheese-making farms has a fat content of 2,8-6,2 % and a protein content of 2,6-4,4 %. Herbs, spices and vegetables, such as nettle, fenugreek, thyme and tomato, may be added to the cheese provided that their characteristic taste is discernible in the end product.
Fat content	:	At least 50 % and at most 60 % in dry matter.
Moisture content	:	At most 44 % 14 days after curdling.
Salt content	:	At most 4,1 % in dry matter.
Taste	:	Soft, mild and clean. The flavour and smell become stronger/more intense as the cheese ripens.
Cross section	:	After slicing, the cheese has a closed cross section or contains holes distributed uniformly or non-uniformly.
Rind	:	When ripened naturally, the rind is firm, smooth, dry and clean and has no fungal flora. Although foil-packaged ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ does not have a hard rind, it is also pressed and soaked in brine. Foil-ripened ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ should be firm, smooth, dry and clean and have no fungal flora.
Ripening temperature	:	10-14 °C when ripened naturally and 4-7 °C in the case of foil ripening.
Shelf life	:	A minimum of 28 days after manufacture to more than one year.

Other characteristics:

The cheese has a flat cylindrical or angular shape or is in the form of a loaf or block and weighs between 1,5 and 20 kg. A flat cylindrical shape is a round shape with sides that curve smoothly into a flat top and bottom and a height that is a quarter to a half of the diameter. An angular shape is a flat cylindrical shape with one curved edge and one sharp edge. The term ‘loaf-shaped’ describes a rectangular cheese.

The goat's milk is curdled using an animal or microbial rennet at a temperature of at least 28 °C and no more than 32 °C. The milk is curdled by adding a microbial mixed culture of appropriate mesophilic starter cultures for ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’, consisting of Lactococcus variants, combined usually with Leuconostoc variants and possibly with thermophilic Lactobacillus and/or Lactococcus cultures.

In a conditioned brine bath the temperature, salt content and pH are kept as constant as possible. ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ is soaked in a brine bath with a salt content of at least 17 °Baumé and at most 20 °Baumé. The pH is below 4,8 and the temperature is at least 10 °C and at most 16 °C.

3.3. Raw materials (for processed products only)

‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ is made using pasteurised whole goat's milk, goat's (whey) cream, skimmed or semi-skimmed goat's milk originating from Dutch dairy goat holdings.

Milk from other animals may not be used.

Semi-hard ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ is made from milk of the Dutch White Goat or cross-breeds of the Dutch White with other typical breeds of dairy goat.

The consistent quality and mild flavour of Dutch goat's milk are the result of a monitored rearing system, craftsmanship and the use of a quality assurance programme (throughout the chain).

The quality assurance programme enables dairy goat farmers to produce goat's milk of consistently high quality. The programme sets out criteria for areas including operational hygiene, veterinary medicines, animal health and welfare, feed and drinking water, milk production and cooling.

The quality assurance programme for dairy goat holdings satisfies, as a minimum, the EU hygiene requirements and is monitored by the Dutch Controlling Authority for Milk and Milk Products (Centraal Orgaan voor Kwaliteitsaangelegenheden in de Zuivel, COKZ).

Each delivery of goat's milk is sampled. The fat content, protein content and various quality parameters of samples are analysed. Payments to the goat farmers are based on those basic milk quality data. COKZ oversees the entire process of sampling and sampling analysis and the correct processing of the results.

3.4. Feed (for products of animal origin only)

Dutch goats are fed on grass silage and/or maize silage of Dutch origin, piece feed and straw. Supplements such as linseed, pressed pulp and brewers' grains are permitted. Feed provided by external suppliers must satisfy the requirements of the dairy goat holdings quality assurance programme and the relevant European animal feed regulations. Dairy goats are not given feed liable to adversely affect their milk and cheese (smell, mild flavour, etc.), such as onion.

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

The goat's milk used to make ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ is obtained from dairy goat holdings based in the Netherlands. ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ is produced and naturally ripened in the Netherlands.

The characteristic phases of the production process are set out below:

—	The goat's milk is produced by the goats and obtained by the farmer on the farm. A maximum of eight milkings are stored in cooled tanks on the farm at a temperature of no more than 6 °C.

—	Certified milk collection drivers sample the goat's milk, collect it and deliver it to the cheese dairies.

—	The milk is received by the cheese dairies and stored in tanks.

—	The cheese is made by pasteurising the milk at a minimum temperature of 71,8 °C for at least 15 seconds. Rennet and lactic acid are added to the pasteurised goat's milk.

—	After curdling and treatment, the whey is removed and the cheese is placed in the moulds and pressed.

—	The cheese is soaked in a brine bath. The diameter and the shape of the cheese determine how long it is soaked. The salt content of the cheese may not exceed 4,1 % in dry matter.

—

The cheese is naturally ripened in a conditioned climate for a minimum period of 25 days, during which it is regularly turned and a food coating is applied to prevent the formation of mould. The ripening temperature is 10-14 °C. Natural ripening with rind formation is carried out in the Netherlands to ensure that the rind is dry. The ripening time and temperature are important in order to impart the desired organoleptic qualities to the cheese. The expertise developed in the Netherlands in the ripening of semi-hard cheese is what gives ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ its quality and flavour. Foil-packaged cheese is ripened for at least 25 days in a refrigerator at a temperature of 4-7 °C. Foil-packaged cheese can also be ripened outside the Netherlands. Because of the foil, it is merely necessary to monitor the temperature. Ripening expertise is in this case less important.

3.6. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc.

N/A

3.7. Specific rules concerning labelling

A ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ casein mark is placed on each naturally ripened cheese of that name. Foil-ripened ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ has no casein mark.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area covered by the application is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, also known by the traditional name ‘Holland’.

5. Link with the geographical area

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area

Summary

From time immemorial the soil and climatic conditions in the Netherlands have made it a country ideally suited to arable and livestock farming. These conditions also make it ideally suited to the rearing of dairy goats.

This, along with the use of typical dairy breeds, the feeding and rearing practices employed, the rich tradition of cheese-making and the local craftsmanship, has created conditions conducive to the use of goat's milk to make ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ in the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Geography

The combination of temperature, soil composition and rainfall has long made the Netherlands a country ideally suited to arable and livestock farming, including the rearing of dairy goats.

The Netherlands has a maritime climate in which the sea and wind are important factors. The presence of large bodies of water (the North Sea and Ijsselmeer) means that there is less variation in temperature than in other countries. The water has a moderating effect on the temperature. In the Netherlands the long-term average annual temperature varies from 8,9 to 10,4 °C and the average annual rainfall from 700 to 950 mm (www.knmi.nl).

Dutch soils are primarily clay, sandy and peat soils suited to farming and the production of livestock feed crops. The groundwater level is an important indicator. The wet areas, in particular, are mainly suitable for growing grass, for example, for use in livestock farming.

Dairy goat

‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ is made from milk of the Dutch White Goat or cross-breeds of the Dutch White with other typical breeds of dairy goat. The Saanen dairy goats imported from Switzerland between 1880 and 1920 played an important part in the history of dairy goat rearing in the Netherlands. The imported goats were crossed with the indigenous breeds. Villages set up their own breeding associations which were coordinated at provincial level under the aegis of the Dutch Goat Breeding Organisation (Nederlandse Organisatie voor de Geitenfokkerij, NOG) which also founded the Dutch dairy goat register. The national objective was soon established: to breed a large, sturdy, hornless goat with a high feed intake capacity and milk production level.

The developments outlined above have made the Dutch dairy goat one of the most efficient milk producers in the world. The average production level of Dutch dairy goats continues to rise each year as a result of first-class management and their good genetics.

Product and craftsmanship

The Netherlands, which has been making cheese since the Middle Ages, has a rich history of cheese-making and craftsmanship. From the 18th century it acquired expertise in making Gouda cheese. The knowledge and expertise developed in the Netherlands in the making of Gouda cheese have had a significant influence on the production of ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’. The expertise in making Gouda semi-hard cheese was transferred directly to the production of goat's cheese, helping greatly to develop the uniform quality and flavour of the product.

The focus on craftsmanship and the quality and flavour of semi-hard cheeses produced in the Netherlands is demonstrated by the Dutch National Cheese Tasting Competition (Nederlands Nationaal Kaaskeurconcours, NNKC) events which have been held for over half a century. Experts from the cheese sector practise and test their ability to distinguish between cheeses and their flavours, including the distinctive flavour of ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’.

Organisation and logistics

Because the Netherlands is a small country and distances are short, there is a good deal of contact and knowledge-sharing between farmers and producers and/or production monitoring organisations. Over the centuries, the craftsmanship of dairy farmers and cheese-makers has reached a high and uniform standard, partly as a result of research, education and information promoted by the Dutch authorities. The knowledge and applied scientific research currently pooled in the Wageningen University and Research Centre clusters is thus still today a model of high-level organisation and the practical application of knowledge of areas including cheese-making and education.

5.2. Specificity of the product

Product and craftsmanship

‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ has a soft, mild and clean taste. The cheese acquires this mild, tart flavour after four weeks when ripened naturally and after a longer period when foil-ripened. It is not soapy and has little or no bitterness. The naturally ripened variant becomes firmer, its flavour more intense, as the cheese ripens and its moisture content decreases.

‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ is a semi-hard, natural or foil-ripened cheese product prepared in a comparable way to Gouda cheese, made from pasteurised goat's milk. The production of Gouda cheese is characterised by the use of mesophilic starter cultures, sometimes supplemented by thermophilic cultures, the process of curdling the milk, the shaping of the cheese by pressing and the salting of the cheese by soaking it in a conditioned brine bath. Natural ripening is carried out under conditions also derived from the traditional production of Gouda, i.e. the cheese is left open to the air to ripen and is regularly turned and checked. Cheese ripened in this way develops a dry rind. Following the characteristic pressing and soaking, foil-ripened ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ is packaged in foil and ripened cold. As a result, no hard rind is formed and the mild flavour of young goat's cheese is preserved for longer.

‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ is made only from goat's milk. Other types of milk may not be used.

In 1946 the veterinarian and former national livestock farming adviser E.J. Dommerhold described in detail the basic recipe for ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ and emphasised that it must contain sufficient goat's milk that meets hygiene requirements. The relevant section of the book also describes the addition of herbs. At that time ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ was made on a small scale on farms.

Organisation and logistics

From the beginning of the 1980s Dutch dairy cow farmers switched to dairy goat rearing on account of the high milk quota costs. The quantity of goat's milk available for cheese production increased as a result. There was a shift from very small-scale farm production to industrial cheese dairies specialising in the production of ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’.

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 protection of ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ as a geographical indication is based on the characteristics of geography, product and craftsmanship, the level of organisation and logistics, and its specific reputation.

Geography

The soil composition, the temperate maritime climate and the knowledge of producers in the Netherlands are conducive to the production of goat feed and ensure that the goat's milk is suitable for making ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’. This is important to obtain the clean, mild taste of the milk that gives ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ its mild flavour.

Dairy goat

Right at the start of the 20th century the Netherlands decided to breed highly productive dairy goats. The ever-increasing average milk yield per goat and the consistent quality and flavour of the goat's milk are the result of proper care, good nutrition, a high health status and the genetics of the goats. The presence of typical, highly productive dairy goats and a culture of Gouda cheese-making are requirements for the production of ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’.

Product and craftsmanship

Instructions for rearing goats and making ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ are contained in documents dated 1946. Goat-rearing practices and the way in which ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ is made are still today based on those instructions.

The knowledge acquired over the years in the rearing of dairy goats in the Netherlands and in the production and maturing of ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ has resulted in a unique body of experience. That is why it is important that ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ is made from Dutch milk on Dutch dairy farms whose staff have received thorough training in the technology used specifically for this type of cheese.

Organisation and logistics

The small size of the country and its high level of organisation ensure that the sector is well run, with goat farmers being required to participate in a milk quality assurance programme. This is important in order to maintain at all times the high quality of the cheese and of the goat's milk from which it is made.

Reputation

The increase in the availability of goat's milk and in the production of ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ meant that consumers ‘rediscovered’ the cheese as a speciality product in the 1980s. The product's good reputation is demonstrated by the fact that sales figures have since then risen without any large-scale advertising or marketing.

‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ now occupies a prominent position in Dutch cheese production. The volume of goat's cheese produced in the Netherlands rose from 3 700 tonnes in 2000 to 19 780 tonnes in 2012 (Dutch Dairy Board).

‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ is nationally and internationally recognised as a high-quality product that is in great demand.

As regards the national reputation of ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’, a large number of cheese tasters meet annually to assess the flavour of goat's cheese based on a nationally defined product profile (NNKC).

The international reputation of ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ is confirmed by the large number of prizes that it has won at international tastings. ‘Hollandse geitenkaas’ products have for a number of years successfully been entered in cheese competitions such as Madison (USA), DLG (Germany) and Nantwich (UK), for example.

Reference to publication of the specification

(Article 5(7) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (3))

http://www.eu-streekproducten.nl/sites/default/files/BGA_PD_Hol_Geitenkaas_def.pdf

(1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.

(2) OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p 12. Replaced by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

(3) See footnote 2.

		ISSN 1977-091X
Official Journal of the European Union		C 443

English edition	Information and Notices	Volume 57 11 December 2014

Notice No	Contents	page
	II Information
	INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES
	European Commission
2014/C 443/01	Commission communication in the framework of the implementation of Directive 2004/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on measuring instruments (Publication of the references to normative documents drawn up by OIML and the list of the parts thereof corresponding to the essential requirements (in conformity with Article 16(1) of the Directive)) ( 1 )	1

2014/C 443/02	Commission communication in the framework of the implementation of Directive 2004/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on measuring instruments (Withdrawal of the publication of the references to normative documents drawn up by OIML and the list of the parts thereof corresponding to the essential requirements) ( 1 )	6

2014/C 443/03	Withdrawal of notification of a concentration (Case M.7468 — Oji Holdings/Itochu Corporation/Sales and Production JVs) ( 1 )	6

	IV Notices
	NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES
	Council
2014/C 443/04	Council Conclusions — Training of legal practitioners: an essential tool to consolidate the EU acquis	7

	European Commission
2014/C 443/05	Euro exchange rates	10

	V Announcements
	OTHER ACTS
	European Commission
2014/C 443/06	Publication of an 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	11